Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party State Services Spokesman

25 November 2007

Does the PM support Trevor or not?

National Party State Services spokesman Gerry Brownlee says the Prime Minister should require Trevor Mallard’s apology for trying to influence an inquiry into Ministerial meddling at the Environment Ministry.

“If David Parker is naïve, what’s Trevor Mallard?”

Mr Brownlee is commenting after the Environment Minister personally attacked Environment Ministry whistleblower Erin Leigh as ‘sad’ and incompetent.

Since then, it has emerged that Ministers, like Rick Barker, Pete Hodgson, and outgoing MP Paul Swain all personally congratulated her for work in the past.

Others like the former Environment Ministry CEO Barry Carbon says he; ‘had no problem with her work’ while another 2005 reference from the Government's Climate Change Office reads; ‘brilliant just brilliant, it sounds like I am really gushing about her, but she really was fantastic’.

“Mr Mallard knew he was wrong to attack Erin Leigh. The purpose of the attack was to silence other Ministry staff who might speak out.

“Helen Clark should be giving an assurance that any staff who come forward will be protected, because at present it is very unclear whether they will be blacklisted and publicly attacked as a result.”

Ends

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