Several more Rankin-type cases brewing

By EUGENE BINGHAM

Five more employment disputes are looming in the Beehive, raising the possibility of further embarrassing Christine Rankin-type revelations about ministers' behaviour.

Several of Helen Clark's ministers are locked in employment disputes with former staff members, with no resolution in sight.

While the Government won the Employment Court case Mrs Rankin brought, it must be eager to avoid a repeat of the sideshow that unfolded when the former head of Work and Income NZ aired sensational details about key figures.

Ministerial Services manager Richard Lodge confirmed that five staff were taking legal action over employment disputes with their ministers.

He refused an Official Information Act request to name the ministers, saying it could breach the privacy of the staff members. He also did not respond to questions about the nature of the complaints.

One case, involving Auckland Issues Minister Judith Tizard, was made public last year. Others are believed to concern Corrections Minister Matt Robson and Dover Samuels when he was Minister of Maori Affairs.

It is understood that a former secretary of Conservation Minister Sandra Lee lodged a complaint about her treatment, but it is not known if she took legal action.

Three of the former staff mem-bers were press secretaries.

Mr Lodge said the complaints had been lodged since December 1999, when the Coalition took office.

He did not respond to questions about the cost so far. But employment law experts said the average cost of handling personal grievance cases was about $5000, excluding settlements.

Act MP Muriel Newman said the five cases, plus the Rankin affair, raised questions about the way the Government dealt with its staff.

"That should be deeply concerning, because if problems get to be widespread, good people won't put themselves in that position and work in the civil service or ministers' offices. It will be interesting to watch the outcome of these new cases."

The five cases hold several political dangers for the Government. They could lead to more damaging courtroom revelations about ministers' work practices.

But the Government's pre-election stance against golden handshakes means any confidential settlements could also bring trouble.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Helen Clark would not comment. "The circumstances are different in each case ... and there's a clearly defined process under way."

It was a matter between the parties, said the spokesman.

Mrs Rankin unsuccessfully sued the Crown for $1.25 million, saying she had suffered humiliation and hurt at the hands of the Government.

Chief Employment Court Judge Tom Goddard ruled that she had suffered no legal wrong.

But he also said she was entitled to considerable sympathy over her treatment and he criticised Social Services Minister Steve Maharey's behaviour towards her.

Since last year, Opposition MPs have run a long campaign to find out the size and cost of ministerial staff.

National MP John Luxton discovered that 233 staff were employed in ministerial offices - up from about 190 under the previous Government.

Since the election, 49 have left, including 37 who resigned. Five resignations were from Helen Clark's office.

Meanwhile, the Crown Law Office will decide whether to ask Mrs Rankin to pay any of the $445,000 it cost the Crown to fight her case.

Her lawyer, Michael Quigg, said she and her husband were overseas until next week. They had 28 days to decide whether to appeal. A sexual harassment case was also possible.

* eugene_bingham@nzherald.co.nz