Source: Taxpayers Union
8 DECEMBER 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on Speaker Trevor Mallard to confirm the size of the settlement paid in relation to his allegation that a Parliamentary Staffer was accused of rape and what proportion, if any, he is personally paying.The Union understands the settlement is six-figures, and on top of legal costs charged to taxpayer by the Labour Party’s law firm, takes the to bill to taxpayers in excess of a million.Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “Trevor Mallard has refused to even admit there was a settlement, let alone confirm how much it cost taxpayers. That’s pathetic, and doesn’t take responsibly for what was a reckless repetitional attack.”“If the head of any other government agency forked out for a defamation settlement, the media could access the details with an official information request. But Trevor Mallard is exploiting the loophole that exempts Parliamentary Services from freedom of information law.”“This failure of transparency and secrecy of taxpayer sending brings the Speaker’s whole office into disrepute.”
