National slams “Claytons Review” of Armstrong Expenses

National’s Acting Broadcasting spokesman Murray McCully has slammed the KPMG review of Dr Ross Armstrong’s expenses, describing it as a “Claytons review.”

“This is the sort of review you have when you are desperately hoping not to find anything,” says Mr McCully.

“Last week, the Minister of Broadcasting was asserting that any expenditure which was ‘excessive or extravagant’ would be identified.

“The review released by the Minister today clearly did not ask some important questions,” Mr McCully says.

“The Government’s refusal to ask KPMG to look at all three government organisations which Dr Armstrong chaired does not inspire confidence.

“When parts of overseas trips, for example, are paid for by more than one of these entities then clearly all three organisations expense claims need to be examined,” Mr McCully says.

The KPMG report identifies accommodation expenses paid to Dr Armstrong on the basis that he has been domiciled in Wellington since December 2001.

“The important question which needs to be answered is whether Dr Armstrong’s accommodation claims through NZ Post and Industrial Research are consistent with that position.

“Further, no comment has been made on the TVNZ corporate box at the Wellington stadium which appears to have been acquired by TVNZ after Dr Armstrong lost access to the NZ Post box.

“If that does not come into Mr Maharey’s category of “excessive or extravagant” then I don’t know what does.

“If the Government want closure on this matter then they must answer the many questions which remain unanswered and which should have been addressed in the KPMG report,” Mr McCully says.

© Scoop Media