Embattled Race Relations Commissioner Gregory Fortuin yesterday denied working as a celebrity speaker while on the public payroll.
Mr Fortuin said he wanted to "put the facts" after National Party MP Gerry Brownlee attacked his integrity in Parliament.
Accused of tainting the political neutrality of his office by facilitating at two Alliance Party crisis meetings, Mr Fortuin faces the prospect of the Cabinet not reappointing him when his job ends on Sunday.
He has resisted National Party calls to resign.
Associate Justice Minister Margaret Wilson said on Thursday that she had talked to Mr Fortuin, but had not asked him to step down.
She and Mr Fortuin would meet after Easter. Neither would comment beforehand.
But Mr Fortuin broke the silence yesterday because attacks on him had switched from "my role of peacemaker to that of my personal integrity".
Mr Brownlee alleged in Parliament on Thursday that Mr Fortuin had also worked as a celebrity speaker while being paid from the public purse. He claimed Mr Fortuin had received a fee of $3000 plus GST and expenses.
Mr Brownlee asked whether a reference from an RNZAF wing commander on the Celebrity Speakers website proved Mr Fortuin charged Government agencies to hear him speak.
Yesterday Mr Fortuin said that before his short-term appointment as Race Relations Conciliator last May, he had been on the boards of New Zealand Post and Industry New Zealand, contributing "my almost 30 years of successful business experience".
He had also been contracted to Celebrity Speakers.
"I advised Celebrity Speakers that I would potentially not be available until after my term expired on March 31, 2002.
"Apart from one contractual obligation at the beginning of my term, none of my more than 200 addresses all over this country in the past 10 months has been for Celebrity Speakers."
Since his role could potentially disappear on December 31, 2001, after the Race Relations Office and the Human Rights Commission merger, and that there were "no guarantees of employment after March 31, 2002," Mr Fortuin said he would have been "totally short-sighted and bereft of common sense" if he had burned all his bridges.
Michael Andrew (Industry New Zealand) and Elmar Toime (New Zealand Post chief executive) could confirm he advised them last year of his potential unavailability this year.
"My many community activities and particularly that as chairman of the Youth Suicide Awareness Trust will continue irrespectively."
Auckland Catholic Bishop Patrick Dunn is supporting Mr Fortuin.
He said the decision on Mr Fortuin's reappointment should be based on his achievements in race relations, not on his acceptance of an invitation from the Alliance to try to mediate in their internal dispute.
- NZPA
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