Hipkins: Leak was likely deliberate

State Services Minister Chris Hipkins is furious over a leak of the personal details of people who have tested positive for Covid-19.

He has commissioned an urgent investigation by the State Services Commission, with QC Michael Heron tapped to lead it.

The inquiry will report back to the Government by the end of this month. It will look into how the breach happened and what can be done to make sure such a breach does not happen again.

Late last week Stuff and two other media outlets were sent the personal and quarantine details of New Zealand’s 18 active cases of coronavirus.

The inquiry will use the Inquiries Act, with the power to demand and extract information from a wide range of sources.

Hipkins said it was unlikely that the leak was accidental, saying it was not often data was accidentally sent to several media outlets. The Inquiries Act allows media companies to be probed but Hipkins said this would be a significant line to cross.

‘‘On behalf of the whole Government, I apologise to those people involved. We are determined to fix it,’’ Hipkins said.

He said he was pleased that the leaked data had been handled responsibly thus far. ‘‘I think that those who have received this information have been very responsible,’’ Hipkins said.

‘‘I have asked the State Services Commission to work with all of the relevant agencies, as there are several government agencies as well as other facilities involved and, as yet, we don’t know for certain where in the process the information has ended up being released.’’

Hipkins said criminal charges were possible over the leak, depending on what was found.

‘‘Work is already under way to assess what the record keeping practices are, who has access to the information, and how it came into the public domain. It will be thorough and rigorous, and specialist expertise will be brought in if needed. Criminal charges are on the table, depending on what we learn.

‘‘We do not yet know the motive but any deliberate leak of this kind is intolerable. Particularly so if it is a malicious act.’’

Hipkins intends that the inquiry works with urgency so answers can be found in weeks.

Many departments could have their hands on the information in question – including Health, the All of Government group controlling the response within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and those involved in the quarantining themselves.