7 October 2001

- Pay-Outs to Air New Zealand Departing Directors Should Be Ruled Out

- Peters Commends Burdon for Declining Possible Retirement Package

The Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First, today commended former Trade Minister Philip Burdon for publicly assuring New Zealanders that he would not accept a payment from Air New Zealand as a departing Director if it was offered.

“Mr Burdon went one step further and said that it would be inappropriate for a retirement package to be offered - let alone accepted. On that point I, and I would suspect the majority of New Zealanders, are also in agreement.

“Regardless of provisions in the airline’s constitution, given the present circumstances no retirement allowances should be offered - and they certainly should not be accepted. If the departing directors put the interests of the airline and the country, above their own interests, there is little doubt they will all respond as Mr Burdon has.

“Better yet the new board could go a long way towards restoring public confidence in the airline, and its management, by ruling out such payments altogether,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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