New Zealand National Party
Thursday, 17 June 2004, 5:40 pm
Dyson: "I have checked the file" - yeah right
Katherine Rich
National Social
Services Spokeswoman
National MP Katherine
Rich is pleased that Labour ministers seem to have recovered their memories
about Labour's involvement in the Glenelg Health Camp complaints in 1989.
"For four months Ruth Dyson has been unable to find any information
prior to 1993 about the complaints. Since May 17, she has said that officials
were checking the archives.
"But now, only 24 hours after I accused Ms Dyson of covering-up the
involvement of previous Labour cabinet ministers and she blamed National for
not dealing with the Glenelg complaints, memories have been jolted and
information has miraculously appeared.
"What a difference a day makes. Last month Ms Dyson told Parliament that
'despite extensive searching of the available records' she could not locate
any correspondence prior to 1993. She declared to the House 'I have checked
the file'.
"When she tabled numerous documents in Parliament today, she made
it clear that she had not 'checked the file' and that any search had not been
'extensive' at all."
The documents revealed extensive correspondence on the allegations between
1988 and 1993 and disclosed Dr Cullen's involvement.
Mrs Rich said there were, however, some glaring omissions from Ms Dyson's mass
tabling exercise that she needed to explain. Dr Cullen's ministerial
directive asking the then Director-General of Social Welfare to get Judge
Mason to peruse some 'disturbing features about some of the cases' was
overlooked by the Minister.
The document was tabled by Mrs Rich
"Once again Ruth Dyson is being selective with her facts," Mrs Rich
said.
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