Adviser's media leak disappoints Roy

Simon Ewing-Jarvie at his home in Ngaio, Wellington. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Act MP Heather Roy said last night she was extremely disappointed to learn her former ministerial adviser Simon Ewing-Jarvie leaked the notes for last week's caucus meeting to the media.

The notes were used by her counsel, former Act MP Stephen Franks, to argue unsuccessfully that she should remain deputy leader.

The caucus ousted her on a 3-2 vote and replaced her with John Boscawen, though no reason for the move was given publicly. Mrs Roy lost her ministerial posts and Dr Ewing-Jarvie lost his job.

The leaked 82-page dossier revealed a deep mistrust between the two.

Mrs Roy said last night: "I do not condone the leaking of documents in any circumstances and was extremely disappointed and angry when I discovered last Friday that Simon Ewing-Jarvie had leaked my notes for last Tuesday's meeting.

"I never intended it to go outside of caucus or the Act board."

She said she had decided not to distribute it to the caucus or board "to reduce the risk of misuse".

The Herald received a leaked copy last week from an anonymous email address.

Whaleoil blogger Cameron Slater on Friday posted what he said was evidence linking another anonymous email address to a company of Dr Ewing-Jarvie's.

Mrs Roy said the behaviour was out of character.

"In my experience he has always been conscious of security requirement. He has apologised for this."

Dr Ewing-Jarvie was the subject this month of a note from Ministerial Services' security to Wayne Eagleson, the chief of staff of Prime Minister John Key, to say that the SIS had been unable to complete Dr Ewing-Jarvie's security vet and that he should not be given access to classified documents.

Act Party leader Rodney Hide said last night he was aware that Dr Ewing-Jarvie had not received a clearance but "I left that to be handled by ministerial security who did it by the book. Ministerial security kept me briefed".

Asked about Dr Ewing-Jarvie being the leaker, he said: "I never doubted it."

Dr Ewing-Jarvie admitted in the Sunday Star-Times he was the leaker and said Mrs Roy had nothing to do with it. He said he had leaked the notes because he had been "gutted" that Mr Hide refused to say anything about why Mrs Roy had lost her positions.

Mr Hide said: "I think that Heather relied heavily on advice and I think that she was poorly advised. That was my concern."

Commenting on innuendo about her friendship with Dr Ewing-Jarvie, Mrs Roy told the Herald in a statement: "I am not and never have had an inappropriate relationship (affair) with Simon Ewing-Jarvie."