Be open on ‘exit payment’ urges National

new-zealand-national-party

Wed Jan 31 2007 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Be open on ‘exit payment’ urges National

Wednesday, 31 January 2007, 11:07 am
Press Release: New Zealand National Party

Jonathan Coleman MP
National Party Broadcasting Spokesman

31 January 2007

“Helen Clark should be the one fronting to the media about substantial golden handshakes looming at TVNZ, given her claim that they’ve been eliminated under Labour,” says National Party Broadcasting spokesman Jonathan Coleman

“How much are we talking about, Helen?”

Dr Coleman says Labour should open the books on the exit payment to resigning news chief Bill Ralston.

“In 1999, Helen Clark told the public that culture of extravagance in public agencies had to end. In 2000, she went as far as to say ‘whenever such matters have come to our attention they have been stopped’.

“Helen Clark has to back that promise up with public transparency about the sums being paid out.”

The New Zealand Herald today estimates Mr Ralston's leaving package at $75,000 although the final cheque could include ‘other payments’. It follows big payouts for other high profile personalities at the state broadcaster.

“Redundancy payments are one thing – golden handshakes for those who resign are quite another.

"Hardworking New Zealanders getting by on an average annual wage of around $40,000 are yet again expected to fund golden handshakes which the PM said had been stopped.

"If that's not indicative of a culture of extravagance, then it just shows how out of touch this Government is."

ENDS

Attached: Helen Clark quotes on golden handshakes – 2 pages.

Helen Clark on golden handshakes & TVNZ

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On the Hawkesby payout at TVNZ " I think the buck stops at the top. Mrs Meo has resigned," Helen Clark The Press 17 February 2000.

"The public was septic about golden handshakes as am I," - Helen Clark Nelson Mail Oct 06, 2001.

On the out of court settlement with John Yelash where details were kept secret "the confidentiality clauses drawn up by Miss Clark's lawyers are so tight that the parties cannot even confirm the existence of a settlement," - The Dominion 11 May 2001.

"In principle we don't like golden handshakes,"- Helen Clark The Dominion August 08, 2000.

"Where are all these golden handshakes under Labour? I'm not aware of it. Whenever such matters have come to our attention they have been stopped."- Helen Clark July 2000.

"We're trying to stamp on it but of course we're stuck with the fact that another Government was in for nine years with very sloppy procedures," - Helen Clark The Dominion July 2000.

Miss Clark said her Government was going to "abandon the culture of golden handshakes, negotiated in secrecy and paying people for doing nothing," - Helen Clark Waikato Times Feb 09, 2000.

"The objection was to people going under conditions of secrecy, with no openness about it, and going with large amounts of money for doing nothing," - Helen Clark SST Jan 30, 2000.

"The party is over. The nonsense is going to stop," - The Dominion, 22 Nov 1999.

"I think the new board will have to assess whether the people there have the skills to take TVNZ forward because the people there have been managing to a very different prescription," Ms Clark said yesterday. However, I'm sure the new chair, whoever it is, won't be wanting to see people off with very large sums of money. So it may be a question of cracking the whip and saying, right there's new rules round here, folks." - THE PRESS, 17 FEB 2000.

"I know there is public revulsion at the level of the Hawkesby payout and I share it. I have described what happened as a spectacular failure of management, driven by a culture of market share and ratings pursuit at any cost." "We want to know how this could happen; what supervision does the board apply to top management packages and remuneration? We'll be telling the board it is not good enough to blame a deceased executive (former TVNZ boss Neil Roberts) for what has happened. This is a systemic failure. A new direction is being signalled for TVNZ." Miss Clark said her Government was going to "abandon the culture of golden handshakes, negotiated in secrecy and paying people for doing nothing". - WAIKATO TIMES, 9 FEB 2000.

Labour has long held concerns about the corporate culture of TVNZ. Prime Minister Helen Clark described it as "arrogant" and some executives have been privately accused of actively sabotaging the government's plans. - The Independent - 18 April 2001

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