KiwiBuild head in dispute
KiwiBuild head Stephen Barclay is in an employment dispute with the Government, it is understood.
The NZ Herald reported on Saturday that Barclay, who has decades of experience in construction and project management, had departed from his role as head of the KiwiBuild unit in early November, five months after taking the role.
But while a spokesman from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development confirmed Barclay was ‘‘away from the office’’, he made clear Barclay had not resigned or departed.
‘‘Stephen Barclay has not resigned. While he is away from the office, Brad Ward is providing operational support for KiwiBuild.’’
The NZ Herald reported yesterday that this absence was due to an employment dispute over the movement of the KiwiBuild unit from the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment to the new Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Stuff has confirmed there is an employment issue between Barclay and the Government with a source who has knowledge of the situation, but wished to remain anonymous.
Stuff has not confirmed whether this issue relates to the switch up of ministries for the KiwiBuild unit. Housing Minister Phil Twyford’s office has refused to comment on the matter, pointing inquiries towards the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also refused to comment at length at her post-Cabinet press conference yesterday but did say the resignation was not to do with the KiwiBuild policy itself. Ardern said she had spoken to Twyford briefly about the matter but it was ‘‘operational’’.
‘‘What I can say, because I have seen some of the speculation, is that the chief adviser Andrew Crisp advises me that this is nothing to do with the KiwiBuild policy or the implementation of the KiwiBuild programme,’’ Ardern said.
She did not think this would impact the rollout of KiwiBuild.
The news vacuum left Twyford to face an awkward grilling by Q+A host Corin Dann on Sunday night, at an appearance booked in before the news broke on Saturday.
Dann asked Twyford repeatedly to clarify the matter but Twyford refused to respond in any detail, repeating many times that he ‘‘couldn’t’’ talk about an individual public servant.
‘‘I don’t hire the public servants ... I’m focusing on trying to get houses built.’’ The minister’s silence is very unusual – ministers discuss senior public servants like Wally Haumaha fairly often.