Media release from Labour health spokesperson Grant Robertson

The extraordinarily quick response from the State Services Commission following concerns around the hiring of Mervyn English and Paul McCormack raises even more questions, Labour's Health spokesperson Grant Robertson says.

"The Government has flown into damage control mode. A day after questioning in the House Tony Ryall has informed media that the State Services Commissioner has agreed that the appointments were in line with the policies and procedures of the Ministry of Health. Why is Mr Ryall telling us this, and pre-empting the Commission?"

"The record speed at which the State Services Commission appear to have undertaken their investigation is almost unprecedented.

"I hope there has been no pressure applied to the SSC to complete their inquiries to suit the Minister's ends," Grant Robertson said.

"Mr Ryall's report of the Commission's views indicates the appointments are in line with the Ministry of Health's internal policies, yet it also leaves unanswered questions - are those internal policies in line with the State Sector Act and the employment guidelines?

"And why was Mr English's position not advertised? It is clear the job he is doing is a permanent one.

"I now plan on writing to the State Services Commissioner to ask him to further investigate the Ministry's policies that saw a position such as this not advertised," Grant Robertson said.