Meng Foon resigns

Stuff reports:

Meng Foon has resigned as Race Relations Commissioner for a conflict of interest involving $2 million of Government funding for housing, but says he made an “error of judgement” and that officials knew about the money. 

Foon, who has been in the role since August 2019, is the director of a company which received payments worth $2m during his term. He failed to adequately declare this, Associate Justice Minister Deborah Russell in a statement, despite being involved in a report on emergency housing.

Foon absolutely should have declared the conflict in the context of contributing to a report on emergency housing. It is standard practice that you both declare potential conflicts generally, but also specifically in regard to individual agenda items.

Having said that, I’m not sure the omission quite reaches the standard for removal of office. There was no pecuniary gain to be made, and the HRC has no decision making ability around housing – they are basically just an advocacy voice.

I suspect that if the Michael Wood situation had not recently arisen, he might have escaped with a reprimand. But having had Wood so badly manage his conflicts, they need to make an example of Foon.

Foon’s behaviour, while sub-standard, is still well above Wood. Foon did not file false declarations for multiple years and Foon did not hold onto shares for 2.5 years despite 12 reminders. So if Foon’s management of his conflicts means he must go, why is Michael Wood still a Minister?