By JOHN ARMSTRONG POLITICAL EDITOR
Reinstated cabinet minister Marian Hobbs admits she fretted about accepting an out-of-Wellington living allowance before the last election, but says she was reassured by parliamentary officials that it was all right to claim one.
"I just worried about it. I thought: 'Oh gee. I'm not quite sure this is kosher'," she said after returning to Helen Clark's ministry yesterday following the unanimous vote of the Labour caucus.
Dover Samuels has also been rehabilitated by the Prime Minister with his appointment to the more junior role of parliamentary undersecretary outside cabinet - a move which appeases both the Maori and right-wing factions in the caucus.
Speaking at length for the first time since being cleared of wrongdoing, Ms Hobbs confirmed that she had seriously considered giving up her Wellington Central seat, stung by public perceptions that she was a cheat.
"It was not about losing my ministerial job. It was people's perceptions. That was what was cutting."
Two things stopped her Ms Hobbs resigning.
First, her electorate workers cringed at the prospect of a tough byelection in her highly marginal seat. Second, walking away would have sent the wrong message.
Her going would have "weakened the variety of representation in Parliament" by inferring MPs had to be imbued with a particular toughness to do the job.
Ms Hobbs and Alliance MP Phillida Bunkle stepped down from their ministerial posts after investigations were launched into their receipt of parliamentary out-of-town allowances while registered on the Wellington Central electoral roll.
Both were cleared by the Auditor-General of any wrongdoing, although his report suggested Ms Hobbs probably should not have received the allowance and had received bad advice.
Ms Hobbs said she had always been confident that her seeking of advice would be verified by the Auditor-General, though officials could not recall advising her that she was entitled to the allowance while gradually shifting her home from Christchurch to Wellington after separating from her husband in 1997.
Three months of personal anguish ended yesterday after the Labour caucus reinstated her to her old Environment and Broadcasting portfolios. She has also become Associate Education Minister with yet-to-be defined responsibilities.
She was philosophical about being back in the firing line.
"I don't think I have been out of their target since the day I was born."
PORTFOLIO CHANGES
* Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton takes permanent responsibility for Biosecurity, after providing temporary leadership in the role when former minister Marian Hobbs resigned.
* Marian Hobbs picks up her old ministerial jobs in Environment, Broadcasting, National Library and Archives New Zealand. She adds associate roles in Education and Biosecurity.
* Former Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels is brought back into the fold with a position as parliamentary under-secretary to Economic Development Minister Jim Anderton.
* Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel takes over the Accident Insurance portfolio from Finance Minister Michael Cullen.
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