29 July 2009 Media Statement

Bennett must front on process

Paula Bennett must come clean on exactly what process she followed before embarking on her intimidation campaign because it looks like a straight case of an abuse of power, says Labour Social Development spokesperson Annette King.

“The Minister failed in Parliament today to properly answer most of the questions put to her in regard to the processes followed by her office around the release of personal information about two beneficiaries on Monday.

“The responses she did give raised serious questions about whether her office actually has any procedures in place around the disclosure of personal information held in the Ministry of Social Development’s database,” Annette King says.

“Paula Bennett refused to tell Parliament whether her staff accessed the Ministry’s database in her own office, and therefore deliberately bypassed the Ministry and its protocols about the release and use of such information.

“Paula Bennett admitted the Ministry’s Chief Executive Peter Hughes was not aware she had released the information. It is extremely unlikely the Ministry would have released that information to the Minister’s office without his consent.

“If Paula Bennett’s staff were forced to tap into the database on the Minister’s whim, what is to stop her once again setting out to vilify any pensioner or beneficiary who speaks out against the Government in future?

“She needs to explain what happened; what, if any, protocols were in place in her office – and exactly what directions she issued to staff,” says Annette King.

“The Cabinet Manual states Ministers should take great care in dealing with personal information and it doesn’t appear that Paula Bennett took any care whatsoever.

“Labour is calling on the Ministry to make public its own protocols on the release of personal information to the media, either by the Ministry or the Minister. Employee guidelines around the release of information must also be explained.

“It appears the Ministry has previously taken considerable care, including obtaining legal advice, when it has taken the rare step of releasing personal details, which suggests it approaches any such action very differently to the Minister.

“The public need to be assured that proper processes exist and will be enforced in future, so that the personal details held on Ministry databases won’t be thrown to the media to suit a Minister’s political agenda, which is what has happened here.”

ENDS

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