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Labour Stand Up - ACC Inquiry and Those Finland Comments
Labour Stand Up - Deputy Leader Grant
Robertson
March
27th, 2012
Scoop Audio + Video
By Mark
P.
Williams
This morning, Labour Deputy Leader Grant Robertson answered questions from the press gallery.
Asked what he thought of the conduct of ACC Minister Nick Smith regarding the case of Bronwyn Pullar he said that it would be perceived by the public as a clear case of cronyism. He urged Judith Collins to have a full inquiry.
He added that there were questions as to how the name of Bronwyn Pullar and the particulars of her case entered the public arena. He said that Judith Collins needs to answer 'very clearly' whether her office may have played any role in accessing that information or in its release.
When asked his opinion of Gerry Brownlee's derogatory comments regarding Finland he said that an apology was necessary as soon as possible. He added that he felt that Finnish responses to Mr Brownlee's comments were understandable as they obviously felt they had been 'sleighted'.
Asked his view on the Ports of Auckland dispute, he said that the lock-out was 'totally unhelpful' to the possibility of returning to good faith negotiations.
He could not comment significantly on Annette King's disclosure on "Operation 8" but said that he didn't see a particular need for a further inquiry into the case beyond that of the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
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ENDS
Mark P. Williams
Political Journalist and Independent Academic Researcher
Journalist and independent academic researcher with primary interests in politics and literature.
As a researcher I am a contributor to various academic publications, including Alluvium journal of 21st century literature, The Literary London Journal, The Irish Journal of Gothic and Horror Studies, and Critical Engagements: Journal of the UK Network for Modern Fiction Studies (UKNMFS).
As a journalist, I have worked as Parliamentary reporter for Scoop Independent Media and International editor for the Scoop Review of Books.
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