Phil Goff

Wellington, May 12 NZPA - Christine Rankin is the wrong person to be appointed to the Families Commission, as she is divisive, has a troubled record and is unrepresentative, Labour leader Phil Goff said today.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett announced the appointment of former head of Winz (now Work and Income) Ms Rankin, and Bruce Pilbrow, saying they were strong advocates for children and families. There are seven commissioners.

Mr Pilbrow is chief executive of the advice service Parents Inc.

It was reported Cabinet hotly debated Ms Rankin's appointment.

Prime Minister John Key has defended the appointment saying Ms Rankin had a strong interest in children, was passionate in campaigning against child abuse and would speak strongly on issues involving children.

Mr Goff said Ms Rankin's personal friends prevailed in the Cabinet debate.

"I am astounded. She is obviously a very controversial and divisive figure," he told reporters.

"The last time we had a recession she was spending several hundred thousand on hiring a private plane and a luxury lodge for her chief executives.

"Is that the sort of message we want to send out?"

Ms Rankin was not reappointed as Winz chief executive after staging the spectacular conference with a price tag of $235,000. She then lost a colourful legal challenge to her dismissal in 2001, which featured numerous top level discussions about her dress sense.

Mr Goff said her record on dealing with people also showed why she was a poor choice.

Ms Rankin led a group opposed to anti-smacking legislation -- which National voted for. As head of For The Sake Of Our Children Trust she went head to head with former Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro and child advocate groups.

Ms Rankin argued the law change would make thousands of parents criminals. The law removed the defence of reasonable force when parent was charged was charged with assaulting a child.

"She's attacked groups like Barnado's and others that she will now be required to work with," Mr Goff said.

"I think that the appointment will stun many New Zealanders who will look at this position being held by somebody that can bring the groups together, not divide them."

During the anti-smacking debate Ms Rankin referred to former Prime Minister Helen Clark as childless.

"I think that any form of personal abuse such as that example... demonstrates that a person is not appropriate for a position where you are trying to rally people around to jointly address some very serious concerns in New Zealand society," Mr Goff said.

Ms Rankin aligned herself so exclusively with one side of the political spectrum that it was hard to see how she could be representative, he said.

"She has attended rallies organised by the Destiny Church and Families First, she's not seen as somebody who will bring people of different views together and try to find a consensus."

Mr Key said despite her record he considered Ms Rankin a safe pair of hands whose priority would be families.

"I don't think she will actually agree with the National Party on certain issues, we've taken a different response for instance with smacking -- she has been a strong proponent the other way."

Ms Bennett said she had argued for the appointment.

"I think we were pretty strong in putting her forward, and she certainly presented well," she told reporters.

"I haven't really looked into her politics and where that lies, and I don't ask people how they vote. My interest is in what they can bring to the commission."

Ms Bennett said all commissioners would have their own views.

"I think Christine has some pretty strong views on things, I think she will bring those views to the commission and as a consequence the decisions that come out of it will be fairly robust.

"I back her to put those forward -- as one of seven -- and I think that is important to note."

Lobby group Family First NZ welcomed the appointments.

"Both Christine and Bruce will bring the Commission `down to earth' and rather than being blinded by ideology, it will hopefully start listening to the voice of families and advocating for them in a relevant way," said Bob McCoskrie, national director of Family First.

The Families Commission was set up as a Crown agency to promote better understanding of families issues as part of a support deal between United Future and Labour following the 2002 election.

National was previously scathing of it but agreed to retain it as part of its post-election support agreement with United Future leader Peter Dunne.

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