"This is a final attempt to find out if something can be salvaged from this."
Ms Curran attended a Cadbury working party meeting with multinational Mondelez yesterday where Dr O’Malley’s decision to drop out was discussed.
She admitted she was not "hugely hopeful", but would make every effort to help a Dunedin operator win the contract.
"The working party needs to hear from [Dr O’Malley] as to why he judged he needed to pull out."
Ms Curran, who has threatened to quit the working party, said she would stay on the group at least until after the meeting with Dr O’Malley. She would report back to Mondelez after that.
"I don’t believe Jim has had a fair hearing from Mondelez."
Ms Curran has accused Mondelez of misleading community leaders over the prospect of a Dunedin operator securing the right to make Jaffas and other Kiwi sweet lines.
Mondelez has rejected claims it was unhelpful to Dr O’Malley.
Dr O’Malley, a Dunedin city councillor, raised $5.7 million in two weeks in pledges after announcing he wanted to start a company to manufacture the sweets.
