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Rules reduction – or rorting the rules?

Rules reduction – or rorting the rules?

The Government needs to answer some serious questions around its spending on the Rules Reduction Taskforce to prove it’s not rorting the rules, Labour’s State Services spokesman Kris Faafoi says.

“It looks like National has rorted the rules to use the taskforce meetings as publicity stunts at the taxpayers’ expense.

“Nearly $110,000 of taxpayer money has been spent on over 50 public meetings hosted by National MPs, the bulk of which have been in their own electorates or electorates where they are based.

“If the Government is serious about reducing red tape it would have travelled far and wide to promote the initiative. But it seems this exercise is more about rorting the rules than reducing them.

“Of the 49 Rules Reduction Taskforce public meetings held just two were run by someone who was not a National MP.

“Just eight meetings were held in non-National held seats and five of those meetings were hosted by the local National List MP.

“National can’t have it both ways. If the MPs are using them as publicity for themselves then Internal Affairs money shouldn’t be being spent.

“If Internal Affairs is being charged with engaging with the public on the issue, then the MPs shouldn’t be anywhere near them.

“The Government has appointed Taskforce members, it should be their job to engage with all communities in New Zealand.

“$110,000 is not chicken feed. And John Key shouldn’t run from explaining why National is rorting taxpayers in this way,” says Kris Faafoi.

ENDS

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