The Prime Minister Helen Clark had no option but to accept Associate Minister Ruth Dyson’s resignation, said ACT leader Hon Richard Prebble.

“It has been accepted for some time that drink driving is a resignation offence. The Rt. Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer informed all Ministers that he would expect any Minister caught drink driving to resign.

“As Transport Minister I warned other ministers that they would be expected to resign if caught. committing a serious transport offence carrying a possible prison sentence. I pointed out to ministers repeatedly that the taxpayer provided at considerable expense a chauffeur driven limo service and that they should use it, especially if they had been drinking.

“While there will be some sympathy for Ms Dyson all MPs realise that drink driving is a very serious offence and one where parliamentarians must be role models.

“While I do not believe that internal politics were a factor the Government has not been weakened by her resignation. Labour Ministers have privately stated that the ACC re-nationalisation, an obsession of Ms Dyson’s, has been a mistake.

“Ms Dyson’s resignation enables the Cabinet to roll back some of the features of the ACC changes and to water down other provisions of the next ACC Bill due to be introduced prior to Christmas,” said Hon Richard Prebble.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

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