Bill English

Wellington, June 3 NZPA - The Government confirmed today that a lawyer giving advice on the review of the Overseas Investment Act was also working for Hong Kong-based Natural Dairy NZ, which is bidding to buy farms in New Zealand.

The Green Party has been questioning whether a conflict of interest exists but Finance Minister Bill English told Parliament it did not.

He said Andrew Petersen of Bell Gully was working on behalf of Natural Dairy NZ, and was a member of the technical reference group giving the Government advice on the review of the Act.

"The technical reference group is made up of senior practitioners with expertise in applying the Act," he said.

"They are providing technical and legal advice, not policy. That will be determined by ministers and Cabinet."

Green Party MP David Clendon asked Mr English whether he would release information about a meeting he had with lawyers from the five law firms that had been invited to give their opinions on the Act.

"There is no possible conspiracy here," Mr English replied.

"They were giving some technical advice...any applications are processed by the Overseas Investment Office in accordance with law passed by this Parliament."