Tinetti referred to Privileges Committee for alleged contempt
In a rare move, Education Minister Jan Tinetti has been referred to the Privileges Committee over an allegation she deliberately misled the House.
The allegation was around failing to correct a misleading statement at the earliest opportunity.
Speaker Adrian Rurawhe yesterday told Parliament that on February 22, Tinetti was asked to ‘‘categorically state that she played no part in the delay of release of school attend- ance information’’.
‘‘The Minister replied that she already had, and that it was a decision for the Ministry of Education.’’
On May 2, Tinetti corrected that answer.
‘‘I subsequently became aware that my office did have input into the timing of the release of the data through email correspondence with officials at the Ministry of Education,’’ she said at the time.
Rurawhe then said Tinetti said she was informed by her staff after question time on February 22 ‘‘of her staff’s correspondence with the ministry on the release of data’’.
‘‘She has also stated that she did not know that her answer needed to be corrected until she
received a letter from me on 1 May, after which she corrected it.’’
Rurawhe said while mistakes were sometimes made ‘‘which can result in the House receiving an answer containing a misleading statement, it is vitally important that as soon as this is discovered, the Minister returns to the House to correct their answer at the earliest opportunity’’.
He said the matter was for the Privileges Committee to determine whether the delay in correcting an inaccurate statement amounted to contempt.
The Privileges Committee considers and reports on issues
concerning Parliamentary privilege.
It can find a member of Parliament in contempt of the House.
ACT leader David Seymour, who is on the committee, said it would consider the referral carefully.
‘‘The committee has to take it seriously without prejudicing the process.
‘‘I don’t believe this has happened in the time I’ve been in Parliament.’’
As it was a matter before the Privileges Committee, a spokesperson for Tinetti said it wouldn’t be appropriate to comment.