Auditor-General’s Report Presents a Poser for PM

Thursday 22nd Mar 2001 Richard Prebble Media Release -- Governance & Constitution

The Auditor-General’s report on accommodation allowances for MPs living in Wellington has posed a problem for the Prime Minister, ACT Leader Hon Richard Prebble said.

“If she adopts the view that the Auditor-General’s report clears the ex-Ministers, is she going to reappoint them?

“The problem with reappointment is the Auditor-General’s report does not say that collecting out of Wellington allowances, while registered on the Wellington Central role was appropriate - but that the two MPs genuinely failed to realise that having registered in Wellington Central there was a problem about them claiming.

“The two MPs have been cleared because they relied on bad advice and the Auditor-General accepted they were unable to understand rules that no other MP has ever had difficulty in following.

“If Helen Clark re-appoints them, what does that publicly say about the qualities required to be a Minister in her Government?

“The problem the two MPs have got is that they won’t be publicly cleared unless they are reinstated in Cabinet. The problem Helen Clark has got is who would believe the Government is taking the foot and mouth scare seriously if Marian Hobbs was reinstated as Minister in Charge of Biosecurity?”

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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