By VERNON SMALL Deputy political editor
Prime Minister Helen Clark wants Marian Hobbs reinstated to the cabinet, and will take that recommendation to Labour's caucus meeting tomorrow.
That will be enough to ensure that the former Minister of Broadcasting and Biosecurity gets the nod, since a rebuff would be an effective vote of no confidence in Helen Clark's leadership.
Alliance MP Phillida Bunkle, however, will have to wait longer for a decision on her future, pending a registrar of electors' review of whether she was qualified to enrol as a voter in Wellington Central before the 1999 election.
Ms Hobbs has been cleared by the registrar, and an Auditor-General's report released last week found neither MP at fault for claiming out-of-town allowances while registered in Wellington Central.
Helen Clark said yesterday that the Labour caucus was happy for Ms Hobbs about the outcome of the inquiries "and wanted to see the decent thing done." She would recommend a return, she told the Herald yesterday.
She had talked to the Alliance leader, Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton, about both MPs.
"We have dealt with the two in tandem up until now because the authorities were dealing with them in tandem. We now have one case move ahead of the other and it wouldn't seem reasonable to hold back the issue about Marian until things with Phillida are resolved." No report had yet been prepared on Ms Bunkle's case.
"They are still exchanging letters between her, her lawyer and the registrar."
Helen Clark said she was talking to Ms Hobbs about whether she wanted all her previous portfolios back, and an announcement would be made tomorrow.
"My starting position is that Marian was performing creditably across all portfolios and her wishes will be respected," Helen Clark said.
There has been speculation that Steve Maharey might retain Broadcasting or that Jim Sutton would hang on to Biosecurity because it fitted well with his Agriculture responsibilities.
Helen Clark said Ms Hobbs was very keen to return to the cabinet.
"She took a knock. As she said on Thursday, she spent years as a leader of young people in a school setting where honesty and integrity were everything. To have the nasties in the Opposition running around calling her a cheat was more than she could bear. But she's resilient and she has bounced back."
Helen Clark said she had seen media speculation but had not spoken to sacked Maori Affairs Minister Dover Samuels about a return to her ministry as parliamentary under-secretary to Mr Anderton in his economic development role.
She said the position of the fourth minister to lose her job in this Government, Ruth Dyson, would be considered "after the period in the sin-bin" for a drink-drive prosecution.
Her disqualification from driving ends in June.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from New Zealand
Magic mushroom trialled as rongoa to treat addiction and mental health
Marae growing indigenous magic mushrooms to treat addiction and mental health issues.