Brash calls for select inquiry into broadband leak

Don Brash

National Party leader Don Brash today called for a select committee inquiry into the leaked Cabinet document that led to $1.8 billion being wiped off Telecom shares this week.

He described it as the "most serious, most damaging, most confidence-destroying leak of commercially confidential material from the Cabinet room in the history of this country".

The Government's decision to force Telecom to open its network to rival companies was to have been part of the May 18 budget.

But the leaking to Telecom of the Cabinet document setting out the details forced the Government to bring forward the announcement to this week.

Dr Brash told his party's Canterbury/Westland Regional Conference in Picton today that the leak "could only have come from one of Helen Clark's inner circle".

"The Government's bumbling has needlessly worsened the situation for investors, and shows the Government's complete lack of understanding about how the economy and the capital markets work," he said.

"And Helen Clark can hardly complain, because it's she who's set the ground rules; it's she who's set the appallingly low standards for this administration."

Before his speech Dr Brash said National would write to the Commerce Select Committee seeking an inquiry.

"Parliament and the public must have an opportunity to assess for themselves what went on, who was responsible and the role of ministers in briefing officials handling sensitive documents.

"Parliament trusts the executive to conduct business in a seemly manner. A leak like this is an insult to the political process."

- NZPA