Family focus 'reason for exit'

Outgoing Chief Families Commissioner Jan Pryor has rejected claims that her resignation was prompted by untenable relationships with other commissioners or the National Government.

The surprise resignation of Dr Pryor, who was appointed in 2008, was accepted yesterday by Social Development and Employment Minister Paula Bennett.

Dr Pryor, 64, said later that she was simply taking "one of the principal planks of the commission's advocacy for families to heart - which is that people need to be able to get their work and family life balance right".

"My ongoing commitments to my role at Victoria University of Wellington, plus a need for me to put more focus into my family at this time, means that I have to step back from my other commitments, including the Families Commission."

Dr Pryor said she was proud of what the commission was doing and her departure had nothing to do with difficult political relationships or policies.

Labour deputy leader Annette King said reasons for the departure seemed to go beyond wanting a better work/life balance.

She said Dr Pryor had a lot of integrity and the controversial appointment to the commission last year of Christine Rankin would have been the start of a difficult tenure.

"I believe there is a lot more to it," Ms King said. "She [Dr Pryor] is a woman of integrity, and as soon as the Government started to stack the Families Commission with National Party hacks it was inevitable that she was going to go."

Ms King said the recent welfare reform announcements would have added to the problem.

- NZPA