Rankin tells of plot to sack her

By FRANCESCA MOLD political reporter

The Government worked behind the scenes to find a way of sacking Christine Rankin despite promoting the idea of making a fresh start in its relationship with her, the Employment Court has heard.

The Work and Income New Zealand chief spent her second day in the witness box responding to cross-examination of her sensational evidence alleging political interference and sexism among ministers and public service heads.

Crown lawyer Alan Galbraith, QC, told the court that the decision not to reappoint Mrs Rankin as chief executive was based on her performance and skills, rather than her appearance.

He said Social Services Minister Steve Maharey had told Mrs Rankin soon after the election that he was prepared to work with her provided she made changes, including to her appearance and communication style.

Mrs Rankin said Mr Maharey had simply told her he would give her a letter outlining changes he wanted her to make so that if she did not meet expectations he could sack her.

"There had been intense activity to find out whether he could sack me in the weeks leading up to that meeting," she said.

Mr Galbraith suggested Mr Maharey had talked about accountability rather than sacking her.

Mrs Rankin: "He specifically used the word sacked because Mr Wintringham stepped in and said he was the only one who could sack me."

Mr Galbraith: "Then he modified his position to say you would be held accountable?"

Mrs Rankin: "No. I remember him saying to Mr Wintringham, 'You're quite right, only you can sack her'."

Mr Galbraith questioned whether Mrs Rankin thought Mr Wintringham should have forced on the minister someone he did not want in the job.

"All our conversations were that it would not be about my look but what I and the organisation had achieved," said Mrs Rankin.

"It was not about how you looked, but whether you were the right person for the job to implement important Government policy."

"He indicated I didn't stand a chance no matter what I did," she replied.

During cross-examination, Mr Galbraith focused heavily on a series of embarrassing incidents at Winz. He mentioned a $247,000 staff conference at Wairakei resort, the selling of information to debt collectors, the discovery of rubbish bags of confidential documents on the roadside and problems with processing student loans and allowances.

Mr Galbraith said Mr Maharey had told Mrs Rankin he wanted the department and her kept out of the media spotlight, yet she had set up an interview with the Holmes television show and agreed to an article in the Sunday Star-Times.

Mr Maharey had tried to help by providing "dampening down" comments on a number of occasions.

One of these was in February last year when student loan processing problems had attracted unfavourable publicity.



Mr Galbraith: "Part of that, fair or unfair, was negative reporting which involved you. What the minister was saying was that he wanted that to stop."

Mrs Rankin: "He had helped created it and was a major part of it.

"He was blaming me for that media image and that I had sought it. I had not."

Mr Galbraith said Mr Maharey had suggested one way to help fix the image was by making changes to her personal style, a proposal to which she was "resistant."

Mrs Rankin: "You minimise that. He was very clear ... there were personal things about me that had to change. He made some very direct and inappropriate comments. I was willing to change anything apart from myself and the way I was."

Mr Galbraith: "But he was saying 'Let's change it'."

Mrs Rankin: "You make him sound so reasonable. He wasn't even slightly reasonable. I wasn't prepared to change the way I looked,"

Mr Maharey had also asked her to change her communication tone and style.

"He asked me to develop an honest face like Nandor [Tanczos] so that old women would love me and adore me but I wasn't sure how to go about that," said Mrs Rankin.

"You didn't go home and practise?" replied Mr Galbraith.

Winz business development general manager Helene Quilter gave evidence yesterday about the meeting with Mr Maharey, backing many of Mrs Rankin's allegations.

She said Mr Maharey had wanted Mrs Rankin to change her appearance so they could appear in front of the media together.

"To put the department in a better light with the public?" asked Mr Galbraith.

"So Mr Maharey could point to her and say she's changed and that's what I've done," replied Ms Quilter.

Mr Galbraith also discussed evidence Mrs Rankin gave on Monday about a conversation with the head of the Prime Minister's department, Mark Prebble, in which he said her earrings were a sexual come-on, her legs and short skirts were a distraction and that on one occasion he could see her breast when she moved.



"Mark Prebble was frank with you. What he was trying to do, whether you approved or didn't approve, was to give you advice about how best to cope with the change in Government," said Mr Galbraith.

Mrs Rankin: "It didn't feel like that."

Mr Galbraith: "He was telling you about his view as to the colour of a public servant and the way to deal with this new Government and its style."

Mrs Rankin: "Some of it was about that."

Mr Galbraith: "He was honest and frank?"

Mrs Rankin: "I would say he was disgusting."