John Key’s Court Costs a Bill for Taxpayers?
Rt Hon Winston Peters
New Zealand First
Leader
19 DECEMBER 2014
John Key’s Court Costs a Bill for Taxpayers?
Taxpayers could be saddled with a huge legal bill as John Key defends himself over his teapot tapes comments, says New Zealand First.
“We are writing to the Parliamentary Service to seek an assurance that the taxpayer will not have to pay to defend Mr Key in court,” says New Zealand First Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters.
“To spread a bit of Christmas cheer, and before he flies off to Hawaii, the National Party leader might wish to tell taxpayers they won’t have to put their hands in their pockets for this court case.
“Mr Key has told us he wears many hats – sometimes he speaks as the Prime Minister, sometimes as the National Party Leader and he’s another person when he puts the cat out.
“Let’s be clear on this, when the teapot tapes were recorded he was speaking in the lead up to the 2011 election to ACT leader and hopeful John Banks.
“This was a political meeting to jack up a partner for the National Party to form a government. As he sat at the table negotiating with Mr Banks, Mr Key was speaking as National Party leader.
“Mr Key’s later comments about the teapot tapes is now the subject of a lawsuit brought by photographer Bradley Ambrose, who left the device on the café table. He’s claiming over a million dollars.
“The teapot tapes have come back to haunt the National Party leader, but that’s political life. It should not be the taxpayers’ nightmare,” says Mr Peters.
ENDS