Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader
22 March 2012
Smith Inquiry Supported by Peters

Rt Hon Winston Peters says he supports former Cabinet Minister Nick Smith’s call for an inquiry to clear his name over the letters he wrote as a Minister to help a close friend, Bronwyn Pullar.

This follows Dr Smith’s resignation yesterday and his comments that he would welcome an inquiry.

Mr Peters says Nick Smith “has been hung out to dry” by the Prime Minister and members of the National Party hierarchy who were all in the act over Ms Pullar’s dispute with ACC.

“On Tuesday Mr Key ‘flannelled’ over Nick Smith’s situation yet a letter was soon conveniently found that showed the Minister was unwise and he had to go.

“Now, these two letters and others had been hanging around for many months. The Prime Minister knew of Bronwyn Pullar’s case years ago.

“At least two other MPs, former Cabinet Minister Pansy Wong and MP Nikki Kaye knew about the case and refused to leave their fingerprints on it.”

Mr Peters points out that Nick Smith freely admits receiving ‘a tonne’ of emails from Ms Pullar and the case was obviously known throughout the National Party because she was a high profile member.

“This inquiry has to go beyond the privacy investigation. It has to be widened to include the actions of not only Nick Smith but all the other National Party figures including the Prime Minister himself,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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