Katherine Rich MP National Party Broadcasting Spokeswoman & Rodney Hide MP ACT Party Finance Spokesman

02 July 2003

What does it take to get fired?

Both National and Act are crying foul after the deal struck for embattled TMP boss Trevor Moeke to stay at the scandal plagued Maori broadcasting funding agency.

"The whole Te Mangai Paho scandal has been one of deceit, now we have the ultimate deceit," say National Party Broadcasting spokeswoman Katherine Rich and ACT Finance spokesman Rodney Hide.

"The bizarre arrangement that will allow Mr Moeke to stay at TMP for nine months, can only be described as a golden handshake - another Doone deal. "It's now official, there are two standards of accountability in New Zealand - one for Maori and one for everyone else," the MPs say.

"The Government's review of Te Mangai Paho confirmed our claims that taxpayers' money was being showered around with a complete absence of any accountability," says Mr Hide.

"It was TMP CEO Trevor Moeke and Minister Parekura Horomia that oversaw the lolly scramble and defended it," Mr Hide says.

"But that doesn't matter to Helen Clark. Both Horomia and Moeke keep their jobs. The taxpayers lose out again.

"Helen Clark's using taxpayer money to buy the support of her Maori MPs and she doesn't care how it is spent," says Mrs Rich.

"Helen Clark came to power promising a new standard of accountability in government. We can confirm she has delivered. For her administration, 'anything goes'. That is a new standard, but it is not what New Zealanders had in mind when they voted for her," Mr Hide says.

"The Government's now made it clear there are two separate standards for Maori funding and accountability. That's not good enough, taxpayers deserve better than this," Mrs Rich says.

"We can assure all New Zealanders we will continue to demand accountability from Parekura Horomia and Helen Clark.

"We will do our jobs even though they are not prepared to do theirs," the MPs say.

"But ultimately, the only way to get accountable government is to vote Helen Clark and Parekura Horomia out of office," they say.

Ends

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