Who Goes First At Air New Zealand?

Tuesday, October 2 2001 Stephen Franks Press Releases -- Commerce

ACT Commerce Spokesman Stephen Franks says if Gary Toomey and other senior Air New Zealand executives are being dumped, the directors who have brought that company to its humiliation should fall on their swords first.

"As a country we call too often for more laws for accountability when simple old fashioned notions of honour would be a good start.

"Gary Toomey has been with Air NZ only a short time. If he goes, as Australian media are suggesting, he will be seen as a fall guy. It will be very unsavoury if the first heads to roll are those of employees who inherited disaster.

"Many of the directors have been there for years. These directors must know who among them is responsible for the Ansett catastrophe. They must know who, if any, opposed the decision, called for proper due diligence, asked whether the healthy local business and the efforts of thousands of hardworking New Zealanders should be put at risk on such a venture.

"So why have they stayed there all this time as Air NZ has foundered, drawing their thousands of dollars per month?

"The culpable directors should do the honourable thing and go immediately. This does not need to wait for any decision by an inexperienced government which has not done its duty," Stephen Franks said.

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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