Green MP Julie Anne Genter is standing by the decision to not release a letter sent to Transport Minister Phil Twyford.
Despite the letterhead being that of the Associate Transport Minister and it being signed off as Associate Transport Minister, Ms Genter said it was conveying Green Party political views and it is "standard practice not to release that political consultation".
"We play all of these roles, that is normal, ministers in every Government have done similar things," she said today.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said the situation was "not looking as tight as it should look".
"These are new ministers, they take time to get a hang of the rules, some of the rules are quite complicated - admittedly that's not one of them.
"Different letterhead, she'd be fine."
National have been calling for the release of the letter content sent to Mr Twyford in March about the 'Let's Get Wellington Moving' $6.4 million package.
Ms Genter said previously she was writing to express concerns the indicative package "had not yet been sequenced to deliver the optimal benefits to help people get around Wellington", but that it had been resolved in the final package.
The Ombudsman, an independent authority that handles complaints about Government agencies, is now investigating .
When asked today by 1 NEWS if it was time to release the letter, Ms Genter said, "no, Government is usually, it's absolutely standard practice to not release political consultation".
"I think the National Party is really fishing for some way of attacking this, given it has universal support in Wellington.
"This is not a big deal and I welcome the Ombudsman's decision on it. We'll see what they have to say.
Ms Genter was further asked if it seemed something was trying to be hidden. She said no.
"All of the information that is in the public about the decision we have come to is universally supported by Greater Wellington Regional Council, all of the regional mayors, this is unprecedented."
National's Chris Bishop questioned Ms Genter again in the House today, asking: "Why will she not release a letter written in her capacity as Associate Minister of Transport, written on letterhead marking the Associate Minister of Transport, and signed by her as Associate Minister of Transport to her senior colleague the Minister of Transport?
"Is this the sort of transparency that we can expect from this Government going forward?"
Ms Genter said she had explained multiple times the letter detailed political consultation.
"We have accepted advice that we should not release the letter, in line with the view of the Ombudsman expressed in June 2019, and that it is not in the public interest, because we care about the ability of parties to undertake free and frank consultation."
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