At least one other district councillor says she had never heard of Mr Zhang before today. In a letter to Mr Zhang earlier this year, released under the Offical Information Act (OIA), Mr Tong said he welcomed Mr Zhang as an informal business adviser. Speaking this afternoon, Mr Tong said no money had changed hands between Mr Zhang and the Southland District. Mr Tong said he had been in contact with Mr Zhang today, via the businessman's advisers. Mr Ross has stressed that he did not think Mr Zhang had done anything wrong.

Source: Otago Daily Times October 16, 2018 04:08 UTC