New Zealand public service commissioner Brian Roche is cracking down on leaks, according to an email leaked to Radio New Zealand.
The email was sent just hours after a court injunction prevented the public broadcaster from publishing leaked budget documents. It was the latest in a long line of leaks.
Roche confirmed he is looking to tighten information security, reminding public servants that leaking is a breach of the code of conduct.
“I expect public service chief executives to take every possible action to ensure any leak is investigated and where appropriate those responsible are exited from our employment,” he said.
“Public servants who leak information are undermining the government of the day and are in breach of the code of conduct.
“We all ultimately pay the price for the unprofessional actions of a few.”
Education Ministry invites RNZ for a ‘brief chat’
The Education Ministry is taking the leaks particularly seriously, after at least four documents relating to budget decisions were leaked to RNZ.
The ministry has appointed Michael Heron as an external investigator, four months after he completed an inquiry into government misuse of personal information.
Acting deputy secretary Rob Campbell said he was “deeply concerned” about the leaks.
“These anonymous leaks not only harm our organisation but also unfairly create mistrust within our teams and distract from our professionalism and hard work,” the message said.
“As a public servant, you have signed up to our code of conduct and a core set of public service principles that set out common standards of behaviour and guide our judgement, choices and actions. This includes being fair, impartial, responsible, and trustworthy in everything we do.
“Alongside this investigation, we will be continuing to review the way that information is made available and shared appropriately. This will include looking at our technology environment and our internal processes and policies for raising concerns, such as our Speak Up policy and protected disclosure guidelines.”
The Education Ministry forwarded the message to RNZ along with a suggestion that it help with the investigation.
“Mr Heron is keen to connect with you (and/or your colleagues) for a brief chat on Wednesday, 4 June, if you’re available. He’s hoping to get a better sense of what may have been shared or shown to you, and would also welcome any general insights you might be able to provide.”
Chief news officer Mark Stevens declined.
“The protection of confidential sources is a fundamental tenet of journalism that is not only enshrined in our own editorial policy, but also captured in the principles of the New Zealand Media Council,” he said.
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