By 1news.co.nz
Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon has resigned from his role this evening over undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Foon, who previously spent six terms as mayor of Gisborne, was appointed by the Labour Government to the role of Race Relations Commissioner in July 2019 by the former Justice Minister Andrew Little.
In a statement this afternoon, Associate Minister of Justice Deborah Russell confirmed Foon had tendered his resignation today.
She said on May 12, she was advised by the Chief Human Rights Commissioner that Foon “had failed to declare a range of interests, as required under sections 62-65 of the Crown Entities Act”.
“A company directed by Meng Foon received income from Government payments during his term which he had failed to adequately declare, including over $2 million for the provision of accommodation including emergency housing,” she said.
“The Human Rights Commission conducted an inquiry and produced a report on emergency housing which Meng Foon had been involved in deliberations for, while never adequately declaring his interest.”
Russell said she sought advice from the Ministry of Justice following the inquiry, as well as a report from the Human Rights Commission Board into his failure to adequately declare his conflicts of interest.
Foon this afternoon told 1News he had been “chucked under the bus”.
He said he never stood to make any financial benefit from participating in the Human Rights Commission inquiry into emergency housing.
On May 30, Russell wrote to Foon “inviting him to respond to the Board’s report and set out that my deliberations could result in him being removed from office”.
A subsequent meeting was held with Foon “where he explained his actions”.
“I have been considering the matter and taking further advice. My preliminary view was his actions were serious enough to warrant removal,” she said.
“Had the process been completed it is probable I would have determined his actions represented a serious breach of the Crown Entities Act and I would have taken the next steps to recommend to the Governor-General to remove him from his office.
“It is critical that all people appointed to public roles comply with their statutory duties. Meng Foon had multiple opportunities to adequately declare these interests and did not do so.
“While he has now chosen to resign, I think it’s important the public is aware of the circumstances in which he has made that decision.”
Foon responds
In a statement to 1News, Foon “refute[d] strongly” his failure to declare his conflicts of interest.
He said he had planned to resign on Sunday but was “beaten” to it by the news coming out early.
“I resigned for my error of judgement on political donations and our company is an emergency housing provider,” he said.
He said he had declared his company was an emergency housing provider prior to his appointment to the role in 2019.
“I refute strongly that I didn’t declare my interest of emergency housing to the Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Justice, as they received my interest before I was appointed and before I took up my role as Race Relations Commissioner.”
Foon added that the sum received was about $2.3 million from 2018 to 2023, beginning with around $9500 in the year ending 2019.
“I have been transparent with the Commission.”
He further added that there is “no policy to declare financial figures”.
“When asked by the Chief Commissioner how much, my accountant declared the financials.
“At the housing inquiry board meeting, I didn’t declare a perceived conflict as I didn’t think I needed to.”
Foon said he “fully supported the housing inquiry”, but “in hindsight I should [have] declare[d] I made a mistake”.
He also stated he “didn’t receive any money from the HRC”, meaning there was “no pecuniary interest”.
He went on to say that the managers at Tatapouri Bay Oceanside Accommodation, located 10 kilometres from the city, had been asked by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Ministry of Social Development “to take on more people due to the shortage of homes in the Taiarawhiti and because of Covid”.
“All transactions are, on commercial terms, legal.”
Who is Meng Foon?
Prior to being appointed as Race Relations Commissioner, Foon had been the longstanding mayor of Gisborne – serving six consecutive terms for 18 years.
The former mayor and his family have been prominent members of the community for decades. He became New Zealand’s first Chinese mayor in 2001 and was known for his embrace of diversity as mayor.
Foon is fluent in te reo Māori, Cantonese and English.
The commissioner was also a former president of the New Zealand Chinese Association and a member of the New Zealand Rugby League Board.
Before entering politics, he was a local businessman who was a second-generation Asian retailer. He continues to own commercial property in the Gisborne area.
In 2018, Foon and family members sold Gisborne’s largest mall — which had been valued at nearly $4 million and had been in their ownership for over two decades.
The Companies Register lists him as a current director of one company and former director of a further six, including Triple Eight Investments, which made a $9185 contribution to Kiri Allan. He is also listed as a current shareholder of four companies and a former shareholder of another nine.
