Campaigner quits over Rankin

By TRACY WATKINS - The Dominion Post

Last updated 05:00 14/05/2009

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The Government is standing by its appointment of Christine Rankin to the Families Commission as fallout continues.

A former Maori Women's Welfare League president and family violence taskforce member quit her post on a whanau reference group yesterday, advising the commission it was because of Ms Rankin's past statements about Maori.

But Social Development Minister Paula Bennett made it clear yesterday that there would be no back-down. "I will not be revisiting that decision."

Ms Rankin has rejected calls from the architect of the Families Commission, UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne, to stand aside, and the Government has weathered criticism for Ms Rankin's appointment, both because of her profile and her campaign to overturn the child discipline bill.

Mr Dunne has labelled her divisive and disruptive.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard told Parliament yesterday that Families Commission whanau reference group member Druis Barrett had resigned because of Ms Rankin's "attitude to Maori".

A TVNZ security guard was sacked in 2007 after confronting Ms Rankin over her comments in an interview about Maori.

Ms Rankin had said New Zealand must confront the fact that it had a problem with Maori.

Ms Barrett could not be contacted.

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