The Parker Inquiry

I was surprised when a couple of weeks ago Helen Clark did a u-turn on the issue of David Parker. Having effectively sacked him as a Minister for his actions, she suddenly suggested he might be immediately re-appointed as a Minister if he was not charged.

It now emerges that the PM’s own Department has been communicating with the agency undertaking the investigation and that her change of tune may be because she had been assured that Parker will be cleared.

The House was somewhat stunned that the PM confirmed her Chief Executive had received a briefing from the CEO responsible for the Companies Office on the timing of the inquiry.

Bill English then asked if it was true she had received a written opinion from the Companies Office on the David Parker inquiry, and she side-stepped the question. The CEO of the Ministry which has the Companies Office in it will also not deny an opinion has been given. Likewise for the PM’s press secretaries.

Also Ian Wishart has more information on the investigation where lawyers for MED and the Companies Office are making the case that as Hyslop had been a bankrupt he shouldn’t still be a shareholder so his consent wasn’t necessary. It is speculated that this is the advice which has been given to Helen Clark in secret by the agency which is meant to independently decide on prosecutions, and that this is why she changed her tune on Parker.