Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon has been forced to quit after failing to declare conflicts of interest worth $2 million.

It follows revelations in April that he and his family made donations to Labour MP Kiri Allan, including rent subsidy arrangements for her campaign office, in 2020, as well as a National Party candidate.  

In addition, a company of which Foon is a director, MY Gold Limited, has been found to have received and still be receiving an income from the Ministry of Social Development for the provision of accommodation, including emergency housing. 

This income has been received over several years, since 2019 and both before and after Foon became Race Relations Commissioner.

It now amounts to a total of more than $2 million the Human Rights Commission said in a statement. 

In 2021 the Commission launched a Housing Inquiry, which was highly critical of the government’s emergency housing system, describing it as a breach of human rights.

Foon did not declare any conflict of interest at this time, nor subsequently. 

“Foon has acknowledged his serious error of judgement in failing to adequately declare these activities, as required by the Crown Entities Act and Commission policies.

“The Commission and Commissioners have an overriding constitutional role to hold governments to account without fear or favour.  

Chief Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt described Foon “as a man of the people and a dedicated Commissioner, who had made an unfortunate mistake.   

“Apart from its staff and stakeholders, the Commission’s greatest asset is its independence from government – its impartiality, its political-party neutrality. Meng’s resignation is an important and courageous act to protect that independence,” he said. 

The Commission’s Board took legal advice as it inquired into the matter and was careful to ensure a fair and robust process that respected natural justice.

It concluded that Foon’s political donations in 2020 and his failure to adequately declare those donations and the activities of MY Gold were in breach of his duties under the Crown Entities Act and Commission policies.