Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party Deputy Leader

24 July 2006

Field agitates for return to ministerial job

National Party Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee says disgraced Labour MP Taito Phillip Field wants his ministerial job back and the Prime Minister should clarify if he will ever get that chance.

"Mr Field told the Tagata Pasifika show last week that he expects his ministerial roles back and fired a shot across the Prime Minister's bow by warning of trouble if he's not reinstated."

Mr Field said: '...natural justice is that they would look at reinstatement at some point. I think that that is only fair. I have given a lot of loyalty to the Labour Party.'

Asked if he would consider leaving Labour if he wasn't reinstated, Field said: 'If I think that the Labour Party is not carrying out what it's supposed to stand for, and that is fairness of justice, then in due course I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.'

"Mr Field is saying it would be unfair if he did not get his ministerial roles back," says Mr Brownlee.

"Mr Field continues living in a land of denial where he's been exonerated, and his attitude is not being helped by Helen Clark who continues to insist he was cleared of any conflict of interest.

"Helen Clark has presided over a toothless inquiry that has found evidence of corruption.

"Mr Field's actions rule him out totally from a ministerial role in future.

"I wonder what Helen Clark has to say about Mr Field's desire for a return to her Executive."

ENDS

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