Thursday 1st July 1999
Richard Prebble
Media Release – Justice

Payouts offend public sense of justice - Prebble

ACT does not agree that Messrs Mogridge and Wall deserve a single dollar, says ACT Leader Richard Prebble.

"We have no doubt that the Government lawyers have said that this deal is the best that Government could hope for.

"The law so panders to grievance cases that if Messrs Mogridge and Wall were to go to the Employment Court, they probably would have got even more," Mr Prebble said.

"These settlements offend the public sense of justice. How can Mr Wall who earned directors' fees of about $20,000 a year, and who chose to resign, believe he is entitled to $70,000 tax free?

"For six years National has been promising to do something about the golden handshake syndrome of the Employment Tribunal. Labour and the Alliance's refusal to co-operate to get reform in employment law makes them equally guilty.

"We won't get rid of the golden handshake syndrome until the Employment Court is abolished or reformed," Mr Prebble said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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