Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash's chief of staff Alastair Furnival resigns after conflict of interest claims

Updated

Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash's chief of staff has resigned after what he calls a "political attack" mounted by the Opposition.

Senator Nash told the Senate during the week her chief of staff, Alastair Furnival, had no links to Australian Public Affairs (APA), a lobby group that has represented key food companies.

But she later admitted he still held shares in the lobbying company.

APA had represented major food brands, including Cadbury and Kraft, which have resisted the introduction of new packaging labels.

But the company's entry on the Federal Lobbyists Register was changed two days ago to say that it no longer represented Mondelez, which owns brands including Kraft and Cadbury.

Mr Furnival was APA's chairman until last September, when he joined Senator Nash's staff, and his wife, Tracey Cain, is listed on the Federal Register of Lobbyists as the firm's owner.

The Opposition argued it was a conflict of interest and questioned whether it affected the minister's decision to remove a government healthy food ratings website.

The minister was asked this morning whether Mr Furnival had her unqualified support and she responded by saying "my chief of staff has done a great job for me".

But this afternoon, Senator Nash's office released a statement saying "it is with regret" that she had accepted his resignation, and thanked him for his service.

Mr Furnival himself has released a statement denying he had acted improperly.

He said he had resigned "with a clear conscience but with recognition that this political attack is a distraction from the important health issues being effectively addressed by this Government".

"I regret any embarrassment that may have been caused to the Minister and especially to my wife, who has been dragged into this political smear campaign.

"I accepted this role to contribute to the Australian Government and appropriately managed potential conflicts.

"I resign in the knowledge that neither I, nor my wife, has acted improperly."

Labor calls for full explanation

Labor is still insisting the minister give a detailed explanation of her role in the decision to delay the Health Star Rating system.

The Opposition's health spokeswoman Catherine King said Senator Nash was "engaging in a debate about semantics in order to protect herself", and called on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to "consider the case".

"Why did the minister decide to intervene?" Ms King said.

"Did she declare the issue she was supposed to declare, and what has happened between her office and the Prime Minister's office."

However, Federal Health Minister Peter Dutton has backed his junior minister, while not responding to concerns raised about the management of the star rating website.

"Well, I have absolute confidence in Minister Nash," he said.

"I think she's done an exceptional job, particularly in terms of Indigenous and rural health."

A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister says that with Mr Furnival now departed, the matter has concluded.

Topics: federal-government, federal-parliament, australia

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