Chris Eichbaum

I mentioned yesterday how the Government’s appointment of Chris Eichbaum to the Board of the Reserve Bank forgot to mention his role in at least three Labour ministerial offices.

Now I have no position on the merits of Dr Ecihbaum’s appointment as I simply have not read enough of his background and CV to judge the contribution he can make to monetary policy.

But a reader has sent me this extract from NBR in 2002:

In a letter published last week in response to the previous week’s NBR editorial, “Chris Eichbaum of Wellington” accused the National Party of hiding the identities of funding donors through trusts. Mr Eichbaum claimed this did not allow citizens to judge the extent to which particular interests, whether domestic or foreign, were influencing policy formulation. Several people have asked if this is the same Chris Eichbaum who is a senior lecturer in public policy at Victoria University’s school of government? Yes And if he is the same Chris Eichbaum who disqualified himself recently as chairman of a debate between Social Development minister Steve Maharey and National’s welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins because he was seen as too close to Mr Maharey to be neutral? Yes And if he is the same Chris Eichbaum who once worked in Helen Clark’s office? Yes As he is the same man, ought not he have disclosed his background before calling on all donors to the National Party to do likewise? No, he says.

Of course it is now members of Helen Clark’s Government who are facing questions over secret trusts and her Government which was so remiss in mentioning Dr Eichbaum’s background with this appointment.

NBR also reported he has been a member of the Labour Party for more than 20 years.