Key Holds Emergency Press Conference In Wellington

Key Holds Emergency Press Conference In Wellington

August 30

National’s senior Minister Judith Collins has resigned from Cabinet because of serious allegations she tried to undermine a senior civil servant through a blog.

Prime Minister John Key told reporters in a hastily called press conference that the Minister for Justice handed in her resignation after his office was supplied email correspondence from a third party.

Mr Key revealed an email saying Judith Collins supplied information to blogger Cameron Slater in 2011. Collins was not directly involved in the email correspondence between other people.

This email said information supplied by her was allegedly used to undermine the director of the Serious Fraud Office, Collins was the minister responsible for the Serious Fraud Office at the time.

Key told journalists there is no indication Collins did anything wrong. but resigning as minister is the honourable step to take with such serious allegations against her.

Key also questioned Nicky Hagar’s use of emails as a reliable source of information in Hagar’s book, Dirty Politics, stating “I’ll take the facts as I see them.”

The Prime Minister stated he didn’t control Cameron Slater and denied any frequent contact with him , and the supplying of any information to the Whaleoil blogger.

Mr Key does not think Collins’ resignation will have an impact on National’s campaign.

Collins told journalist she denies any misconduct on her part and claims she had “always acted professionaly with the SFO director.”

Collins is also requesting an inquiry into the allegations made against her and was confident this would clear her, in the meantime she would “fight to win her electorate seat” in Papakura.

Collins did not take any questions in a brief press conference.

Chris Finlayson will be Acting Minister of Justice, Craig Foss will be Acting Minister for ACC, and Hekia Parata will be Acting Minister for Ethnic Affairs.
ENDS

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