By FRANCESCA MOLD
The Government has released only an edited version of legal advice not to pursue Christine Rankin for court costs after the Prime Minister offered to make the opinion public.
On National Radio yesterday, Helen Clark said she would have no difficulty with people looking at the advice from Solicitor-General Terence Arnold that the Crown should not seek to recover costs incurred while defending Mrs Rankin's $1.25 million lawsuit.
But in Parliament yesterday, Justice Minister Phil Goff said only an edited version would be released because the Solicitor-General believed that legal advice needed to be kept confidential if it was to remain free and frank.
The summary said Mr Arnold had taken into account the likelihood any costs awarded to the Crown would be modest, that it might reopen issues resolved in the existing judgment and that it would be seen by the public to be punishing Mrs Rankin further.
National leader Jenny Shipley criticised the about-turn. "Clearly the Government is still trying to hide something."
But Mr Goff said there was no foundation to rumours that a deal had been made between the parties over costs.
Rankin advice edited
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