Charles
CHAUVEL
Justice Spokesperson
13 December 2012 MEDIA STATEMENT

Collins Must Release All Information

Judith Collins' decision to release the Binnie report today is good news, but New Zealanders also need to know the basis of the "peer review" she has commissioned from Hon Robert Fisher QC, says Labour’s Justice spokesperson Charles Chauvel.

“Judith Collins needs to be completely transparent today, even more so given she has avoided the scrutiny of Parliament’s question time and urgent debate by releasing the report after the House has adjourned for the year.

“Yesterday in Parliament I asked her to clarify the terms of reference on which the “peer review" is being conducted by Bob Fisher. I also asked her to confirm that he would be provided with any advice, from Crown Law or otherwise, that had led her to be so critical of Justice Binnie's report.

"Judith Collins fudged her answers on both these questions.

"Taxpayers need to see the Binnie report today, but they also need to see the letter of instruction that was sent to the "peer reviewer". It’s important New Zealanders know what documents have been provided to him.

Without that information, it will not be possible to assess the value of the "peer review" exercise that has been commissioned by the Government.

"Judith Collins needs to end her mismanagement of this matter by acting transparently from now on,” Charles Chauvel says.

labour.org.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>