Labour Says: Do As We Say, Not As We Do

ACT New Zealand Education Spokesman Deborah Coddington today slammed Labour's hypocrisy after it awarded former Teachers Council director Margaret Kouvelis a golden handshake following her secret resignation last month.

"Labour is guilty of squandering taxpayers' money and breaking its word. Before the 1999 election Prime Minister Helen Clark promised she would `abandon the culture of golden handshakes negotiated in secrecy and paying people to do nothing'. This latest cover-up proves Labour can't be trusted," Miss Coddington said.

"This Government has a shameful track record of forking out public money to get rid of embarrassing problems. We all remember disgraced Police Commissioner Peter Doone receiving $220,000 for a make-shift job in the Prime Minister's Department, the $68,000 payout to the Fire Service Commissioner and the $200,000 to the vice-chancellor of Victoria University, to name but a few.

"This latest scandal is a disgrace. I have written to the Prime Minister asking how much this latest golden handshake has cost taxpayers. New Zealanders are tired of this holier-than-thou Labour Government squandering public money and going back on its word.

"Ms Clark must put a stop to this sleaze. It's time she and her Government demonstrate some honesty and integrity - traits not commonly attributed to this bunch of hypocrites," Miss Coddington said.

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