Very interesting story on the front page of today's Dominion Post. It is about the treatment of staff by MPs. MPs have apparently been investogated three times over allegations they bullied their parliamentary staff.
The article also says the following:
Ms Wilson also said 11 MPs had invoked "special breakdown in relationship" contract clauses to get rid of 12 employees in the past three years.
The 12 were paid a total of $117,561 as they departed. Ms Wilson said one MP had been engaged in two "fast-track" staff departures in the current term. Neither she, Ms Pilott nor Parliamentary Service spokesman Warren Inkster would name the MP involved.
However, The Dominion Post understands two of Winston Peters' staff left after the fast-track departure clause was invoked.
They are understood to be the NZ First leader's former senior private secretary, Graham Harding, and long-term private secretary Allison Jones.
Mr Harding, who worked for Mr Peters for 12 years, left his job in March. Ms Jones left soon after.
Speaking generally, Mr Inkster said the salaries of staff in the office of a minister outside Cabinet, such as Mr Peters, were funded jointly by the Parliamentary Service, Ministerial Services and individual departments in the case of seconded staff members.
Good on Harding and Jones for leaving. Maybe they couldn't stand the smell.
