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1. On May 20, 2023, a news website disclosed a complaint that had been forwarded to our Office regarding an alleged abuse of authority by the Assistant Attorney General in suspending criminal prosecutions under the Commonwealth Code. One of them concerned the Assistant Attorney General's action to exempt from criminal prosecution a former client and current client of his former law firm, where his wife still works. In the evening of the same day, RIK did a report on the same subject and asked us for comments. We simply confirmed that we had received the complaint and that we had forwarded it to the Anti-Corruption Authority.
The following day, 21.5.2023, the Assistant Attorney General prefigured the retaliation that his office intended to take since, in the form of a threat, he made reference to "deliberate attempts to target", "dangerous behaviour" and "arbitrariness and bad faith", all of which must be "put to an end."
The following day, 21.5.2023, the Assistant Attorney General prefigured the retaliation that his office intended to take since, in the form of a threat, he made reference to "deliberate attempts to target", "dangerous behaviour" and "arbitrariness and bad faith", all of which must be "put to an end".
On 23.5.2023, the Attorney General accused the "unscrupulous" Audit Office of purposefully smearing and even creating character and conscience assassination, and he too announced that "this is a situation which must be stopped". If he does not prove the allegations, he said, "he must be prepared to face the consequences." The same threats were repeated by the Attorney General himself on 7 September 2023, referring to a cessation, and very recently by the Assistant Attorney General in a newspaper interview.
2. The implementation of the retaliation was initiated months ago and is now entering its final phase with the filing today of a petition to remove me from my position as Auditor General for alleged misconduct. The Legal Service duo believes that this is a way to retaliate against me, both for the fact that the Audit Service forwarded these complaints to the Authority, as well as other pending complaints, and for other findings of our Service.
3. The unsubstantiated accusations that the heads of the Legal Service hurl at every opportunity against me and against the Audit Service can finally be answered before independent and impartial adjudicators, in particular before the Council.
4. One thing is certain. The process begun today will bring about catharsis and provide an opportunity to bring to light the person whose conduct is improper, i.e., so bad, so indecent as to render the person accountable for it incapable of continuing to perform the duties of his office or to create, reasonably doubt the fitness of a person to perform the duties of his office in a manner which is honest, proper and conducive to the public interest which the office is intended to serve.
5. As of today, the witnesses, evidence and documents will speak and the final word will be spoken by the judiciary. It is my sincere belief that the evidence is overwhelmingly in my favour and that the public's sense will be proven correct. For my part, I will do everything procedurally possible to see the case through to the end so that the truth may shine through.
6. Simultaneously with the above attack, our Service will repel the Government's plans for alleged modernization. As it turns out, we will be facing two fronts of the Government and the Legal Service at the same time. Fortunately, the Constitution, law and truth are powerful allies. That is why I am neither afraid nor worried. After all, as Andrew Calvos eloquently explained, 'Those who feel the copper hand of fear heavy, let them have the yoke of slavery. Freedom needs virtue and courage."
(AF/NZ)
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