Questions to Curran blocked

AUCKLAND: National was blocked from asking Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran to appear at a select committee to clear up unanswered questions around her communications with former RNZ executive Carol Hirschfeld, a report says.

The economic development, science and innovation committee released its report yesterday on a briefing in which the committee was inadvertently misled by RNZ chairman Richard Griffin and chief executive Paul Thompson about a meeting between Ms Curran and Ms Hirschfeld last December.

A minority report by the five National Party members of the select committee said questions remained unanswered regarding the appropriateness of communications initiated by Ms Curran with Ms Hirschfeld and Mr Griffin.

Ms Curran arranged her meeting with Ms Hirschfeld by text, and also left a message on Mr Griffin’s phone before his reappearance before the committee to correct the record over his previous submission on the nature of the meeting.

Ms Curran’s behaviour was potentially in breach of parliamentary standing orders covering ‘‘intimidating, preventing, or hindering a witness from giving evidence, or giving evidence in full, to the House or a committee’’.

The National members also sought to invite Ms Curran to the committee to give her the opportunity to clear up the unanswered questions.

‘‘Regretfully, this resolution was not supported by other members of the committee, once again leaving the matter unresolved.’’

They also sought the committee to request the Speaker of the House summon Mr Griffin to give the committee the voice message Ms Curran left on his cellphone, which Mr Griffin had refused to hand over.

This was also not supported by the rest of the committee.

‘‘This leaves the matter unclear on the content and tone of the message, whether interference occurred or not,’’ the report said.

Misinformation around the nature of the meeting has cost Ms Hirschfeld her job after she repeatedly reassured Mr Griffin and Mr Thompson that it was a chance encounter. It later emerged that it had been prearranged. — NZME