4 JULY 2017

PM’s Fund Paid for Legal Advice in Barclay Debacle

New Zealand taxpayer money from the Prime Minister’s fund was used to pay for legal advice to silence Glenys Dickson in her dispute with shamed National MP Todd Barclay, says New Zealand First Leader and Northland Member of Parliament Rt Hon Winston Peters.

“New Zealand First sought this information through an Official Information Act request and it shows the Prime Minister’s fund paid $2,609, excluding GST, to pay for lawyers.

“The total pay-out to Ms Dickson from the Prime Minister’s fund is still unknown.

“The New Zealand public will be totally unimpressed by the Prime Minister who continues to hide behind a hackneyed line ‘I’ve no ministerial responsibility,’ whenever questioned over Mr Barclay’s alleged illegal activity recording Ms Dickson.

“In Parliament today, after being questioned by New Zealand First deputy leader Ron Mark, he all but confirmed that ministers had listened to the Barclay tape.

“Trying to obtain information, which is in the public good, from the Prime Minister and government over this sorry episode is like trying to extract blood from a stone,” says Mr Peters.

ENDS

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