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Speaker 1: A fascinating interview on the My Costing Breakfast this morning

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Speaker 1: with the lawyer acting on behalf of former workers at

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Speaker 1: Auckland's manuder We and Marai, where it is alleged that

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Speaker 1: private information was improperly accessed to help with election campaigning.

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Speaker 1: Now these are really really serious allegations and it is

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Speaker 1: just so important to note that to Party Mardi and

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Speaker 1: John Tamerheaty have denied all allegations of wrongdoing so far.

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Speaker 1: At the moment, we have Stats New Zealand investigating, the

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Speaker 1: police are investigating as well. Health New Zealand is involved,

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Speaker 1: and now the Privacy Commissioner is considering what if any

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Speaker 1: steps to take. But I for one thing, it's probably

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Speaker 1: reached a point with this issue where a broader inquiry

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Speaker 1: can be justified not only to restore public confidence in

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Speaker 1: the census and in election processes, but also for to

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Speaker 1: Party Mardy and for John Tamaheaty to have the opportunity

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Speaker 1: to be publicly cleared of wrongdoing. You see, there are

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Speaker 1: several issues with this. We have, for starters, several inter

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Speaker 1: related allegations which are in themselves a little confusing and

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Speaker 1: little murky. We have a government department that is investigating,

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Speaker 1: while a legal representative for some of the workers at

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Speaker 1: the center of these allegations, says that another government department,

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Speaker 1: the MSD, has acted improperly, and I think that having

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Speaker 1: one government department essentially investigating another department's role risks perceptions

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Speaker 1: when it comes round a lack of independence, at least

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Speaker 1: in the eyes of some voters. It's interesting. Christopher Larkson

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Speaker 1: says he's not ruling out a public inquiry, but at

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Speaker 1: the same time he probably needs to be pretty careful

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Speaker 1: to be seen not to be using as yet unproven

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Speaker 1: allegations for political advantage. So he suggests the current processes

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Speaker 1: need to be seen through. But I think we probably

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Speaker 1: need something broader. I think we need something broader, something

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Speaker 1: with clear terms of reference, something as transparent as possible,

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Speaker 1: because it is in the best interest of the voting public,

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Speaker 1: but also the best interests of clearing those who say

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Speaker 1: they've done absolutely nothing wrong. For more from Hither Duplessy

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Speaker 1: Allen Drive, listen live to news talks. It'd be from

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Speaker 1: four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.