Dunne: Rankin appointment to Families Commission a mistake
12 May 2009

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says the appointment of Christine Rankin to the Families Commission is a mistake.

“Ms Rankin is simply the wrong person to be appointed to a body of this type.

“She is divisive and controversial and her appointment will be disruptive to the ongoing work of the Commission,” Mr Dunne said.

“The fact that her appointment was bitterly contested within the Cabinet, together with her fall from grace under the previous government, shows she does not enjoy sufficiently widespread political support to make her appointment tenable.

“In the circumstances, my strong advice to Ms Rankin is to decline the appointment, because her taking up this role will seriously undermine the credibility of the Families Commission,” he said..

Ends

Mark Stewart | Press Secretary | Office of Hon Peter Dunne
DDI +64 4 817 6985 | Mb +64 21 243 6985 |
unitedfuture.org.nz