No accountability under Key

Anthony R0bins
8 years ago
Categories: accountability, john key, scoundrels, useless
Tags: accountability, incompetent, ombudsman, paula rebstock, report, unaccountable

Damning inquiry points finger at the Government, State Services Commissioner

The Government has rejected parts of a damning report into its handling of an inquiry into leaks from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Ombudsman Ron Paterson has told the Government it should compensate a former top diplomat whose career ended in tatters after he was targeted by the inquiry, which was instigated by the State Services Commission. He has also recommended a formal apology.

The 2013 inquiry has already cost taxpayers as much as $1 million, including lawyers costs and fees paid to the woman who headed it, Paula Rebstock.

This morning Key expressed his continuing confidence in Rebstock. Of course. Back to the above piece:

In his report, Paterson says the SSC acted unreasonably during the inquiry, and singled out flaws including

* the findings in relation to Leask exceeded the inquiry’s terms of reference.

* Leask was not given fair notice prior to his interview that his conduct would be examined.

* Insufficient material was provided him about the applicable standards against which his behaviour was being measured

* He was not treated fairly.

* The evidence relied upon by the inquiry did not reasonably support some of the criticisms made about him in the final report and some highly relevant evidence was not properly addressed

* The manner in which Leaks’s actions were addressed in the final report was disproportionate when compared with the comments about the actions of other senior MFAT managers.

* Publication of the report, in a manner that identified him and contained unfair criticisms of him, was unjust

* State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie’s public statement about Leask was unreasonable.

Paterson recommends Leask receive compensation for harm to his reputation caused by the deficiencies in the inquiry and publication of the report.

That is a comprehensive list of failures. Yet Key will keep using Rebstock for government work. The idea that there is any accountability under Key is a long, long distant memory.