Parliament's Privileges Committee has decided investigating a leaked report about Fire and Emergency is not worth its time.
By Jo Moir and Russell Palmer of RNZ
The Post newspaper published details from a report written by members of the Governance and Administration Committee, which had not yet been released publicly.
Under Parliament's standing orders, the draft report of a select committee is strictly confidential to the committee until it reports it to the House.
The privileges report noted it was "essential the confidentiality of select committee proceedings is respected".
The Privileges Committee can recommend punishments for breaking Parliament's rules and says it would take action if it receives information about how The Post obtained the report.
But given a "significant number" of people had access, the MPs on the committee say a fulsome inquiry to find the leaker would not be a good use of their time.
The committee has written to all MPs to remind them of the seriousness of the matter.
The report into Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) was a result of an inquiry by the committee seeking to examine the state of FENZ's fleet, the effectiveness of its asset management and procurement practices, the causes of delays and cost pressures, and whether the organisation has the systems and processes needed to ensure that front-line firefighters have access to safe, reliable, and fit-for-purpose appliances.
The privileges committee was called to an unscheduled meeting last week by its chair to discuss how to handle a complaint about the leaked report.
On Wednesday last week, Speaker Gerry Brownlee told MPs in the House he had received a letter from National MP Tim Costley "raising as a matter of privilege the divulging of a draft report of the Governance and Administration Committee contrary to Standing Orders".
The complaint was in regard to a story published in The Post titled, "Leaked FENZ inquiry report rips into leadership dysfunction, calls for board replacement".
Brownlee said the publishing of the leaked report was "a serious matter, not merely a technical one".
"The unauthorised release of confidential select committee proceedings has previously been considered a contempt. It is essential that the confidence of proceedings is respected to enable committee members to work together. Furthermore, the House is entitled to be the first recipient of the finding of its committees," Brownlee said.
The matter was referred to the Privileges Committee - Parliament's court equivalent - and with just three sitting days remaining of this parliamentary term, it prompted the committee's chair, Chris Bishop, to call a meeting.
Bishop noted one of the options the committee would consider was carrying the issue over to the next term, "because there may not be enough time to deal with the matter".
The Speaker noted in his comments to the House "it is unfortunate that the Parliament has just over two weeks left until dissolution, but the timing of this matter was not a choice made by me or the House".
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"However, it cannot be overlooked, and I encourage the Privileges Committee to meet as soon as possible," Brownlee said last week.
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