Clark Becoming Hysterical Over Government Appointments

"Labour Leader, Helen Clark, is becoming hysterical over appointments to Government positions and is losing personal credibility over the issue," SOE
Minister, Tony Ryall, said today.

"This is further evidence of Labour's dirty, personal campaign against the Prime Minister, aided by some in the press.

"Her latest outburst is an unsubstantiated and rather desperate claim that the new Chair of Creative New Zealand is a close friend of the Prime Minister. Although this was run by some media without question, Mr Biggs has confirmed that he does not belong to any political Party, is not Mrs Shipley's 'friend', has only met Mrs Shipley in a professional capacity and then on only one or two occasions years ago, and never while Mrs Shipley has
been Prime Minister.

"No doubt Helen Clark wanted the Government to keep the position open so that, in the awful event of a Labour-Alliance Government, she could appoint
one of her politically-correct Ivory Tower academics to the role. I wouldn't be surprised if she has already made a deal with someone for the position.

"Helen Clark has a record of appointing the casualties of Labour's many internal feuds to key Government positions.

"None more blatant than the reappointment of Lloyd Falck to the key position of chairman of the Earthquake Commission just three weeks before the 1990
General Election. The Commission controls about $3 billion of funds.

"Media coverage from the time (attached) shows that Mr Falck was the casualty of a bitter battle for the Labour Party Presidency just months before his
reappointment.

"His appointment was also highly controversial due to his senior position in the Labour Party and his efforts to secure a 'letter of comfort' for himself
in the event of a change of Government.

"Next to her own history, Helen Clark's attempt to claim some kind of impropriety in the appointment of Mr Peter Biggs, frankly looks ridiculous," concluded Mr Ryall.