Goudie ‘hat-trick’ nothing to be proud of

The law and order select committee chaired by National MP Sandra Goudie has not included Labour’s minority reports in the committee’s 2010/11 Estimates reports for Vote Corrections and Vote Police, says Labour law and order spokesman Clayton Cosgrove.

The two committee reports were tabled in Parliament today.

“I can’t say the committee’s refusal is unprecedented,” Clayton Cosgrove said. “It has actually happened once before. The same committee, under the same chair, of course, did the same thing when it turned down Labour’s minority report on the committee’s interim report on the three strikes legislation. The Clerk of the House then advised she believed the refusal was unprecedented.

“A hat-trick is normally an achievement to celebrate. Sandra Goudie’s hat-trick is a shameful abuse of parliamentary democracy.”

Clayton Cosgrove, two other Labour MPs Rick Barker and Carmel Sepuloni, and Green MP David Clendon walked out of this week’s select committee in protest at Sandra Goudie’s conduct as chair.

“I can only speculate that our protest may have influenced the committee’s decision not to include Labour’s reports, but if that’s the case the chair’s collusion in the decision is petty and vindictive,” Clayton Cosgrove said.

“For 18 months Sandra Goudie has refused to respect the democratic role of Opposition MPs to ask questions and challenge government departments. Her conduct as chair is rendering the select committee dysfunctional.”

Clayton Cosgrove says Labour is writing to Speaker Lockwood Smith about Sandra Goudie’s conduct as chair.

“The letter will be delivered early next week,” he said.

ENDS

© Scoop Media