By AINSLEY THOMSON
A former electorate agent for Conservation Minister Sandra Lee has lost his bid to seek damages for unjustified dismissal and humiliation.
Darryl Vincent Evans was seeking close to $160,000 from Parliamentary Services because his contract as an electoral secretary was not renewed after the 1999 general election.
The
Employment Tribunal in Auckland yesterday released the decision dismissing Mr Evans' personal grievance.
Mr Evans, who was employed by Parliamentary Services from 1996 until the end of 1999 under a fixed-term contract, claimed he was unjustifiably dismissed and that he had thought he would be still employed beyond December 10, 1999.
He said he was repeatedly assured by Ms Lee that, while she had a job, so would he.
He imagined his contract would roll over after the election.
Mr Evans said Ms Lee hired her "whanau daughter", Moana Tuwhare, in his place.
He claimed Ms Tuwhare was a "dependant" of Ms Lee's because she mainly lived with her, was a student and Ms Lee was guarantor to a bank loan Ms Tuwhare had taken out to buy a car.
By law, a spouse or dependant cannot be hired as a staff member by an MP.
Mr Evans also claimed Ms Lee had left abusive messages on his cellphone.
Auckland Employment Tribunal adjudicator Tom Skinner dismissed his claims saying he preferred Ms Lee's evidence.
"I must say I found the evidence of Mr Evans and Mr Temu [Mr Evans' partner] to be a mishmash of half-truths, inferences and unsubstantiated assumption," Mr Skinner said.
Ms Tuwhare was not part of Ms Lee's family, the adjudicator said, and he did not believe Ms Lee had made the abusive phone calls.
"Both Parliamentary Services and Ms Lee acted correctly and properly throughout in dealing with Mr Evans," he said.
Sandra Lee said after the decision was released: "I welcome the Employment Tribunal's decision that there was no basis for a personal grievance claim by Darryl Evans against the Parliamentary Service."
