Wednesday 19 Jun 2002

ACT MP Dr Muriel Newman today accused the Government of hypocrisy over its stance on secret payouts.

"This Government was basically elected on a platform of ending confidential payouts to public sector workers. In Opposition, Labour made huge political capital out of dredging up details of payments.

"Yet in the past two and a half years what has Labour done about it? Absolutely nothing. Instead the payouts have continued unabated - more than $4 million worth that I have been able to reveal and that could be the tip of the iceberg.

"The Labour-led Government blocked my legislation in 2000 aimed at stopping the secret payouts. At the time State Services Minister Trevor Mallard said: `I acknowledge that there is a real problem that needs to be addressed and the Government is addressing it.'

"Well, surprise, surprise, two years later and nothing has happened. Now Mr Mallard has the bald-faced cheek to tell the news media that if Labour is re-elected with an overall majority it will introduce legislation. Come on! They don't need a majority. We will support the legislation.

"The reality is that Mr Mallard's promise is as empty as the Prime Minister's promise before the last election that `the party is over. The nonsense is going to stop'.

"Labour says one thing in Opposition and does another in Government. The Prime Minister herself supervised an orchestrated stone-walling of a series of written Parliamentary questions I put to the Government last year on personal grievance cases by Ministerial staff.

"This Government promised openness, accountability and transparency. It has failed utterly to deliver," Dr Newman said.

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