Seeds Of Doubt As Labour Covers Its Tracks
Friday 29 Aug 2003 Ken Shirley Press Releases -- Environment & Conservation
It seems that Environment Minister Marian Hobbs and Prime Minister Helen Clark are working desperately to cover their
tracks in the Corngate issue, ACT New Zealand Deputy Leader and Environment Spokesman Ken Shirley said today.
"In a July 2002 article, Ms Hobbs ridiculed Nicky Hager's book `Seeds of Distrust, which allegedly uncovered a
Government cover-up of GM corn. In the article, Ms Hobbs said Mr Hager had the facts wrong, but she yesterday admitted
she had never read his book - and does not intend to.
"This is completely unacceptable. Ministers of the Crown have a responsibility to receive and act on advice from
officials, but they must also take a balanced view and make their judgements independently.
"It would appear that Ms Hobbs has been captured by her officials, and is now just a part of, what National Leader Bill
English has labelled, `the pattern of calculated deceit'," Mr Shirley said.
ENDS
For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at
act@parliament.govt.nz.