With lovely summer weather in the air, plans were made for a cozy atmosphere and end of summer for the Storting and the government yesterday. It didn’t turn out that way. For Anette Trettebergstuen chose to resign as Minister of Culture and Minister for Equality. She admits to having broken the ethics rules by appointing friends to important posts. And in the same week that Minister of Education Tonje Brenna, also from the Labor Party, has been in trouble for exactly the same thing. One of those who appeared on Anette Trettebergstuen’s list of friends who have been appointed to the board is Renate Larsen. She was appointed a board member of Den Norske Opera & Ballett earlier this month. Now she has lost her board position. Larsen and Trettebergstuen are good friends. Nevertheless, this was not a topic during the interviews with the civil service in the Ministry of Culture and Equality earlier this winter. – We don’t talk about our friendship during the interviews. I thought the ministry and Anette had handled that. That’s what Larsen said on Helgemorgen on Saturday. Trettebergstuen’s responsibility Larsen experienced the interview process as professional and says she thought they had full control over any disqualification. She describes herself and Trettebergstuen as good friends who have rarely met in recent years. – You didn’t see that this could be problematic? – It is problematic when you have not presented it or been open about it. But as I said, I thought there was full transparency about this and that it had been handled, says Larsen. Anette Trettebergstuen chose to step down as Minister of Culture and Equality on Friday after it became known that she had suggested several friends for various board positions. Photo: NTB She herself considered that being friends with the Minister of Culture and Equality should be possible to deal with in terms of impartiality, as long as she was open about it in cases where this could become an issue. Larsen says she had no contact with Trettebergstuen during the period she was interviewed for the position in Den Norske Opera & Ballett. – I wish we had done that. We are good friends, but not friends who call or meet often, says Larsen. Now she has lost her position before she could start in it, and her friend has resigned as minister. Larsen is also chairman of the board of Helse Nord and is responsible for competence issues there. – I do not feel that I have done anything wrong in this matter. On a human level and considering the consequences for Anette and myself, I will take this as a learning experience and not assume that others are doing their job. In this case, it was Anette and the ministry’s responsibility, says Larsen. Watch Saturday’s Weekend Morning here: – Damages trust in the public Kjersti Stenseng is the Labor Party’s party secretary and thinks the last week has been difficult. – It is difficult because there is seriousness in the cases that are uncovered. Our top trustees and women must work every single day to earn the trust they have been given. They are also the foremost role models and set an important standard for other elected representatives and shop stewards in our party. It is also heavy because we are in the middle of a very important election campaign. We must have focus and energy on political matters and all the important work that will take place between now and September, she says. Kjersti Stenseng, the Labor Party’s party secretary, describes the last week as difficult. Photo: Ingrid Lindgaard Stranden / news She believes that matters like this help to weaken both trust in the party, but also in politicians in general. – Every single case of breach of trust is serious and has serious consequences. We work every day so that trust is something you have to earn every day. We politicians live off trust and have a lot of focus on it, she says. She herself believes that it is easy to get to grips with the regulations around competence. Law professor at UiT, Markus Hoel Lie, believes Trettebergstuen’s case is a breach of trust. – These are rules to ensure that the principle of qualification is safeguarded, i.e. that the best qualified gets the position. It is again linked to the use of taxpayers’ money, that these are public funds being used, he says. Law professor at UiT, Markus Hoel Lie, believes both Brenna’s and Trettebergstuen’s disqualification cases weaken trust in the public sector. Photo: Kristina Hågensen / news He points out that if society loses confidence in the civil service, it can affect the willingness to pay taxes and fees because it is not seen that it is being used in a way that is for the good of society. Hoel Lie points out that neither Brenna nor Trettebergstuen have had personal gain in these cases, and that in that sense it is less serious. – Violating these rules of competence not only harms trust in the public sector, but it also harms the people who then receive a benefit, or are placed in a position. Wants full transparency Storting politician and member of the control and institutions committee, Grunde Almeland (V), wants full transparency in all appointments where the government has assessed disqualification. In the same week, two members from the same party in the current government have been found to be incompetent. – It is worth asking what culture there is for appointments in Støre’s government. We will thoroughly review all assessments linked to competence and how it is practiced in the government. The regulations are there for a reason, and must be practiced in a good and correct way. It is fundamental for people to have trust in us, says Almeland. Grunde Almeland (V) demands a full review of issues of competence in the Støre government. Photo: Leif Rune Løland / news The committee has already asked Brenna for an answer in relation to its assessment of competence. They will thoroughly review Brenna’s case, but will also have a thorough review of impartiality in the government. – Støre has a lot to answer for, he is most responsible. Brenna also has a lot to explain, says Almeland. – Spring’s biggest political scandal Political editor in Dagbladet, Lars Helle, describes Trettebergstuen’s departure as spring’s biggest political scandal. – There is no doubt that this is the biggest shock in politics. I could understand it if it was a new politician who had been brought into the government from nowhere. But here we are talking about a well-driven politician and member of parliament who has been a national politician for over 20 years. I can hardly understand that she has gone on this scandal, says Helle. Political editor at Dagbladet, Lars Helle. Photo: Håvard Tanche-Larsen Knutsen Political commentator at news, Tone Sofie Aglen, agrees. – You learn this on the first day at political school. Here it appears as if Trettebergstien either circumvents, does not understand or simply does not care about the regulations. All this is equally bad, she says. Kjersti Stenseng, the Labor Party’s party secretary, describes the last week as difficult. Photo: Ingrid Lindgaard Stranden / news Education Minister Tonje Brenna continues in her ministerial post despite it being known that she has also been disqualified. – She has so far received a lot of praise for her handling. It is a different type of case in so many fields, and there are not as many cases as Trettebergstuen, says Helle.
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Renate Larsen on her board position in the Norwegian Opera and Minister of Culture Trettebergstuen’s disqualification – news Troms and Finnmark
