The Government and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) should release the report into former Minister of Transport Gerry Brownlee’s airport security breach, the Green Party said today.
“The actions of a Minister of Transport breaching security at an airport are a matter of high public interest,” Green Party transport spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said today.
The CAA said that after its investigation it had required Gerry Brownlee to pay a $2000 fine while two parliamentary aides had been issued formal warning notices for the same offence.
“The Government and the CAA are hoping the details will be overlooked by the fact that Gerry Brownlee was fined $2000,” Ms Genter said.
“CAA Director Graeme Harris said airport security is a serious matter, so the public has a right to know what actually happened when it has to take the extraordinary step of investigating its own minister,” Ms Genter said.
“This goes to the heart of open, democratic government and New Zealanders expect an investigation into a Minister transgressing security rules should be made public.
“There are numerous CAA investigation reports up on its websites, why isn’t this one?
“John Key claims he requires high standards of his ministers but firstly, he refused to accept Brownlee’s resignation when the incident happened, and now the Government is not making the report public.
“This behaviour is indicative of the arrogance of a Government in its third term that believes, and acts, as if it is above the law,” Ms Genter said.
