Media Release

18 June 2003

ACT Guilty As Charged Says Peters

New Zealand First says ACT is as guilty as sin over the way it used taxpayers’ money to fund an electorate office and staff but the Auditor General’s hands were tied because of loose parliamentary rules about the use of resources.

Rt Hon Winston Peters, who complained to both the Auditor General and the Serious Fraud Office about the way ACT operated, said today that it was disappointing that no action could be taken to hold ACT to account for bending the rules.

“The Auditor General has said that the rules were not tight enough for him to find any evidence of wrong-doing and has also pointed out that the rules should be improved,” said Mr Peters.

“It is therefore quite wrong of Mr Prebble to crow about ACT being exonerated when all that party has done is bend bendable rules.

“My one concern about the investigation is that none of the people who ostensibly “worked” in the ACT electorate office were interviewed.

“The way public money was used by ACT was simply a rort and they have got away with it - but the public of New Zealand will not be fooled,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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