New Zealand First is demanding an apology from independent MP Brendan Horan and the Government over claims the party had misused taxpayer funds.
The Speaker's Office says it has found that claims made by Mr Horan in Parliament in May this year using National's allotted time in Question Time as baseless.
Winston Peters. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
Mr Horan told the House that New Zealand First had used its leader's budget for party political purposes, such as campaigning and fundraising, using taxpayer-funded computer software. He said the party had paid tens of thousands of dollars out of the leader's budget to develop the software.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said on Monday that Mr Horan and the Government should apologise for what he described as underhand tactics.
"For so blatantly deceivingly behaving that way and making statements that were not true. Clearly, we always knew that they were without any merit, without any substance, that they were a malignant series of complaints."
Brendan Horan. Photo: RNZ
Mr Peters said New Zealand First was forced into an extensive, time-wasting exercise because of false claims made by a disgruntled MP.
He said the Government also owe the public an apology for giving some of its allotted time in Question Time to Mr Horan to enable him to make the claims.
Brendan Horan said on Monday while he accepts the Speaker's findings, there are anomalies that remain unexplained.
Mr Horan said it's a bit rich of New Zealand First to demand an apology, when Winston Peters recently sacked two staff members on hearsay.
"If it's an apology they're after, I'll give an apology. I'll give an apology to the people of New Zealand for helping to get that clown in Parliament."
In 2012, Mr Horan was expelled from New Zealand First over allegations that he stole money from his late mother's estate, which he denies.
Mr Horan said on Monday he is not a disgruntled MP out to get his former party.
