Tue, 13 Oct 2009 5:17p.m.
Melissa Lee
By Duncan Garner
New Zealand On Air is demanding National MP Melissa Lee pay back $80,000 of taxpayers' money.
Last night 3 News revealed the broadcasting agency had written to Ms Lee saying her company, which produces TVNZ's Asia Downunder, had broken the rules and needed to pay the money back.
While Ms Lee has agreed to do that, she is not so keen on talking about it.
"If I am deemed to have done something wrong, of course I'll pay it back," was all she said to 3 News today.
3 News last night revealed NZOA had found Ms Lee's company had broken the rules by not returning unspent money given to her to make Asia Downunder. The money came from the unspent contingency budget.
We asked lee what she did with it – she refused to respond.
Despite our story last night, and the many hours since, and the four-month investigation, Ms Lee and her business partner had not even talked when we approached her again later in the afternoon.
"I haven't checked my email yet," said Ms Lee.
NZOA told 3 News today it was an administrative irregularity and that Ms Lee's company must pay back $80,000 because they broke the rules of their contract. Money should have been returned to NZOA – Ms Lee's company kept it.
NZOA told us it was not a common error, and it was unusual.
Prime Minister John Key says there was no malice in the mistake.
"She's made it clear that it was a innocent mistake," he told 3 News.
Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman says he knew on August 18 about this issue, but it only became public last night on 3 News after a whistleblower sent us incriminating documents.
"Would we ever have known about it had this not been leaked to the media?" asks Labour's Annette King.
"It didn't sound it was a big deal at the time," says Mr Coleman. "If it was I would have followed it up at the time."
National is embarrassed by Ms Lee. Her performance in the Mt Albert by-election was poor - now she has been caught out again.
The whistleblower in this row has told 3 News there are many more questions to come for Ms Lee and her company - a not so subtle hint that paying the money back will not be the end of this saga.
3 News
