A parliamentary watchdog will undertake an inquiry into whether suspended Transport Minister Michael Wood met his obligations to declare his interests under Parliament's standing orders.
It follows the revelation on Tuesday Wood had not immediately declared $13,000 worth of shares in Auckland Airport.
National has said it is a conflict of interest and breaches the Cabinet Manual, and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins stood Wood down from the transport portfolio earlier this week.
In a statement released this morning, Sir Maarten Wevers, the Registrar of Pecuniary and Other Specified Interests of Members of Parliament, said he had received a letter from National Party MP Chris Penk on Wednesday requesting he conduct an inquiry into whether Wood had "complied with his obligations to declare certain interests under Parliament’s standing orders".
"The Registrar has conducted a preliminary review of Chris Penk MP’s request to determine whether an inquiry is warranted. The Registrar noted that Hon Michael Wood had, in recent days, made a number of public statements, including in the House of Representatives, in relation to the need to amend previous returns under the Register [of pecuinary interests].
"The Registrar’s preliminary review also took account of the degree of importance of the matter under inquiry; whether the matter may involve a breach of the obligations to make a return; and whether the matter is technical or trivial.
"Having conducted a preliminary review of the request, the Registrar has determined that an inquiry is warranted and will be undertaken," the statement said.
It added proceedings of the inquiry would be "strictly confidential".
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