Jones admits using credit card for porn

Shane Jones. Photo by NZPA
Shane Jones. Photo by NZPA
Former Labour MP Shane Jones had admitted he watched porn movies in hotels, which were paid for on his taxpayer-funded credit card.

Far North list MP Mr Jones was minister for building and construction during 2007-08 in the previous government and admits to wrongly using his card to charter a plane and buy wine, magazines and books. He also wrongly used the card to buy movies when he stayed at hotels.

 • 'I'm not a sex fiend' - Shane Jones

Asked if the movies were adult or not, Mr Jones initially said he could not remember.

Asked earlier today if the movies were adult or not, Mr Jones said he could not remember. "I can't recall exactly they were; drugs, sex or rock and roll. I am a movie buff," he told Radio New Zealand. "I don't recall. I watch a lot of movies... I don't know. I won't rule it out but I don't remember."

But he told RadioLive today he did watch adult movies from time to time.

"At various times I have stayed in hotels, and I have to put my hand up, watched blue movies and then ended paying them back. But the media are going hard on me. I am not going to hide from it.

"It was something that I have done, I am not happy I have done it. I have disappointed a lot of people with confirmed prejudices."

Mr Jones revealed he had paid back about $5000 that he wrongly spent on his credit card.

Other expenses he refunding included CDs, books and magazines he bought on the road.

On one occasion he chartered a flight. His scheduled flight was cancelled so drove to Auckland from Kaitaia, but needed to get to a meeting in Tauranga where he was to speak.

The flight was around $1200, he said.

"It is on the card," he told Radio New Zealand.

Wine costs included an event at which he hosted a group of architects and about $300 of wine was drunk. He paid that back but said he did think it was a work expense.

Mr Jones said he paid the money back after the election.

"I knew one day there was going to be a reckoning with disclosures over credit cards."

He said he realised he'd pushed the margins.

"I was too loose for my own good in terms of putting things on the card... Fair cop, I put things on the card that ought not to have been there. I've got to accept responsibility."

Mr Jones earlier this year admitted to media at the time of the Phil Heatley saga that he spent money inappropriately, but not the extent of it.

National's Mr Heatley stood down from his housing and fisheries portfolios in February because of wrongful use of his ministerial credit card, but was reinstated in late March by Prime Minister John Key as Minister of Housing in February after an Audit Office report said his spending was not intentional.

 


 

 

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