Thursday 27 January 2000

At last, some facts about the deal

Helen Clark has at last confirmed the Opposition’s belief that Peter Doone will get a substantial platinum handshake, Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley said today.

“Based on the figures she reluctantly released yesterday, he will receive a handshake worth at least $257,000.

“New Zealanders should have been told about that from the start but instead the Prime Minister tried to cover it up.

“If Helen Clark hadn’t created a highly-paid job for Peter Doone in her own department, taxpayers wouldn’t be footing this $257,000 bill.

“As I’ve said before, I support Doone’s departure from the Commissioner’s job, but I don’t accept the Prime Minister’s botched attempts to fudge the cost of the deal she did with him,” Mrs Shipley said.

“Because of the extraordinary step of paying Mr Doone a Commissioner’s pay when he shifts to her department, he will get $140,000 for six months work.

“Helen Clark has confirmed that will add $4500 tax-free a year to his superannuation entitlement. Based on the actuarial calculation of 26 years payment, that means an extra $117,000 for Mr Doone in present day dollars.

“That’s a bare minimum. Helen Clark has been conspicuously unwilling until now to admit to knowing anything about the cost of Mr Doone’s handshake, and she has repeatedly stressed that he may end up working for longer than six months in her department.

“Helen Clark claimed all the details of the deal were on the table, but bit by bit she is being forced to reveal the full facts.

“In its first tough political decision, the Labour-Alliance Government has set a precedent of trying to cover up the facts,” Mrs Shipley said.

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