Maharey: I didn't mind, the public did

By FRANCESCA MOLD

Social Services Minister Steve Maharey says he discussed Christine Rankin's appearance with her because it worried the public, not him.

Mr Maharey spent four hours in the Employment Court yesterday giving his version of allegations made by Mrs Rankin in her bid for reinstatement as chief executive of Work and Income New Zealand and $818,000 in damages.

Mrs Rankin claimed Mr Maharey used her as "political fodder" in the leadup to the election and tried to sack her immediately after he became minister.

She said he had sworn during meetings and told her to change her skirts, earrings and hair.

Mr Maharey agreed yesterday that they had talked about Mrs Rankin's appearance.

"There were discussions about the need for Mrs Rankin to have a think about her public appearance in relation to what people were saying about this if the organisation was going to move on."

But Mr Maharey said he raised the topic as a minister concerned about the public perception of Winz, not to tell Mrs Rankin what he personally thought she should wear.

Mrs Rankin's lawyer, Michael Quigg, said: "You did want her to make the change didn't you ... You wanted to stand alongside her and say, well, look, I have been instrumental in effecting this change?"

Mr Maharey: "No, you are depicting a kind of Svengali-type relationship here. I think it is a major issue of public concern and I think politicians in this position do have to convey the public's view and that is what I did."

During cross-examination, an unruffled Mr Maharey agreed with the general tone of some meetings described by Mrs Rankin, but disputed her description of his language.

He also denied some comments attributed to him, including that Winz was led by someone who looked like a cocktail waitress with earrings longer than her skirts. Mr Maharey said he would not approve of that kind of comment.

Mrs Rankin had alleged Mr Maharey told her not to wear Hugo Boss glasses even though he did.

Mr Maharey said he had never owned Hugo Boss glasses but they could have been discussing label clothing.

He denied telling Mrs Rankin to take a good look at herself in the mirror.

"There's no doubt we talked about the issue of her public image. But I had no personal view on how she dressed. I said I, too, wore label clothes and could not criticise her for doing so."

Mr Maharey did not dispute Mrs Rankin's claim that he advised her to imitate the look of Green MP Nandor Tanczos, who was different but had an honest face and appealed to elderly women as someone who could be trusted and loved.

He admitted he might well have sworn during one tense meeting.

"But let me be also equally clear it is not my practice to swear in professional meetings. It would be the absolute exception and not the rule."

The minister agreed that during the election campaign the Labour Party had made plenty of mileage out of mistakes made by Winz, but said: "We did not set out to destroy Mrs Rankin."

Mr Maharey confirmed he had sought legal advice in December 1999 about whether Mrs Rankin could be dismissed using a "face doesn't fit" clause in her contract.

But after being told it did not apply, Mr Maharey said he had tried to build a working relationship.

He believed that Mrs Rankin was the wrong person to head Winz and he would not have agreed to a recommendation from the State Services Commissioner that she be reappointed.

Former State Services Commissioner Don Hunn also gave evidence yesterday about an inquiry he conducted into Winz in February last year.

He denied earlier claims that the review was a witch-hunt and said his report was balanced and fair.