NIWA Should Justify Itself, Not Threaten Legal Action
ACT leader Richard Prebble says he's concerned that state agencies are increasingly reacting to scrutiny from MPs by
threatening and engaging in legal action.
"The Wool Board financed a court case against ACT MP Owen Jennings which has cost Mr Jennings $200,000. New Zealand Post
took me to the High Court, and Christine Rankin threatened Sue Bradford with a defamation case.
"Now we have the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), a Crown entity, threatening ACT MP Gerry
Eckhoff with libel action because he questioned the accuracy of NIWA's long-range weather forecasts.
"As ACT leader, I've investigated this matter and Mr Eckhoff has produced a long-range forecast for this winter. It
predicted average rainfall over the whole country, with average to above average temperatures.
"Mr Eckhoff advises me that as a high country farmer, he's aware of fellow farmers who acted on the NIWA forecasts in
their farming decisions. They now find themselves in serious strife because in many parts of the country it has been a
dry winter.
"Mr Eckhoff is accurate in his statement that a lack of rain in South Island catchments has contributed to the
electricity crisis.
"It's a serious matter, in a country where the weather has a profound effect on electricity generation and the
performance of the primary export industry, when NIWA, the government agency charged with producing long-range weather
forecasts, can get it so wrong.
"Our Parliamentary system depends on fearless scrutiny by MPs. The Clark government seems to be condoning the use of the
courts by state agencies to prevent scrutiny. This is a serious development.
"I'm writing to the Prime Minister, asking her to issue a Cabinet instruction that state agencies are not to threaten
MPs with legal action. In a democracy, the state agencies' response should be to justify themselves, not threaten legal
action," Mr Prebble said.
ENDS