MP slams $445,000 cost of fighting Rankin case

By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter

Lawyers defending the Crown from a $1.25 million lawsuit lodged by former welfare chief Christine Rankin have spent 1703 hours preparing their case.

Act MP Muriel Newman revealed the figure yesterday, saying it showed the Government was determined to win its case against Mrs Rankin by dedicating whatever resources it took.

"It is astonishing to me that the equivalent to almost a year's worth of work has been put into this.

"It shows the significance of them winning at all costs," said Dr Newman.

"It seems the Government is prepared to provide a limitless pool of taxpayer money to fight this case."

Mrs Rankin is suing her employer, State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham, and the Crown for reinstatement to her former position as head of Work and Income New Zealand.

She also wants a payout for stress, hurt, humiliation and damage to her prospects of finding future employment.

Dr Newman has previously revealed that $226,742 had been spent on Crown Law Office legal fees.

The new information puts at $445,647 the amount the Crown has spent on the Rankin case.

The fresh information "shows money is no object when it comes to paying for the Crown's top lawyers to spend vast amounts of time on this case," said Dr Newman, a Whangarei-based list MP.

She said that parliamentary questions she had submitted, including whether there was an attempt to settle the case with Mrs Rankin, had not been answered by the Government on the grounds that they could "touch on matters awaiting judicial decisions".

The Employment Court decision on Mrs Rankin's case is expected to be released in the next few days.