Grant Robertson
Deputy Leader

12 April 2012

Plenty of questions for Key still to answer

John Key still needs to front up to New Zealanders and answer questions about his role in shoulder tapping his friend Ian Fletcher as the Director of GCSB, Labour Deputy Leader Grant Robertson said.

"John Key can throw out all the insults he likes, but New Zealanders still have strong concerns about the fact that John Key shoulder tapped his friend Ian Fletcher for the GCSB director job which led to him being the only person interviewed for the role just five days later.

“John Key didn’t tell New Zealanders the truth about that. It was dragged out of him every step of the way. When he was asked questions about his role in the appointment he downplayed it and minimised the nature of his relationship with Ian Fletcher.

“He has misled Parliament, the media and the New Zealand public. We respect the Auditor-General's decision, but it is by no means a vindication for John Key.

“While the law gives the Prime Minister the recommendatory role for this appointment it does not mean it is right for him to change the appointment process to call his friend who ends up being the only one interviewed, and then hide his role in that when he was asked direct questions about it. That goes against the basic Kiwi sense of fairness and the transparency we expect from government.

“The GCSB is an organisation with significant powers and the appointment of the head of the agency must be completely above board. New Zealanders are deeply concerned about John Key’s role in this murky saga,” said Grant Robertson.

ENDS

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