7. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) Link to this
to the Minister for the Environment
Does he have confidence in the chief executive of the Ministry for the Environment?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister for the Environment) Link to this
Confidence in a chief executive is a matter for the State Services Commissioner.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Can the Minister explain why it has been necessary to increase the number of staff employed for public relations in his ministry from 3 in 1999 to 11, as well as having an eightfold increase in the budget for communications contracts?
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The question asked the Minister to explain a large increase in the number of staff. Is it now adequate for a Minister simply to say that he is not going to bother explaining to the people of New Zealand and to this Parliament why there has been such a huge increase?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
The question asked “Can the Minister explain …”, and the answer is no.
Madam SPEAKERHon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Why did his ministry place advertisements that seek staff “to work on issues that are at the forefront of New Zealand’s political agenda”, advertisements which have subsequently been deemed inappropriate by the State Services Commission because of their political content; and is that not further evidence of Labour’s politicisation of this important ministry?
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Referring to the decision by the ministry to employ Clare Curran, the Otago-Southland representative on the Labour Party’s ruling council and the author of a 10-page strategy paper to Labour’s conference in 2006 entitled How Labour Can Take Charge of the Language of Debate and Discussion in New Zealand, why was she awarded an uncontested contract, with the assistance of MP and climate change Minister David Parker; and does that not show the extent to which Labour will abuse the Public Service and taxpayers’ money for its own political ends?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
There were a lot of assertions in that question. The first point is that Clare Curran was not a member of the national council of the Labour Party at the time of the appointment. The second assertion is wrong. I am not sure whether the allegation was that it was Mr Parker or Mr Benson-Pope who insisted on her appointment; that is not correct.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
How is it that Madeleine Setchell lost her job in communications at his ministry on the basis of her being the partner of John Key’s press secretary, Kevin Taylor, who is neither a member of nor an activist for National but a professional adviser, when she had secured the job under an open, competitive process, whereas it is quite OK for Clare Curran to work in the same ministry on communications when she is a highly active member of the Labour Party and the author of a key political strategy document, and when that job was allocated uncontested; and does that not show the dodgy double standard in his ministry, where we are seeing an increased politicisation of such appointments and decisions?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
On the first part of the question, I will not defend the treatment of Madeleine Setchell; that was wrong. On the second part of the question, I advise the contract is between $10,000 and $50,000. There is a requirement within the ministry’s operating policy to obtain at least three quotes. I am advised that that was done in this case.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
Does it not indicate a politically incestuous environment at the ministry when the key player in the firing of Madeleine Setchell was Steve Hurring, who just happens to be the Minister’s own campaign chair in Hutt South, and when Clare Curran, who is now challenging David Benson-Pope for his seat, was awarded that contract for communications at the ministry on Minister Parker’s insistence; and does that not all point to a dodgy Labour Government repeatedly abusing its powers for the politicisation of our Public Service?
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
I think that a number of points need to be addressed in that question, although it was quite a long one. Firstly, Steve Hurring is not my campaign manager.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
Well, yes; he has lived in the Hutt in the past, but he has shifted to town and is not my campaign manager—and that is just a slight matter of fact and truth that that member ignores. Actually, much of the rest of the story is the same. Can I make a second point? I do not condone the approach taken to Madeleine Setchell. I have said that repeatedly. They got it wrong; Don Hunn got it right.
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
I say to the member that at the same time as, and subsequent to, Clare Curran’s employment, media advice was being received by Ministers’ offices and the senior part of the ministry from someone who has very close links to the National Party—someone who had a lot of experience in working as a political appointee of the National Party—
Hon TREVOR MALLARD Link to this
No, no. It is someone whom I really like, someone who did a really good job, and her name was Anna Hughes.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I seek the leave of the House to table the advertisement for jobs placed by the Ministry for the Environment that seeks people who will be at the forefront of New Zealand’s political agenda.
Hon Dr Nick Smith Link to this
I seek the leave of the House to table the paper by Clare Curran that says: “This paper is about Labour taking charge of the language of debate and discussion in New Zealand.”