29 March 2012

Key letter means independent inquiry needed

The Green Party says it is now essential an independent inquiry is held into the Bronwyn Pullar affair following the release of correspondence that potentially implicates John Key in the saga.

John Key is listed as a supporter of Bronwyn Pullar in a letter to Sovereign Insurance regarding her multi-million dollar private insurance claim in 2007, when he was the leader of the opposition.

“This raises the question of whether John Key did declare his full involvement in this case,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“It also raises the question of whether, in the conduct of his private investigation into Nick Smiths conflict of interest, he too had a conflict of interest.

“These are questions that only an independent inquiry can legitimately answer.

“In Parliament John Key ruled out an independent inquiry that could have revealed this potential conflict of interest.

“An independent inquiry would establish if the Prime Minister had a conflict of interest at the point that he investigated Nick Smith.

“If it is true that the Prime Minister has no knowledge of being named in the Sovereign letter, or that his support of Bronwyn Pullar was as he has previously described it, then he has nothing to fear from an independent inquiry.

“New Zealanders have the right to have confidence in the propriety and actions of their Government. Only an independent inquiry can assess that,” said Dr Norman.

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