$400,000 for English’s hand picked hacks

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed May 06 2009 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

$400,000 for English’s hand picked hacks

Wednesday, 6 May 2009, 9:43 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Taxpayers pay $400,000 for English’s hand picked hacks

Taxpayers are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund political advice for Ministers as National tries to cover-up the fact that the cost of Beehive staff has increased significantly since National took office, Labour’s Internal Affairs Spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“Finance Minister Bill English’s decision today to finally reveal the cost of employing his handpicked advisors only came about after intensive media and Labour Party questioning,” Chris Hipkins said.

“National has been caught out extravagantly spending taxpayer money on their own staff while demanding restraint from everyone else.

Chris Hipkins has laid complaints with the Office of Ombudsmen, the State Services Commission and the Auditor General following the behaviour of the National Government in forcing departments to pay for these clearly political roles.

“Government Departments should not be funding roles where they have no say over who is appointed; how much they are paid and have no ability to hold the employees concerned to account,” Chris Hipkins said.

“Bill English effectively provided a list of candidates and pay rates, so there is nothing independent about those positions, contrary to the Finance Minister’s claims.

Chris Hipkins said significant questions also remain over whether or not the government has breached section 33 of the State Sector Act by instructing departments to appoint the purchase advisors.

“Bill English claimed in Parliament today that he had received advice that the engagement of purchase advisors did not breach the State Sector Act and yet the documents he tabled contained no such advice.

”Bill English needs to front up and assure the New Zealand public that he hasn’t broken the law,” Chris Hipkins said.

ENDS

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