Media Release For Immediate Use

26 January 2001

DECISION TO COMPENSATE THE WILLIS’
CAN’T BE THE END OF THE STORY

The decision of the Government today to compensate Jan and Murray Willis to the tune of $550,000 surely cannot be the end of the story, says the Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First.

The brief and sordid facts are that IRD staff committed both forgery and perjury against the Willis’, which busted their company, caused the loss of hundreds of jobs and almost broke this couple emotionally.

Paying the Willis’ $550,000, which is surely inadequate in the circumstances, does not exonerate IRD or those National and Labour Ministers who having had such cases brought to their attention endlessly, simply refuse to impose any standards of accountability on the IRD and other departments.

To the question, “Are any IRD staff being investigated or prosecuted,” the answer sadly, again, is, “NO.”

The Government’s ministers will pat themselves on the back, posture as having acted responsibly, when in fact they simply have failed again to do their duty, Mr Peters said.

Ends.

Encl: 1. Original Police complaint by the Rt Hon Winston Peters dated 16 June 1999
2. Police reply to the Select Committee dated 14 November 2000

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