"Prime Minister Helen Clark's promises don't mean much when she says the Government will release a document, then refuses to," National Leader Jenny Shipley said today.

"Helen Clark said in a radio interview this morning that if there was a document outlining the Solicitor General's advice to the Government on the appeal and costs of the Christine Rankin case, she would be happy to release it. She's now refusing to do so.

"This afternoon the Government told Parliament it could only release an edited version of the advice. Clearly the Government is still trying to hide something and we can't trust Helen Clark's word that the document would be made available to media.

"Attorney General Margaret Wilson admitted that, whatever the advice of the Solicitor General, in the end the decision on whether or not to seek costs was 'a political decision'.

"In the absence of the real advice given by the Solicitor General, and promised by the Prime Minister, one can only conclude that Labour's political agenda has decided this outcome.

"The Government is, in effect, paying out taxpayers money as a result of the inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour of Steve Maharey," Jenny Shipley said.

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