Christopher Finlayson MP
National Party Shadow Attorney-General

13 June 2007

Cullen forced to backtrack on coroner

Attorney-General Michael Cullen has been forced by his colleagues into a U-turn over the future of Wellington Coroner Garry Evans, says National's Shadow Attorney-General, Christopher Finlayson.

"It's time Michael Cullen admitted he was wrong not to appoint Mr Evans in the first place as one of the 14 new coroners.

"And he should admit he has been forced by his colleagues Marian Hobbs and Charles Chauvel to appoint Mr Evans to one of the new temporary positions after an outcry from the public and even some of his trade union supporters.

"This process has been a shambles from beginning to end.

"First, officials had to cancel the appointment of a coroner at the last minute because they had neglected a qualifying rule, and she had not held a law practising certificate for long enough.

"And today Michel Cullen tells Parliament that the new Chief Coroner had to ask for part-time staff because they had 'just discovered' a backlog of 1,900 cases.

"What does that tell us about a process presided over by Michael Cullen?

"And what is more embarrassing to the Government - Marian Hobbs rolling Rick Barker on funding for the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, or Marian Hobbs rolling the Attorney-General over the appointment of a coroner?"

ENDS

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