Latest news with #CabinetManual
Kiwiblog
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Kiwiblog
A nonsense issue
The Herald reports: Senior Minister Erica Stanford sent official briefings to her personal email account – an action discouraged by Parliament's Cabinet Manual. Stanford says she forwarded the emails so she could print them at home or at her electorate office, often while being away from Wellington for work. Her electorate office printer was only connected to the Parliamentary server last month, she said. Parliament's Cabinet Manual – a rulebook for Government ministers – says 'as far as possible' ministers should not use their personal email accounts or phone numbers for ministerial business. Forwarding yourself an e-mail so you can print it out at home, is not using a personal account for ministerial business. That would be if you were e-mailing other people about ministerial business – not e-mailing yourself. The purpose of the rule is to make sure ministerial correspondence is captured by government systems. It is not to make it hard for a Minister to print out a document. Sometimes people who knew a Minister before they became an MP may e-mail them on their personal e-mail address. If it relates to official business, then best practice would be to cc any reply to your official address so it is captured by the DIA system. This is much ado about nothing.
Otago Daily Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Risks in being ‘super relaxed'
The casual approach taken by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to accusations minister Erica Stanford failed to follow Cabinet Manual rules about the use of private email accounts for ministerial business is concerning. When the issue was first put to him on Monday by 1News he said he understood Ms Stanford had been using her personal email on very few occasions. She had technical issues with printing. But when 1News pressed on, telling him it had two folders with hundreds of pages of documents and emails she had been sending and receiving from her Gmail account, he continued to blame it on technical and printing issues and the fact she received unsolicited emails. She had made changes to processes subsequently. He said he was ''super relaxed'' about it. However, the 2023 update of the Cabinet Manual says ''as far as possible, ministers should not use their personal email account or phone number to conduct ministerial business''. Education Minister Erica Stanford. Photo: RNZ If a minister had to use a private account or phone number, perhaps because official systems could not be accessed, strict conditions applied. It is hard to accept Ms Stanford, who has been reported using her own account as recently as March this year, was following these rules. Anyone who has ever had information technology or printer issues will be sympathetic to someone in Ms Stanford's situation having such problems. But if these technical issues prevailed for more than a year without resolution that would have warranted an inquiry in itself. There has already been a tongue-in-cheek suggestion her IT woes might be the result of the government's enthusiasm for cutting staff seen as backroom. Labour leader Chris Hipkins has been scornful about the technology excuse. He says technology in Parliament has improved dramatically in the last few years and there is no longer a need to use personal email accounts to print documents. Ms Stanford has described her behaviour as untidy. To many, this might seem like a storm in a teacup. Ms Stanford says she has disclosed all the emails on her private account as required for the purposes of the Official Information Act. Great. But as director of the Integrity Institute Dr Bryce Edwards points out, unlike official email systems which are proactively managed by public servants, with copies accessible to aides and advisors who process information requests, staffers cannot usually search a private account for OIA responses. It is something the Minister would control. The risk is that something which should be disclosed is not, and how would anyone know? The laidback approach of the PM towards Ms Stanford's behaviour is in stark contrast to National's merciless pursuit of former Labour Minister Clare Curran over her use of Gmail, one of the issues which led to her fall from grace. As well as the issue of the OIA, there are also concerns about the security of sending information over private email. It should not be forgotten one of Ms Stanford's roles is as the Lead Co-ordination Minister for the Government's Response to the Royal Commission's Report into Historical Abuse in State Care and in the Care of Faith-based Institutions. We would hope that her correspondence in that realm has not involved her private email. Mr Luxon, when dismissing concerns about Ms Stanford's behaviour, spoke of the great job she was doing, as if somehow this offset any concern over rule compliance. There would be little dispute Ms Stanford is one of the government's most competent and hard-working ministers, with three big portfolios. She has thrown herself into the difficult education portfolio with gusto, pushing through change at a pace seldom seen in the sector, although not without controversy. But having a good work ethic does not mean the rules do not apply to you. Mr Luxon should, at the very least, have given the clear direction publicly to all ministers this behaviour is not good enough and there will be consequences for anybody not adhering to the rules in future. Disappointingly, in Parliament on Tuesday when questions arose about this, Ms Stanford could not resist a petty dig at Labour education spokeswoman Willow-Jean Prime. It was not her finest moment.
Scoop
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop Join Erica Stanford In Admitting They Used Personal Emails
Education Minister Erica Stanford is not alone in forwarding Parliament and ministerial emails to her personal account. Both Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop confirmed on Tuesday they are guilty of having done the same thing in order to print or access a document while away from the office. Documents show Stanford forwarded emails to her personal email address, some of which included details of government policies and Budget documents. She said it was for the purposes of printing documents that could not be printed from her Parliamentary email. The printer problem had now been fixed. The Cabinet Manual says ministers should avoid using personal mobile and email accounts wherever possible. On Tuesday morning Stanford told reporters she had sorted the issue, and the prime minister has backed her saying he's "super relaxed" and "comfortable" about the changes she has made. Stanford admitted, however, it was not a good look. "The Cabinet Manual says where you have to you must take these steps, which I believe I have followed. But you're absolutely right, it's untidy, it's not best practice and I've taken steps to fix that." Stanford denied ever forwarding sensitive Budget documents onto a third party from her personal account. Transport Minister Chris Bishop said he had "occasionally" forwarded Parliament emails to a personal email to get it printed faster - but had never forwarded Budget sensitive information. "As a habit I don't forward ministerial documents or work to my gmail... Budget sensitive information is held sensitively." Bishop said MPs had multiple email addresses across Parliament, ministerial, electorate, and party accounts. "All sorts of stuff arrives in all sorts of inboxes and we've got a pretty complicated process of forwarding things on so it's in the appropriate inbox, so for my ministerial business I let my staff manage that." He said ministers should not be sending Budget information to private email addresses but did not believe it was "the biggest sin in the world". "MPs are on the road a lot, there are printing problems often. I can't print at my Parliament office, for example." Asked if his printing difficulties were a system error or a user error, Bishop responded, "that is a legitimate question - I don't know". "We shouldn't be doing it, but is it the worst thing in the world? No." Finance Minister Nicola Willis also recalled sending draft speech notes from her ministerial account to her personal email so she could print it in a hotel room. Labour says more to come on Stanford emails Labour's education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime is casting doubt over how much the Prime Minister has been told about Stanford's email use, given his comments that he is "super relaxed about it". RNZ understands Labour made the original request for the emails from Stanford's office under the Official Information Act, which have been collated and subsequently sent to media, including RNZ. "It's clear that somebody has misrepresented to the prime minister and his office the extent of the minister's use of her private gmail account for ministerial business," Prime said. She said Luxon said it was "just a few emails for printing" but Prime referenced "folders" of "many many emails that have been used on her gmail account" uncovered by the OIA. The minister organising meetings through her personal email was inconsistent with the Cabinet Manual, because it was "ministerial business", she said. Asked again about the issue today, Luxon repeated Stanford had used her private email to deal with "unsolicited emails" and printing issues. He said Stanford had made changes to her processes and he was comfortable with that. When asked whether it was appropriate to organise meetings using the personal account, Luxon said it was important that all meetings were captured in a ministerial diary, "whether those meetings took place or it didn't take place". He acknowledged it was not "ideal" but he maintained what was important was "all those materials are captured and are available through official information requests, which is what's happened here." He also reiterated the Cabinet Manual allowed for instances where ministers needed to use their private accounts for "printing emails or sending materials to themselves so they can print it for a number of different reasons". A timeline of Stanford's work conducted via personal email The emails included draft reports and media statements and information about sensitive Education Ministry projects. On Sunday 21 July last year a redacted email was used to forward Stanford a 20 July email including an information sheet and proposed media statement regarding a decision to halt 100 school property projects. About five days later parts of the plan were revealed by news media. The same day a redacted email was used to forward Stanford a copy of the final draft of a damning report on school property. The final version was not made public until 4 October that year. On Saturday 25 May last year a redacted email was used to forward Erica Stanford a message titled "Pre-Budget notes" with several attachments including talking points, pre-Budget announcements and speaking notes. "Hi Minister, Here is all the documentation for tomorrow," said a message sent to a Parliament email just two hours earlier and included in the forwarded email. The emails also included messages from teachers, principals and parents, photos of Stanford as a child and teenager, and talking points for RNZ interviews. The senders' details were deleted but showed that a teacher was at one point sending Stanford daily emails as a form of protest, while others praised her work and suggested areas of action. An email from October last year complained about the amount of Māori content at the primary school attended by the writer's son. "We continue to be shocked with the extremely laxed [sic] approach to teaching and extreme focus on Te Reo and Māori studies... One could be mistaken for thinking they were on a marae at school assemblies...," the complainant wrote, asking if a curriculum audit might be possible. An email Stanford forwarded to herself in February this year dated October last year came from a sender unhappy with the Education Ministry's approach to rewriting the school science curriculum, referring to a ministry "agenda". An email Stanford sent to a redacted recipient in March this year included a message from a school principal last year praising her work as "bloody hard and blood [sic] courageous" and asking her to seek views beyond her Ministerial Advisory Group on literacy and numeracy. A December 2024 email contained a list of actions including a reminder to schools about closing too early. "Last day of school finishing at 12. Can we send an urgent letter to all schools to say this is not to happen. It's illegal." In September last year, Stanford forwarded to her personal email an email from a person regarding her husband's burn out from education. "Stop using us a [sic] your political pawns please!" the email said. A 13 June email showed that a woman had been emailing Stanford every day as a form of protest and asked her to abandon proposed changes to the school lunch scheme. "Can you please find all the emails this lady has sent to me and send me a summary of her thoughts and why she emails every day and what her main issues are pls?" Stanford wrote. An email from 19 December 2023 came from a teacher with more than 40 years experience unhappy with new NCEA literacy requirements. "Actually addressing concerns raised by experienced teaching practitioners rather than brushing them off would help," they wrote.
RNZ News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Nicola Willis, Chris Bishop join Erica Stanford in admitting they used personal emails
Documents show Erica Stanford forwarded some emails which included government policy and Budget details to her personal email address. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Education Minister Erica Stanford is not alone in forwarding Parliament and ministerial emails to her personal account. Both Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop confirmed on Tuesday they are guilty of having done the same thing in order to print or access a document while away from the office. Documents show Stanford forwarded emails to her personal email address , some of which included details of government policies and Budget documents. She said it was for the purposes of printing documents that could not be printed from her Parliamentary email. The printer problem had now been fixed. The Cabinet Manual says ministers should avoid using personal mobile and email accounts wherever possible. On Tuesday morning Stanford told reporters she had sorted the issue, and the prime minister has backed her saying he's "super relaxed" and "comfortable" about the changes she has made. Stanford admitted, however, it was not a good look. "The Cabinet Manual says where you have to you must take these steps, which I believe I have followed. But you're absolutely right, it's untidy, it's not best practice and I've taken steps to fix that." Stanford denied ever forwarding sensitive Budget documents onto a third party from her personal account. Transport Minister Chris Bishop said he had "occasionally" forwarded Parliament emails to a personal email to get it printed faster - but had never forwarded Budget sensitive information. "As a habit I don't forward ministerial documents or work to my gmail... Budget sensitive information is held sensitively." Bishop said MPs had multiple email addresses across Parliament, ministerial, electorate, and party accounts. "All sorts of stuff arrives in all sorts of inboxes and we've got a pretty complicated process of forwarding things on so it's in the appropriate inbox, so for my ministerial business I let my staff manage that." He said ministers should not be sending Budget information to private email addresses but did not believe it was "the biggest sin in the world". "MPs are on the road a lot, there are printing problems often. I can't print at my Parliament office, for example." Asked if his printing difficulties were a system error or a user error, Bishop responded, "that is a legitimate question - I don't know". "We shouldn't be doing it, but is it the worst thing in the world? No." Finance Minister Nicola Willis also recalled sending draft speech notes from her ministerial account to her personal email so she could print it in a hotel room. Labour's education spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime is casting doubt over how much the Prime Minister has been told about Stanford's email use, given his comments that he is "super relaxed about it". RNZ understands Labour made the original request for the emails from Stanford's office under the Official Information Act, which have been collated and subsequently sent to media, including RNZ. "It's clear that somebody has misrepresented to the prime minister and his office the extent of the minister's use of her private gmail account for ministerial business," Prime said. She said Luxon said it was "just a few emails for printing" but Prime referenced "folders" of "many many emails that have been used on her gmail account" uncovered by the OIA. The minister organising meetings through her personal email was inconsistent with the Cabinet Manual, because it was "ministerial business", she said. Asked again about the issue today, Luxon repeated Stanford had used her private email to deal with "unsolicited emails" and printing issues. He said Stanford had made changes to her processes and he was comfortable with that. When asked whether it was appropriate to organise meetings using the personal account, Luxon said it was important that all meetings were captured in a ministerial diary, "whether those meetings took place or it didn't take place". He acknowledged it was not "ideal" but he maintained what was important was "all those materials are captured and are available through official information requests, which is what's happened here." He also reiterated the Cabinet Manual allowed for instances where ministers needed to use their private accounts for "printing emails or sending materials to themselves so they can print it for a number of different reasons". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
06-05-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
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.'
