MEDIA RELEASE
Monday 20 December 1999

Belinda Vernon MP
National Spokesperson
Work and Income

TOUGH TALK WAS ALL JUST AN ELECTION STUNT

“Social Services Minister Steve Maharey’s brave bold talk before the election to clean up WINZ was just that – talk,” says National’s Work and Income spokesperson Belinda Vernon.

“This is fast becoming a pattern of the new Labour Ministers. Tough talk before the election, backtracking and slick talk now that they’re accountable.

“This Minister campaigned hard against WINZ and its chief executive.

“It’s now clear that all this amounted to was a shallow election stunt. Mr Maharey would rather waste thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money on endless reviews that will achieve nothing.

“Does this Minister have more to gain by keeping Miss Rankin on? She’d be a convenient scapegoat to take the blame for his own shortcomings.

“It took Mr Maharey 10 days to get around to meeting with Ms Rankin. In that time he announced an inquiry and said he didn’t have confidence in her. He was clearly playing to the public gallery. The public will soon tire of the Minister’s words when they see that he is simply a man of words, not action,” says Ms Vernon.

ENDS

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