Further scrutiny of Tolley's Mutu answer

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Pressure is building on former education minister Anne Tolley over her handling of questions about a Northland principal stood down for serious misconduct.

Speaker Lockwood Smith has left the door open for Labour to raise further concerns about the answers given in the House by Mrs Tolley on October 6.

Prime Minister John Key also said he would look into the comments by the minister.

Debroah Anne Mutu was an Education Ministry-appointed student achievement practitioner and Labour had questioned whether it was appropriate to send a suspended principal into schools to assist with the implementation of national standards. Mrs Tolley told Parliament "that principal has never been suspended".

The Education Ministry said the information it provided to Mrs Tolley "at the time was correct" because it did not learn of allegations against Mrs Mutu until she appeared before the Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal on October 10. Mrs Tolley said she could only use the information she had been given.

However, Mr Key acknowledged Mrs Tolley could have issued a statement or corrected Parliament's official record – Hansard – when further information came to light.

Labour's education spokeswoman at the time, Sue Moroney, who laid a breach of privilege complaint against Mrs Tolley for misleading Parliament that was dismissed by the Speaker, said she would take the matter up with his office.

Mrs Mutu was a principal at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kaikohe in 2004 when her husband, who was a teacher at the school, was found on a mattress with a 15-year-old student. Mrs Mutu tore up the student's written complaint.

- © Fairfax NZ News