Labour claims National hypocritical over leaks

The National Party is being accused of acting in a hypocritical manner over its response to leaks of information contained in confidential Cabinet papers.

State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie announced yesterday the commission had launched inquiries into the unauthorised release of government information relating to its stocktake of Crown minerals, and leaks relating to a Cabinet paper on proposed state service restructures.

Forest and Bird said during the week it had "learnt" the Government wanted to allow mining on the West Coast's Paparoa National Park, Great Barrier Island and on the Coromandel Peninsula.

The previous week unofficial information emerged about the Government's supposed plans to merge some public agencies.

The Government has not denied the merger reports, and says any plans to open conservation land to mining are still being looked at.

State Services Minister Tony Ryall called for the investigation, but questions have been raised over why he is taking the situation so seriously when he was known to have used leaked material to National's political benefit while in opposition.

Labour's state services spokesman Grant Robertson has called the investigation was a "witch-hunt" and questioned why investigations don't include looking at how leaked details of the Government's upcoming tax package were run in a Sunday paper at the weekend.

"Budget documents are considered very sensitive by governments and officials. Given this, it seems very strange that it is not included in the investigation," he said. "Perhaps the source of this leak is a little too close to home for the Government."

Mr Robertson and fellow MP Annette King said the leaks at the centre of the current investigations were the result of frustration by public servants at the Government's level of secrecy over what are important issues likely to impact on many people.

Mr Robertson said a relationship of trust was important between ministers and public servants, but the issue here was that the Government had been "attacking" the public service with resource and personnel cuts since it came into office.

Levels of respect between some public servants and their ministers may have broken down, he said.

Ms King said Mr Ryall's complaints were "a bit rich" considering his record of making use of leaked material.

Mr Ryall said very few of those leaks had come from the public service, and when they did, they were investigated.

The latest issue was more significant than others as it involved significant Cabinet papers, he said.

Mr Ryall said no conclusions should be drawn about the nature of the documents at the centre of the leaks, and that he had no strong views on who may be responsible.

Mr Rennie said it was vital there was confidentiality around sensitive Government information and the commission was giving the investigation high priority.