Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party State Services Spokesman

6 August 2007

Serious unanswered questions over sacking

National’s State Services spokesman Gerry Brownlee says there are serious unanswered questions about the involvement of the SSC, the Prime Minister, and other officials over the handling of the Madeleine Setchell sacking.

“The very first question Helen Clark must answer is whether she still has confidence in State Services Commission boss Mark Prebble, who last week miraculously remembered he had been told about the crucial ‘free and frank’ comments that later cost David Benson-Pope his job.

“Public servants look to the SSC to protect them from Ministerial bullying. Through his amnesia, Dr Prebble has put a serious dent in the credibility of his office and its ability to discharge its duties without fear or favour.”

Mr Brownlee says National remains of the view that Dr Prebble should stand aside from any inquiry into the politically motivated sacking.

“It doesn’t matter how you package this up, as long as Dr Prebble remains the principle inquirer, he is effectively - in this case – prosecution, defence, and key witness.

“Why are we calling on the taxpayer to fund side-by-side inquiries? Now that Don Hunn has been appointed, he alone should be left to look at all aspects of this case.

“If Dr Prebble values the neutrality of the public service, as his newspaper opinion piece suggested, he would find a way to distance himself from passing any judgment on the inquiry or its findings.”

Mr Brownlee also says a cryptic comment in a statement today about the appointment of Don Hunn to work with Dr Prebble on the inquiry deserves an explanation.

The statement from Mark Prebble says ‘if there are compelling reasons not to publish some specific material in his report, then I expect that he will document those reasons’.

“This looks very much like a situation where even after another inquiry into this matter, elements of it will still be suppressed, fuelling further suspicion.

“The public and the public service won’t stand for another report which is economical with the truth.”

ENDS

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