Politicians supported Stan Semenoff's bid for a seat on the NZ Transport Agency board
Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Northland trucking boss Stan Semenoff appeared to be garnering support for a seat on the board of the NZ Transport Agency when its staff were investigating alleged safety breaches by his company.
Six MPs and local government leaders endorsed Semenoff's nomination for a board position in late 2015, and some of his referees restated their support when he updated his expression of interest for appointment in April 2018.
By that stage the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) had done two audits of Stan Semenoff Logging (SSL) and within months it took steps to revoke the company's transport licence, a move SSL is fighting through the courts.
National MP Paul Goldsmith has strongly criticised Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones for discussing the court case with the agency's chief executive, and lobbying the transport and immigration ministers on Semenoff's behalf over the board slot and immigration issues, but National's Northland MP Dr Shane Reti was one of those who supported Semenoff's bid for a board appointment.
**READ MORE:
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* Secret video appears to show trucking boss telling driver to falsify logbook
* Government agencies accused of witch hunt against Northland transport company
* Shane Jones steps into case between company owned by 'my mother's cousin' and NZTA**
A representative from the Semenoff family said they would not comment on the board position.
A NZ Transport Agency spokesman said calls for expressions of interest for board seats attracted anywhere from 50 to 150 applications, but due to privacy rules the agency could not provide details of applicants.
However, Stuff has confirmed that in 2015 NZ First leader Winston Peters, Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis, Whangarei MP Dr Shane Reti, Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd, Far North District Council mayor John Carter and Whangarei mayor Sheryl Mai supported Stan Semenoff's nomination for the NZTA board.
In April 2018 Reti, Shepherd, Mai and Carter wrote updated letters of support for his nomination referring to Semenoff's lengthy stint as Whangarei mayor, his business success, governance skills and extensive knowledge of the transport industry and roading issues.
Kelvin Davis' office said he had declined Semenoff's request for an updated letter of recommendation in early 2018 because as minister he did not get involved in board appointments.
Dr Reti said he wrote last year's letter of support at the request of Semenoff's office and had no knowledge of a second NZTA audit of the company when he did so.
Asked if Semenoff would now be a suitable choice as a board member, Dr Reti said it would be inappropriate at this time to recommend someone who was currently under investigation by the NZTA.
In April, in response to questions from Stuff, a spokeswoman for Transport Minister Phil Twyford's office said Stan Semenoff was never nominated for a position on the NZTA board.
On Wednesday she said the minister's office could not comment on what happened under the previous Government, but there was no record Stan Semenoff being nominated for the NZTA board under this Government.
On Tuesday during Parliamentary Question Time, Twyford said Jones had introduced him to Semenoff at an event last June and suggested he was interested in being on the NZTA board, but other than a 'brief informal chat' with the board chair about it, the matter was not taken any further.
The High Court last week granted SSL permission to continue operating pending an appeal hearing over revocation of the company's transport licence and the judge allowed publication of a secret video recording of Stan Semenoff instructing a migrant driver about his working hours.
A key aspect of the case centres on whether Semenoff, his son Alex and SSL chief executive Daron Turner were 'fit and proper persons' to hold a licence because of alleged speeding by logging truck drivers, breaches of work time rules and poor vehicle maintenance.