Wednesday 19 Jun 2002
ACT MP Dr Muriel Newman today accused the Government of hypocrisy over its stance on secret payouts.
"This Government was basically elected on a platform of ending confidential payouts to public sector workers. In
Opposition, Labour made huge political capital out of dredging up details of payments.
"Yet in the past two and a half years what has Labour done about it? Absolutely nothing. Instead the payouts have
continued unabated - more than $4 million worth that I have been able to reveal and that could be the tip of the
iceberg.
"The Labour-led Government blocked my legislation in 2000 aimed at stopping the secret payouts. At the time State
Services Minister Trevor Mallard said: `I acknowledge that there is a real problem that needs to be addressed and the
Government is addressing it.'
"Well, surprise, surprise, two years later and nothing has happened. Now Mr Mallard has the bald-faced cheek to tell
the news media that if Labour is re-elected with an overall majority it will introduce legislation. Come on! They don't
need a majority. We will support the legislation.
"The reality is that Mr Mallard's promise is as empty as the Prime Minister's promise before the last election that
`the party is over. The nonsense is going to stop'.
"Labour says one thing in Opposition and does another in Government. The Prime Minister herself supervised an
orchestrated stone-walling of a series of written Parliamentary questions I put to the Government last year on personal
grievance cases by Ministerial staff.
"This Government promised openness, accountability and transparency. It has failed utterly to deliver," Dr Newman said.
Ends