That's taxpayer money, not your hush money

20 JUNE 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the Auditor General’s office to investigate today’s revelations regarding the use of former Prime Minister John Key’s taxpayer funded ‘leaders budget’ to, allegedly, cover-up allegations of wrongdoing by National Party backbench MP, Todd Barclay.

Jordan Williams, the Union’s Executive Director, said, “We need to know whether Parliamentary Service did acknowledge that there was an illegal recording made by an MP. If so, why didn’t the agency refer it straight to the Police?”

“Hush money is not what these leaders’ funds are for.

“Another question that needs answering is whether the other matter involving secret recordings, concerning Bradley Ambrose’s defamation claim, was also settled using taxpayer funds?”

“This isn’t the first time the Taxpayers’ Union has raised the issue of secret payments to buy the silence of Parliamentary staffers. In January 2014, we called outParliamentary Service for buying the silence of former staff, some of whom have been treated appallingly by MPs." Refer to: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9590207/Payments-buy-the-silence-of-staff-at-Parliament

ENDS

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