Sacked MP vows to clear his name

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Sacked MP returns to Parliament

3News NZ

Brendan Horan at Wellington Airport

Brendan Horan at Wellington Airport

By NZN Political Writer Peter Wilson with 3 News online staff

Former NZ First MP Brendan Horan has returned to Wellington this morning for a Parliamentary select committee, saying there is “a lot of work to be done.”

Party leader Winston Peters sacked him on Tuesday over allegations the MP misappropriated money from his mother's bank account before she died in August. Mr Horan continues to deny the claims.

At Wellington Airport this morning, he told 3 News political editor Patrick Gower he has no intention of resigning as a Member of Parliament, despite Mr Peters saying he had a duty to do so.

“What Winston says is up to Winston, but I’ve done nothing wrong so why should I?” he said.

Mr Horan said he believes he still has a mandate to be in Parliament.

“I’m an MP, many people did vote for me and if you have a look at the statistics you’ll see that in my Tauranga electorate I had the highest party vote as well as the highest personal vote… I’ll be continuing to represent all New Zealanders,” he said.

Yesterday, Mr Peters told Parliament he had received "substantive material" relating to the allegations and no longer had confidence in Mr Horan.

"He will be expelled from the New Zealand First caucus forthwith," he said.

"Mr Horan has a duty, I believe, to resign as a Member of Parliament."

The MP's lawyer, Paul Mabey QC, says the "bombshell" announcement came without warning.

"Mr Horan has no intention of leaving Parliament, he has no reason to do so," Mr Mabey said in a statement on Tuesday night.

"Mr Horan is the subject of unproven allegations which he completely denies - none of the allegations have ever been put to him directly, nor has he been shown any evidence to support them."

Mr Mabey says Mr Horan is confident he will be exonerated by "a proper investigation" of the allegations.

If Mr Horan stays on as an independent list MP there's no way Mr Peters can force him out.

Mr Horan is embroiled in a family dispute. His half-brother, Mana Ormsby, has alleged thousands of dollars were misappropriated from Olwen Horan's bank account before she died.

Mrs Horan won about $1 million in an Australian lottery in August 1999, and in February 2007 she had $259,000 in her account.

When she died there was just $3000 left.

Three months before her death she signed an amendment to her will because she was concerned money was missing from her account. She authorised the executor to take any legal steps necessary to recover the money.

The police are not involved.

NZN / 3 News

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Comments

5/12/2012 1:25:53 p.m.

Jim Seaview wrote:

It is good to hear that sacked MP Brendon Horan saying there is “a lot of work to be done.”
What work Mr Horan can you effectively do in Parliament as an overnight, over-rated self proclaimed independant after being sacked from the NZ First party? I suppose when you are effectively sucking $140,000 from the tax payers purse, it doesnt matter whether you are reading a newspaper or scoffing a coffee or a free feed at Bellamy's. Mr Horan you did not get the electorate vote in the Tauranga region, you got into parliament solely on the coat tails of NZ First leader - Winstone Peters.
Time to get real Mr Horan and leave.

5/12/2012 12:10:51 p.m.

William wrote:

It is blatantly obvious that this guy has learned well from the man who has sacked him, as even when he is wrong he is still right and he won't stand down, because like his leader he is right even although he is wrong, so what do you expect Peters you have taught him WELL!!!!
When I was being bought up it was termed "the S____t hitting the fan"

5/12/2012 11:58:19 a.m.

darrell wrote:

Reporter should have offered him a throat lozenge

5/12/2012 11:51:15 a.m.

alison wrote:

Winston asked for paperwork from Horan on numerous occasions to prove his innocence. I hardly think he would have sacked someone that was polling so high without good reason.

5/12/2012 10:58:14 a.m.

Jen wrote:

Peters is an hypocrite because HE himself did NOT resign from Parliament during the Owen Glen scandal DESPITE the parliament's privilege committee finding Peters guilty!

5/12/2012 10:53:55 a.m.

Mike R wrote:

There is a 99.9% chance that this is a civil matter unless Horan obtained his mother's money by fraud. If Horan's signature was on the withdrawal slips or cheques then he had authority from his mother to operate her bank account. If his sister's signature was used then his sister had that authority.

5/12/2012 6:22:13 a.m.

jan.. wrote:

If Horan is a criminal then he should be resigning from his post as an MP and be dismiss from the Paliament in total. This has happened before to other close families and dishonesty but to bank trace the missing money from the dead women's account is your best pet. Goodluck.