National ditched energy plan Gerard Gallagher concerns

The government and Opposition are pointing the finger at each other over their support for a project linked to a businessman who's under the scrutiny of the Serious Fraud Office. RNZ revealed yesterday the government was funding a $350,000 feasibility study for the waste to energy scheme on the West Coast, completely unaware the company's chief executive Gerard Gallagher is in the sights of the SFO. But the Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says Renew Energy first received government funding last year from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. The Minister responsible for NZTE at the time was Simon Bridges, now the National Party's newly minted leader. But former Environment Minister Nick Smith says the company also applied for funding from his ministry. Dr Smith talks to Guyon Espiner.