State Services Commission investigates leaks to media

BY VERNON SMALL

The State Services Commission has launched an inquiry into two leaks of information to the media, one on state sector restructuring and another into the leak of information about mining on conservation land.

Commissioner Iain Rennie said the first of two inquiries into the unauthorised release of Government information would cover the unauthorised disclosure of information relating to a Cabinet paper on the 'Stocktake of Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991.'

Forest and Bird spokesman Kevin Hackwell said this week the organisation had "learnt" the Government wanted mining to be allowed in West Coast's Paparoa National Park, Great Barrier Island and on the Coromandel Peninsula.

The second inquiry would be into the unauthorised disclosure of information relating to a machinery of government Cabinet paper on proposed changes to the structure of the State sector.

Unofficial reports emerged last week that the Government was looking at rolling the National Library and Archives New Zealand into the Department of Internal Affairs, merging the Food Safety Authority with MAF, and amalgamating the Foundation for Science, Research and Technology with the ministry of the same name.

The reports were not denied by the Government.

"The unauthorised release of Government information has the potential to seriously undermine trust in the Public Service. It is critical that we thoroughly investigate these breaches and act on any findings to ensure confidence in the system is maintained," Mr Rennie said.

"Ministers need to be able to continue to trust us to work with them around issues that can at times be difficult, and I expect public servants to follow good systems and practices that enable decisions to be made in an appropriately confidential manner."

He had appointed the commission's chief legal advisor to lead both investigations and report to him as soon as possible.

"It is my intention to make the final report public as soon as practicable," Mr Rennie said.

Mr Rennie said he would advise chief executives of the need to have systems and procedures in place to ensure that government information; including Cabinet material, was protected securely, and not disclosed except in accordance with authorised procedures.

State Services Minister Tony Ryall, who called for the probes, said he wouldn't comment until he had received the reports, however said that any unauthorised disclosure of government information was a serious matter that could undermine trust in the public service.

Labour's state services spokesman Grant Robertson said the leaks were a result of the Government's secrecy about important public issues, and that it needed to look at its own handling of them instead of starting a "witch-hunt".

In relation to public sector restructuring, he said the Government had not even talked to key stakeholders involved in areas affected by the proposed mergers in the state sector.

"Mucking around with agencies like the Food Safety Authority and Archives New Zealand" had far-reaching consequences for the public, which didn't appear to be having a say, Mr Robertson said.

He said he understood the investigations had been underway for more than a week and appeared to be a result of pressure from ministers.

"Given the Government's handling of these issues it is not surprising that public servants want to blow the whistle.

"The Government is serial leaker of information when it suits them. They need to take a good look in the mirror, rather than wasting resources on a witch-hunt of these whistleblowers."

- with NZPA