1 June 2000

Government simply must bite the bullet over Christine Rankin

Green Party Social Services spokesperson Sue Bradford said she was disgusted to learn that WINZ have spent more than $2 million on consultants in the last 10 months and said the Government simply must sack Christine Rankin.

Ms Bradford said the WINZ expenditure involved 33 separate consultancy companies and over half of the companies contracted were contracted to provide services in core competency areas such as communications, finance and service development.

"This latest spending from WINZ is an absolute disgrace and is yet another huge slap in the face for the thousands of unemployed people and beneficiaries who rely on this government department to survive," said Ms Bradford.

"This revelation is the latest in a string of incredible extravagances which have proven time and time again that Christine Rankin and her senior management are incompetent and completely unsuitable to be running WINZ," she said.

Ms Bradford said she knew the Government was reluctant to sack Christine Rankin as to do so may involve a 'golden handshake' payout, but that enough was enough and the Government simply must bite the bullet and sack her.

"The Government is correct in identifying the public's disgust for golden handshakes but I think they are underestimating the public's revulsion over Christine Rankin's extravagant mismanagement of the largest spending government department," she said.

"The Government would be doing themselves, and the beneficiaries and the unemployed people of New Zealand, a huge favour by simply acknowledging that this type of thing is unacceptable and firing her," said Ms Bradford.

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Sue Bradford MP: 025 243 4239, 09 423 8667

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