Annabel Young
National Revenue Spokesperson

14 August 2000

Wakey wakey John and Mickey

"A Finance and Expenditure Select Committee report released today should send a much-needed wake up call to Revenue Minister Michael Cullen and his intellectual mentor and Parliamentary Under-secretary John Wright," National's Annabel Young said today.

"The report, unanimously agreed to by select committee members from all parties concludes:

'Despite a critical report last year by this committee on the culture and operations of Inland Revenue this Department appears to have taken little cognisance of the report and continues to treat this committee contemptuously.'

"I have never heard of a Government dominated Select Committee putting out such a negative report. After an extended period of bleating on about these problems before the election and after nine months in office, this Government has failed to make one single iota of a difference to the situation at IRD.

"Dr Cullen was on the select committee which wrote last year's 'critical report', and is now the Minister responsible. It was his choice to delegate the task of addressing the concerns about the culture at IRD to Mr Wright.

"This select committee report makes it clear Mr Wright is the wrong man for the job. Far from panel-beating IRD back into shape, he seems to have devoted his energies to his other overwhelmingly important portfolio, Parliamentary Under-secretary to the Minister of Racing.

"John Wright has an exceptionally light roster of portfolios. His complete failure to achieve anything on this important task shows him to be a lightweight who belongs in the outermost tier of the back-benches.

"It's time this Government took the corporate culture at Inland Revenue seriously, and gave the situation to a Minister who is up to the task," Annabel Young said.

Ends

© Scoop Media