MBIE's lying chief executive, Nic Blakeley, must go

If integrity, honesty, and accountability are to mean a thing in the public service, MBIE chief executive Nic Blakeley needs to go after he was found to have deliberately misled Parliament, says the Taxpayers’ Union.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams said:

“Nic Blakeley deliberately misled Parliament. In other words, he's a liar. For such an individual to remain chief executive of the country’s biggest department is untenable.”

“Short of fraud, it's difficult to think of a more serious breach of the honesty and integrity expected of a senior public servant.”

“By letting Blakeley stay, the Public Service Commissioner brings the whole public service into disgrace. It tells every department boss they can lie to Parliament and keep their job.”

“Sir Brian Roche's key job is to promote trust and integrity in the public sector. His recklessness in not accepting Blakeley's resignation calls into question his own suitability for the job."

"If knowingly misleading Parliament doesn’t warrant dismissal, what does?”