Immediate Release:

Act MP Rejects Kangaroo Court

After very careful and difficult deliberations, I have decided to remain an ACT Member of Parliament. I am staying because I am innocent. There is no way I am leaving. No charges have been laid. The auditor general hasn’t reported back.

I considered leaving to clear the way for ACT to pursue its vision without the shadow of the allegations against me. However, I have come to see that there is a bigger issue here and that is that the rule of law be upheld. I’m not prepared to be drummed out of parliament by a kangaroo court. Everyone, I don’t care who you are, is innocent until proven guilty. Everyone has the right to silence until charges are brought. These things are integral to the maintenance of law in a civilised society.

I will wait and see what the police, the auditor general and the courts make of the evidence.

The media and the ACT party have put their faith in the word of a single witness, Kathy Skipworth a woman who stole $21,000 from the trust, was caught redhanded and convicted. This is the same person who is now facing new complaints of forgery and theft against the trust.

At no stage or on any occasion did I defraud the Pipi Foundation as she has claimed and has repeated in the media.

The ACT party quite rightly stood by Owen Jennings when he was taken to court and found guilty of defamation. It stood by him while he launched and lost his appeal. It stood by Rodney Hide when it was alleged that his support for a Fiji Investment conference cost investors their life savings. It stood by Muriel Newman when she and her husband were accused of misusing a boat building permit to build a house.

I expected the same kind of loyalty.

I have been approached by a number of MP’s from other political parties. No one supports my political stance but they support my right to a fair go.

I have been given clear and uncompromising messages from Maoridom to stay.

The first issue for me is to clear my name.

ENDS

© Scoop Media