Officials planned to lie says Rankin

By VERNON SMALL and FRANCESCA MOLD

Christine Rankin rocked the top echelons of the state sector and Government yesterday with detailed accusations of sexism, of political interference and of individuals threatening to lie in court.

In a sensational five hours of evidence at the Employment Court in Wellington, the Work and Income NZ chief put her case against State Services Commissioner Michael Wintringham for failing to reappoint her to the $250,000 job she has held for almost three years.

The most damaging accusations were levelled at Social Services Minister Steve Maharey, whom she accused of sexist attacks on her dress sense, and at two state sector bosses.

Beyond the courtroom, the case even prompted a question about the Prime Minister's dress sense.

Mrs Rankin said both Dr Mark Prebble, who heads the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Mr Wintringham had separately said they would deny in court having had a particular conversation with her.

At one stage Mr Wintringham had said he would deny in front of a select committee that a meeting she had had with him had occurred.



In outlining the case, Mrs Rankin's lawyer, Michael Quigg, said: "The story is one of being demonised by the Labour Party when it was in Opposition and never being given a fair go by the Government."

Before the election Mr Maharey had said Work and Income NZ was led by "someone who dressed like a cocktail waitress, with earrings longer than her skirt."

Mrs Rankin told the court how, after the election, she phoned and congratulated Mr Maharey.

"During the conversation he said it was time to put the past behind us. He said no matter what the Prime Minister said, it would be okay," the 47-year-old said. "Unfortunately, Mr Maharey's words proved to be anything but true."

Mrs Rankin said Labour had used her to help win the election.

Mr Maharey had at one meeting pointed to his arm and said he had "mainlined into my vein." It was irresistible because the then National Government would not defend her.

At another meeting Mr Maharey had lost his composure and banged the table and said f *** four times.

He blamed her for ruining his exemplary career.

"He said he had lived a blameless life of excellence ... until I came along.

"That was after a journalist had just given him a C-minus rating for his management of his political portfolio.

"He said [the journalist] was a pea-brain f******* prick who he had no respect for," Mrs Rankin said.

He also said he was coming under pressure for failing to sack her. "He said he had been whipped for not sacking me and everyone was saying he was a wimp."

Mr Maharey had urged her to change her image and stop wearing Hugo Boss glasses, even though he wore them himself.

"He said I needed to go home and take a good look at myself in the mirror."

Dr Prebble had told her in a private meeting that she was the "sexual icon of the public service" and made a lot of men uncomfortable with the way she dressed.

He personally felt uncomfortable the first time he had met her "and that my earrings in terms of the Darwin theory and The Naked Ape were a sexual come-on," she said.

Dr Prebble referred to a meeting where "when I moved he could distinguish my breast."

"He said the shortness of my skirt and the length of my legs was an absolute distraction and everyone's talking about it."

At Parliament later, journalists asked the Prime Minister if Dr Prebble had ever made comments about her own dress sense. Helen Clark replied: "Not to me."

Mrs Rankin said in court that Mr Wintringham did little or nothing to protect her, although he had said when she was first appointed that she would be a public service "star."

Mrs Rankin was cross-examined by crown counsel Alan Galbraith, QC, on her department's past problems, the right of Opposition MPs to criticise public sector heads and the reappointment of chief executives.

Mrs Rankin said it was appropriate for Opposition MPs to be critical but it had become too personalised.

The court was told that Mr Quigg had sent to the Crown Law Office summonses for Helen Clark, State Services Minister Trevor Mallard and Mr Maharey.

But the Crown's solicitors had refused to serve them because the law prevented summonses being served while Parliament was in session.

At Parliament, Helen Clark told journalists she could not see the point of waiving her legal protection by voluntarily giving evidence.

She had met Mrs Rankin only once, briefly, at a function at the United States Embassy. "As is generally the case, one is so arms-length from legal proceedings that one is not always aware what discussion of correspondence goes on."

Helen Clark said her first reaction to news of the summons had been: "Be my guest. I don't ever seek to thwart the serving of a summons."

Mr Mallard said he would give evidence if Crown Law required him to do so. He indicated that Mr Maharey and Associate Social Services Minister Ruth Dyson might give evidence.

Helen Clark would not comment on the case other than to say the Crown would take "a very different view" of the course of events.

Opposition Leader Jenny Shipley called for Dr Prebble, who was head of the department during her time as Prime Minister, to be sacked immediately, saying his comments and those of Mr Maharey were shockingly sexist.

"New Zealand has not seen this sort of Neanderthal behaviour at a senior level for a great many years. It constitutes seriously improper behaviour which demands decisive action from the Prime Minister.

"The women of New Zealand will demand the firing of Steve Maharey and Mark Prebble after today's revelations. I join with them in that call."