Sound System Saves Sinking Sam

new-zealand-first-party

Thu Nov 27 2014 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Sound System Saves Sinking Sam

Thursday, 27 November 2014, 10:05 pm
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

The Phillip Smith debacle has seriously undermined public confidence in the Department of Corrections but Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga doesn’t think anyone should be held accountable, says New Zealand First.

“How on earth can he say ‘no’ to providing an assurance for concerned members of the public? This is a clear reflection of National’s failure to hold people to account and accept responsibility for anything that goes south,” says Spokesperson Ron Mark.

“This is not a small matter to be brushed under the carpet especially when the scandal has been picked up by international media, InterPol, and implicates at least 10 government departments – MFAT, Police, Internal Affairs, Tertiary Education, MOE, Inland Revenue, MBIE, Justice, and even the Prime Minister’s offce – yet it all started with Mr Lotu-Iiga’s Department of Corrections.

“This is not the first catastrophic failure by Corrections in a troubled history that goes back more than 10 years.

“The Minister has barely had a proper orientation for his new job before showing signs of joining the likes of Judith Collins and Maurice Williamson on the side lines.

“It’s no wonder his mates Simon Bridges and Tim Macindoe sought to break up my line of questioning – attempting to come to the rescue of a novice Minister clearly out of his depth.

“New Zealand First wants a serious answer from the Minister about who he believes is responsible for this stuff-up and what he’s going to do about it.

“Technical difficulties and poor sound may have allowed the Minister to get away with poor answers in the House today but soon he’ll have to answer to the public,” says Mr Mark.

ENDS

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