"Christine Rankin should go," says Labour social welfare spokesman Steve Maharey.
Mr Maharey says State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham's finding of a lack of understanding within the Department of Work and Income of acceptable levels of expenditure is an indictment of Ms Rankin as chief executive.
"Mr Wintringham is right that Ms Rankin has damaged the credibility of the entire public service and not just Winz," says Mr Maharey. "Winz needs a fresh start and the public service needs a break from the kind of excess she represents. Taxpayers are sick of egotism and extravagance at their expense."
It is also well past time for Social Welfare Minister Roger Sowry to take his share of the blame for the Winz debacle, Mr Maharey says.
"Tut-tutting from the sidelines isn't good enough from the Minister. Winz is this government's baby and Roger Sowry should display some of the parental responsibility he keeps demanding from ordinary New Zealanders."
The government should come clean and release all the details of Mr Wintringham's findings on Winz, says Mr Maharey.
"Jenny Shipley said she expected Mr Wintringham to account to both her and the public for the excesses at Winz. The public is still waiting for a proper explanation."
"I'm disappointed this will drag on through the courts, at public expense, because of the appalling way Ms Rankin handled it. It's a shame that it will take an employee's personal grievance case to show who is really to blame."

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