14 Jul 2016

Nauru result distorted by housing "slush fund" -Kun

4:18 pm on 14 July 2016

A former Nauru opposition MP Roland Kun says the recent Nauru election result was distorted by what he calls a housing slush fund.

The polls saw the Baron Waqa led government retaining power with an increased majority.

Roland Kun left just after the election as he'd been granted a New Zealand passport to join his family in Wellington.

13072016 Photo: Rebekah Parsons-King. Former Nauru opposition MP Roland Kun has left Nauru and arrived in New Zealand after being issued with a New Zealand passport.

Roland Kun had his passport confiscated and was suspended from parliament. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

He had been trapped on Nauru for a year after his Nauruan passport had been confiscated over supposedly anti-government activities.

Mr Kun said MPs were dishing out millions of dollars for housing in the run up to the election.

"These funds are not properly accountable. Members of the government and their supporting MPs have full discretion over how these funds are utilsaiised so there's an exorbitant amount of money in a population of 12,000 being thrown around by members of parliament who are in support of the government."

He said he intends to speak out on Nauru affairs from his home in New Zealand including acting as a witness in an Australian Federal Police investigation into alleged bribery on Nauru if he is asked to.

Bribery allegations

Mr Kun said he was prevented from leaving the island a year ago partly because he was likely going to be a key witness in the probe embroiling Nauru government ministers.

The Justice Minister David Adeang and the President Waqa have since denied allegations they were among those receiving kickbacks from an Australian phosphate dealer, Getax.

Mr Kun said his part in the probe was one reason Mr Adeang stopped him from leaving Nauru.

"He knew that if I was off-island then there'd be an opportunity that I might become a key witness to that investigation. It would not be in his favour to have that investigation progress with a cooperating witness who was in previous governments."

13072016 Photo: Rebekah Parsons-King. Former Nauru opposition MP Roland Kun has left Nauru and arrived in New Zealand after being issued with a New Zealand passport. Pictured with Hana Kun (8 years old) L and Yoshi Kun (6 years old) R.

Roland Kun has been reunited with his family in New Zealand. Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

Mr Kun had been keeping a low profile in Nauru since efforts got under way to get him a New Zealand passport, and did not stand for election in the weekend's polls.

"I don't intend on not having an opinion or keeping my opinions to myself, especially in terms of governance and what government is doing.

I'm going to be vocal and I'm going to continue to have an opinion on what these guys are doing."

Mr Kun said his focus now is on his family, including his three children, whom he had not seen for a year.

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