13 October 2006

Greens committed to paying

It has always been the Green Party's position that it is committed to pay the spending identified as being outside the rules.

"This is and always has been our position," Musterer Metiria Turei says.

The amount will be divided between the six MPs and the Party.

"We have been presented with a bill for $87,192 and that's what we're gearing up to pay. But obviously we don't have that kind of money to hand so we will be going out to our members and supporters to help us raise these funds," Mrs Turei says.

"We will pay as soon as we are able, and certainly before the end of the financial year."

"We remain convinced that the bulk of our spending was within the rules as we understood them, based on the Speaker's direction and Members' Handbook."

It was reported this morning that the party had made no commitment to pay - this is completely untrue.

"We identified that there might be a legal challenge following the release of the Auditor General's report which could ultimately affect the amounts owed by all the parties.

"We are not waiting on the outcome of such proceedings before we pay."

ENDS

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