Clayton COSGROVE
Earthquake Recovery Spokesperson
MP for Waimakariri
22 August 2011
Families to say if Key’s backflip good enough
Prime Minister John Key has done some sort of backflip in providing legal support for the families of Christchurch quake
victims, but it is up to the families to say if they are satisfied, says Labour’s Canterbury Earthquake Recovery
spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove.
“I have already spoken to a representative of the families, who has told me the initial response is one of
disappointment.
“It’s not clear yet how far John Key is prepared to go in providing the sort of support the families have been asking
for, and the sort of support that has already been provided to the families of Pike River victims,” Clayton Cosgrove
said.
“The detail of the Government’s offer now has to be taken back to the families as a whole to see what they think.
“While Labour has been pressing this issue in Parliament for some time, and the Government has stonewalled until now,
Labour has always said that the families must decide when they are satisfied with the sort of support they are receiving
“Labour still believes that,” Clayton Cosgrove said. “That’s why we will wait to hear what they have to say.
“However, John Key has always said the Government will be there to support the families. Given that, we still wonder why
he seems so opposed to providing completely independent advice of the sort offered to the Pike River families.”
ENDS