National minister Erica Stanford admits using personal email for work purposes not best practice
Stanford says she has set up an automatic reply on her personal email account in an effort to direct unsolicited work-related emails to her ministerial email address.
She also recently had the printer in her East Coast Bays electorate office connected to the parliamentary network so she can print those Government documents without having to send them to a personal account.
'If anything (else) comes up, we will continue to change our practices.'
The Cabinet Manual – a rulebook for Government ministers – says ministers should not use their personal emails or phones to conduct ministerial business.
If that is unavoidable, the Cabinet Manual stipulates a series of safeguards that ministers should follow, including ensuring the information is protected from unauthorised access and able to be swiftly accessed for Official Information Act (OIA) requests.
Senior National minister Chris Bishop said he too had 'occasionally' forwarded emails from his Parliament address to his Gmail, usually for printing purposes.
He could not recall what was in those documents but said it was not ministerial business.
'As a habit I don't forward ministerial documents or work to my Gmail,' Bishop said.
'MPs are on the road a lot, there are printing problems, often. I can't print at my Parliament office, for example. Erica [Stanford] hasn't been able to.'
Asked why he could not get his printer working, Bishop said 'tell me about it ... I share your pain. It's crazy ... It's a nightmare.'
At Monday's post-Cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he was 'super relaxed' about the issue. His office had spoken to Stanford's, he said.
'I am very relaxed about it. The reality is ... she has received unsolicited emails, she has had printing issues, she's had tech issues. She has made changes subsequently.'
But Labour leader Chris Hipkins – the author of the section of the 2023 Cabinet Manual update that covers personal email and phone use – said technology at Parliament had improved dramatically in recent years and there was 'absolutely no justification' for Stanford's actions.
'The technology in Parliament has improved dramatically in the last few years. There is no longer a need to use personal email accounts, for example, to print documents. The technology is now all fully mobile.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
32 minutes ago
- Scoop
Bringing Families Together With Parent Boost
The Government is delivering on its commitment to support parents living offshore to visit and stay with their families in New Zealand for longer, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford say. Beginning in September, a new 'Parent Boost' visa would grant the parents of New Zealand citizens and residents multi-entry access for up to five years, provided they meet specific health, income, and insurance requirements. 'In order to drive economic growth, we need to incentivise skilled migrants to choose New Zealand,' Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. 'Ensuring we continue to attract the right people with the skills this country needs will deliver significant economic and social benefits for all New Zealanders.' 'We know that a longer-term visitor visa for parents is an important consideration for migrants who are deciding where they want to build their lives,' Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says. 'Whether it be welcoming a new child, additional support during health challenges or providing childcare so parents can work, there is nothing quite like having family support close by.' 'We are proud to deliver this coalition agreement between National and ACT, which will make the New Zealand proposition more appealing and more competitive.' To be eligible for a Parent Boost visa, applicants must: have an eligible sponsor who is a New Zealand citizen or resident meet Acceptable Standard of Health requirements demonstrate they have at least one year of health insurance coverage which provides emergency medical cover (of at least up to $250,000), repatriation, return of remains and cancer treatment (of at least $100,000) and maintain this insurance for the entire duration they are in New Zealand meet character requirements and be a bona fide / genuine visitor while offshore during the 3rd year of the multiple entry visitor visa, complete a new medical assessment and demonstrate they have maintained their insurance One of the following income requirements must also be met: The sponsor must earn the median wage to sponsor one parent, joint sponsors must earn 1.5x the median wage; or The parent/s have an ongoing income aligning with the single rate of New Zealand Superannuation for a single parent and the couple rate for a couple; or The parent/s have available funds of $160,000 for a single parent and $250,000 for a couple to support themselves for the duration of their visa 'The Parent Boost Visa strikes the balance of making New Zealand more attractive for people who want to make our beautiful country their home, without putting additional strain on public services,' Ms Stanford says. 'We are committed to delivering an efficient and predictable immigration system that drives economic growth to take New Zealand forward.' Parent Boost applications open on 29 September 2025. The sponsor must also remain living in New Zealand while visa holder is onshore and are liable for any costs incurred in relation to the visa holder during the visa duration Applicants will be able to renew the visa once, meaning the maximum length of their visit could be 10 years. People will need to spend three months out of New Zealand prior to getting their second Parent Boost visa.
1News
4 hours ago
- 1News
The one prominent billboard turning heads in the Beehive
In a move reminiscent of stations on Washington DC's metro system, a towering digital billboard opposite Parliament has become the latest battleground for lobbyists seeking to influence policymakers. However, what's being flogged in Wellington is more political messaging than military hardware from defence contractors. An increasing number of campaigning organisations are buying time on the Whitmore St site, including Federated Farmers, the Motor Trade Association, Rewiring Aotearoa, and even a retired doctor calling out both major parties on the rebuild of Dunedin Hospital. Several of those organisations also highlighted to media their deliberate purchase of space on the billboard. In a release, the MTA said, 'to make sure Government MPs see where they're passing and failing, MTA has taken out billboard space right under their eyes, across the road from the Beehive.' And Federated Farmers spokesperson Toby Williams said, 'it's a clear target at the politicians, and the bureaucrats who make the decisions.' ADVERTISEMENT 'We want them thinking on their lunch breaks and when they're walking through the halls of Parliament, look out at our billboard and just get a really clear message from farmers.' Q+A asked around Parliament whether the messages have been noticed. Minister Chris Bishop said he'd noticed it, saying 'we travel from Parliament down that street, so it's pretty hard not to notice. To be honest, it's clever.' Labour MP Kieran McAnulty said he'd also noticed the billboard and offered support for the Federated Farmers campaign. But neither of those MPs is the primary target for two of the campaigns – that honour goes to energy and climate change minister Simon Watts. Watts appears on the billboard photoshopped into a superhero costume, as part of the Rewiring Aotearoa "MegaWatts" campaign. The minister points out that he didn't pay for it to go up. But he did note the billboards are visible from the ninth floor of the Beehive, where the Prime Minister has his office. ADVERTISEMENT The billboard is in prime position, but when asked whether that meant it cost a premium, billboard owner Lumo declined to comment. The Campaign Company has placed ads on the billboard, and general manager Ani O'Brien said the location has been a key consideration. 'A couple of our campaigns recently have been placed on the Lumo site on Whitmore Street, and that is visible from ministerial offices, and so that has been a very conscious part of our strategy because the message has been one that they want politicians to see and understand,' said O'Brien. But does the billboard actually change the minds of politicians and their staff? Simon Watts was sceptical on that point. 'I don't get caught up in ads. I'm focused as minister on energy affordability and security, and I don't need an ad to remind me of that.' Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of New Zealand On Air
1News
5 hours ago
- 1News
'Parent boost' visa offers five-year access for migrant families
Parents of New Zealand citizens and residents will be granted multi-entry access for up to five years if they met health, income, and insurance criteria when the Government introduces a new longer-term visitor visa in September. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford announced the Parent Boost visa this afternoon, saying the Government was delivering on its commitment to support parents who live overseas to visit and stay with their families for longer. The visa may be renewed once, allowing a total stay of up to 10 years, provided the holder spends at least three months outside New Zealand before obtaining the second visa. Luxon said skilled migrants needed to be incentivised to choose New Zealand to drive economic growth. "Ensuring we continue to attract the right people with the skills this country needs will deliver significant economic and social benefits for all New Zealanders." ADVERTISEMENT Stanford said a longer-term visitor visa for parents was an "important consideration" for migrants when choosing where to build their lives. "Whether it be welcoming a new child, additional support during health challenges or providing childcare so parents can work, there is nothing quite like having family support close by." To be eligible for the Parent Boost visa, applicants must have: An eligible sponsor who is a New Zealand citizen or resident Meet Acceptable Standard of Health requirements Demonstrate they have at least one year of health insurance coverage which provides emergency medical cover (of at least up to $250,000), repatriation, return of remains and cancer treatment (of at least $100,000) and maintain this insurance for the entire duration they are in New Zealand Meet character requirements and be a bona fide / genuine visitor While offshore during the 3rd year of the multiple entry visitor visa, complete a new medical assessment and demonstrate they have maintained their insurance. One of the following income requirements must also be met: The sponsor must earn the median wage to sponsor one parent, joint sponsors must earn 1.5x the median wage; or The parent/s have an ongoing income aligning with the single rate of New Zealand Superannuation for a single parent and the couple rate for a couple; or The parent/s have available funds of $160,000 for a single parent and $250,000 for a couple to support themselves for the duration of their visa. Stanford said the new visa struck the balance between making New Zealand attractive for migrants and not putting additional strain on public services. "We are committed to delivering an efficient and predictable immigration system that drives economic growth to take New Zealand forward." Applications for the Parent Boost visa open on September 29.
