NZ minister resigns over 'errors'

21 March 2012 Last updated at 04:53 GMT  Nick Smith resigns as minister but says he would like to serve out his term in parliament A New Zealand minister is resigning over two letters to help a female friend's accident compensation claim.

Nick Smith made an emotional announcement in parliament, admitting to his ''error of judgement'' with regards to the letters and not declaring a conflict of interest.

He was minister for climate change, environment and local government.

He said Prime Minister John Key had ''quite properly'' accepted his resignation, New Zealand media say.

''Dr Smith has been a hard-working and diligent minister, but perceptions do matter and he knows he has let himself down,'' Mr Key said in a statement.

Mr Smith has been under pressure to resign since it was revealed that he was involved in the claim of his friend Bronwyn Pullar for a cycling accident while he was overseeing the country's accident compensation.

He said he did not want to comment on the nature of the relationship between him and Ms Pullar, a political activist.

''I have a wonderful wife and family who are actually very distressed today, that I have been absolutely loyal to my wonderful wife and I will be to the end of my days,'' he was quoted as saying in New Zealand media.

Mr Smith told parliament that he wrote a letter on the ministerial letterhead for Ms Pullar, and signed another letter related to her case without declaring his conflict of interest.

He also apologised to the PM, his caucus, family and staff, saying that he intended to serve out his term in parliament.

Mr Smith is one of several ministers in Mr Key's government to lose their portfolios over allegations of misconduct, report New Zealand media.

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Minister enters cash access row

19 September 2011 Last updated at 10:36 GMT Consumer Focus said millions of bank customers would benefit from access to accounts at Post Offices A minister wants HSBC and Santander to allow customers to withdraw cash from the Post Office, but the banks are questioning the demand for the service.

Consumer Minister Ed Davey said that the two banks were "holding out" against allowing customers to use Post Office branches for account access.

But HSBC said that fewer than three in 10 of its customers actually wanted such access.

This comes as the latest stage of Post Office reform is announced.

Judging demand

A recent report from watchdog Consumer Focus suggested that four million customers of High Street banks used the Post Office network to use some current account services.

It claimed that up to 18 million people could go to the network for their banking needs if access was widened.

HSBC and Santander are the only two of the major banks that do not allow cash withdrawal for account holders at Post Offices.

Mr Davey told the Liberal Democrat conference that customers should consider switching to another bank if the two did not listen to a campaign for access.

However, HSBC said customers were able to access their cash through 60,000 cash machines and 1,275 HSBC branches in the UK.

"We recently conducted in-depth research among our customers with regards to accessibility of their accounts at Post Offices, and only one in 10 thought it would improve our service - with many actually saying it would be viewed as a negative," a spokesman for the bank said.

"Recent research by Consumer Focus backed this up and showed that less than three out of 10 HSBC customers would want access to their banking via a post office."

He added that those with basic bank accounts - that do not offer overdrafts or cheque books - could access their money at the Post Office.

Consumer protection

Mr Davey also told the conference in Birmingham that the Post Office could be on a clear path to mutualisation by the end of this parliament as the government launched a consultation of its proposals.

The government wants Post Office Ltd - the national company that sets the strategy for the Post Office network and operates some of the larger branches - to become a mutual.

This would not affect the ownership of the thousands of privately-owned Post Office branches across the UK.

Meanwhile, Mr Davey also announced plans to bring consumer regulations found in 12 different Acts under one Consumer Bill of Rights.

This would include new measures to allow consumers more time to get out of a contract if they have been victims of aggressive sales practices.

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Minister enters cash access row

19 September 2011 Last updated at 10:36 GMT Consumer Focus said millions of bank customers would benefit from access to accounts at Post Offices A minister wants HSBC and Santander to allow customers to withdraw cash from the Post Office, but the banks are questioning the demand for the service.

Consumer Minister Ed Davey said that the two banks were "holding out" against allowing customers to use Post Office branches for account access.

But HSBC said that fewer than three in 10 of its customers actually wanted such access.

This comes as the latest stage of Post Office reform is announced.

Judging demand

A recent report from watchdog Consumer Focus suggested that four million customers of High Street banks used the Post Office network to use some current account services.

It claimed that up to 18 million people could go to the network for their banking needs if access was widened.

HSBC and Santander are the only two of the major banks that do not allow cash withdrawal for account holders at Post Offices.

Mr Davey told the Liberal Democrat conference that customers should consider switching to another bank if the two did not listen to a campaign for access.

However, HSBC said customers were able to access their cash through 60,000 cash machines and 1,275 HSBC branches in the UK.

"We recently conducted in-depth research among our customers with regards to accessibility of their accounts at Post Offices, and only one in 10 thought it would improve our service - with many actually saying it would be viewed as a negative," a spokesman for the bank said.

"Recent research by Consumer Focus backed this up and showed that less than three out of 10 HSBC customers would want access to their banking via a post office."

He added that those with basic bank accounts - that do not offer overdrafts or cheque books - could access their money at the Post Office.

Consumer protection

Mr Davey also told the conference in Birmingham that the Post Office could be on a clear path to mutualisation by the end of this parliament as the government launched a consultation of its proposals.

The government wants Post Office Ltd - the national company that sets the strategy for the Post Office network and operates some of the larger branches - to become a mutual.

This would not affect the ownership of the thousands of privately-owned Post Office branches across the UK.

Meanwhile, Mr Davey also announced plans to bring consumer regulations found in 12 different Acts under one Consumer Bill of Rights.

This would include new measures to allow consumers more time to get out of a contract if they have been victims of aggressive sales practices.

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Brazil tourism minister resigns

14 September 2011 Last updated at 23:59 GMT Mr Novais denies wrongdoing Brazilian Tourism Minister Pedro Novais has resigned over allegations that he misused public funds.

Mr Novais quit after newspaper reports accused him of using public money to employ a maid and a driver for his wife while he was a congressman.

He denies wrongdoing, and says he stepped down to prepare his defence.

He is the fourth minister to resign or be sacked over corruption allegations since President Dilma Rousseff took office in January.

Opposition groups say the resignations show that Ms Rousseff's government is tainted by corruption, the BBC's Paulo Cabral in Sao Paulo says.

But the government says corruption has always existed in Brazil - the difference now is that cases are being made public and action is being taken, our correspondent adds.

The resignations have strained Ms Rousseff's governing coalition, which is made up of more than a dozen parties.

Mr Novais, 81, is a member of her largest coalition partner, the Democratic Movement Party of Brazil (PMDB).

The latest accusations against him follow other allegations of corruption at Brazil's ministry of tourism.

Last month more than 30 ministry officials were arrested on charges of misusing public money.

President Rousseff's chief minister, Antonio Palocci, resigned in June after media reports questioned his rapid accumulation of wealth.

Since then, the ministers of agriculture and transport have resigned over corruption allegations. They deny wrongdoing, as does Mr Palocci.

Another minister, Nelson Jobim at defence, also left, after allegedly making disparaging remarks to the media about colleagues.

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Moray leaders meet Scots minister

21 July 2011 Last updated at 03:57 GMT Finance Secretary John Swinney is meeting business leaders Moray's business leaders are set to meet Finance Secretary John Swinney to discuss the local economy in the wake of the defence review.

RAF Lossiemouth was saved from closure under defence cuts which were announced on Monday.

RAF Kinloss will shut as an air base and be taken over by the Army.

Members of the Moray Economic Partnership and community and business leaders are due to meet Mr Swinney in Forres.

There was a high-profile campaign by local businesses and politicians who feared losing the bases would devastate the Moray economy.

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