Office of the Speaker of the NZ House of Representatives
Rt Hon Trevor Mallard

MEDIA RELEASE
For release: 15 October 2018

Leak Inquiry Report - Point of Clarification

Rt Hon Trevor Mallard today said “I note that Paragraph 37 (o) of the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report indicates that Jami-Lee Ross communicated with me on the 23rd August.

Mr Ross only communicated with me following a call that I made to him in the mistaken understanding that he was to be my contact on the leak inquiry while Paula Bennett was on leave. In fact, the contact was the Leader of the Opposition’s Chief of Staff. Mr Ross was not able to take my initial call, and undertook to call me back. I accidentally cut him off and he called back a second time.

I informed the office of the Leader of the Opposition of my error in this matter a few minutes later. I was not approached by either PwC or John Billington QC at any stage.

I will make no further comment.”

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