Judith Collins MP National Party Families Spokeswoman

21 April 2005

Perhaps Labour needs reminding

National Party Families spokeswoman Judith Collins has released a series of quotes in a bid to "remind the Labour Government what they used to say about golden handshakes."

She is commenting on the secret pay-out given to Families Commission chief executive Claire Austin, who worked at the commission for only three months.

"I'm not prepared to wait until the annual report. Why can't Steve Maharey come clean with the public now?

"If Helen Clark was consistent she would be calling for Rajen Prasad's head, especially given her comments on the settlement with former TVNZ newsreader John Hawkesby," says Ms Collins.

Helen Clark on golden handshakes

On the Hawkesby payout at TVNZ " I think the buck stops at the top. Mrs Meo has resigned," Helen Clark The Press 17 February 2000.

"The public was septic about golden handshakes as am I," - Helen Clark Nelson Mail Oct 06, 2001.

On the out of court settlement with John Yelash where details were kept secret "the confidentiality clauses drawn up by Miss Clark's lawyers are so tight that the parties cannot even confirm the existence of a settlement," - The Dominion 11 May 2001.

"In principle we don't like golden handshakes,"- Helen Clark The Dominion August 08, 2000.

"Where are all these golden handshakes under Labour? I'm not aware of it. Whenever such matters have come to our attention they have been stopped."- Helen Clark July 2000.

"We're trying to stamp on it but of course we're stuck with the fact that another Government was in for nine years with very sloppy procedures," - Helen Clark The Dominion July 2000.

Miss Clark said her Government was going to "abandon the culture of golden handshakes, negotiated in secrecy and paying people for doing nothing," - Helen Clark Waikato Times Feb 09, 2000.

"The objection was to people going under conditions of secrecy, with no openness about it, and going with large amounts of money for doing nothing," - Helen Clark SST Jan 30, 2000.

"The party is over. The nonsense is going to stop," - The Dominion, 22 Nov 1999.

Ends

© Scoop Media