Prebble’s postage under audit again

Press, 28 December 1988, Page 6

Prebble’s postage under audit again

PA Auckland The Audit Office is taking another look at the use by the member of Parliament for Auckland Central, Mr Richard Prebble, of a Beehive franking machine to send letters supporting a Labour Party Auckland Regional Authority election candidate. The Independent Auckland Regional Authority candidate, Mr lan Andrews, has taken issue with an earlier ruling by the Auditor-General, Mr Brian Tyler, on the Prebble mailout. Mr Prebble wrote in September to 1400 Auckland Central addresses, exhorting people to vote for the Labour candidate, Mr Dan McCaffrey, in the October Auckland Regional Authority election. Both Mr McCaffrey and Mr Andrews were unsuccessful. Mr Tyler ruled in November that Mr Prebble’s letter had not breached the guidelines for the use of the franking machine but the circumstances were such he questioned the adequacy of the guidelines. Since Mr Tyler’s ruling, Mr Andrews has obtained a copy of the guidelines, which say the Beehive

franking machine “should not be used to distribute material on behalf of other persons or organisations.” Mr Andrews says the Prebble letter was sent on behalf of another person or organisation and he has asked Mr Tyler to explain his ruling. Mr Tyler said Mr Andrews had raised a fair question which would be looked at. The issue has been complicated by different franking machine guidelines for Cabinet Ministers and ordinary M.P.S. Backbench M.P.s’ free postage falls under rules laid down by the Parliamentary Service Commission, which runs Parliament. Ministers’ postage is sent under rules set by the Prime Minister, Mr Lange, in December, 1986. Mr Prebble was a Cabinet Minister when he sent the letter supporting Mr McCaffrey. The Audit Office has been reviewing the rules for Parliamentary postage for sometime, on the ground of their inadequacy. Mr Andrews has also written to Mr Lange, asking if he intends taking any action, since Mr Lange was the author of the Beehive postage rules.