Judith Collins MP National Party Families Spokeswoman

21 April 2005

Smarmy Steve Maharey loses the plot

National Party Families spokeswoman Judith Collins believes Steve Maharey has resorted to personal insults because he knows how much New Zealanders hate Labour’s hypocrisy on secret golden handshakes.

“How typically infantile it is of Mr Maharey to attack the person rather than the issue.

“Okay then Minister, let’s talk issues!

“How much did Families Commission Chief Executive Claire Austin get, Mr Maharey? Why is it secret? Why did she last only three months? And whatever happened to your promises about ending the so-called culture of extravagance?

“The Families Commission is spending nearly three quarters of a million taxpayer dollars on advertising campaigns leading up to the election. It has been swallowing up taxpayer money on travel and accommodation, and now it has handed out a secret golden handshake.

“How can anyone now take seriously the absurd claim by Rajen Prasad that ‘the commission uses government monies very, very carefully’?

“For starters, Mr Prasad obviously needs to be reminded it is not the Government’s money - it is taxpayer money and he is spending a sizeable chunk of it.

“Mr Prasad has been a vocal opponent of National Party policies, and he has been an ardent supporter of Helen Clark. One need look no further than the politically loaded photo opportunity his group provided for the Prime Minister at the launch of the ‘What Makes Your Family Tick’ Survey.

“I would urge Mr Prasad to keep his head down in election year unless he would prefer to be permanently branded as part of the ‘ninth floor machine’, as described by Mr Tamihere.

“It is also hard to take seriously Mr Maharey’s invitation for me to complain to the auditor-general. I actually won against Helen Clark over a desk calendar and she still hasn’t paid back the money,” says Ms Collins.

ENDS

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