Ardern forced to defend Curran on eve of select committee

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has had to defend her besieged Broadcasting Minister for yet another day as Clare Curran's role in the RNZ saga again came in for some heat.

More questions came the Prime Minister's way on the eve of a select committee appearance sure to reignite the issue.

RNZ chairman Richard Griffin and chief executive Paul Thompson have been recalled to the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Select Committee tomorrow to correct the record in what could be a sensational appearance.

They inadvertently misled the committee by saying it was a coincidence that RNZ's former head of content Carol Hirschfeld and Curran had bumped into each other at a Wellington café last December.

Hirschfeld had insisted it was a chance encounter but it was found four months later that the breakfast meeting at the Astoria was instigated by Curran and arranged by text between the pair.

Hirschfeld was not authorised to meet the minister and her final admission led to her immediate resignation.

National leader Simon Bridges asked the Prime Minister in Parliament today whether the real reason Curran advised Griffin not to appear before the select committee tomorrow was not to correct the record faster but to ensure questions wouldn't be able to be asked and answered in Parliament about the Hirschfeld meeting.

Bridges went on: "Was it wrong, no matter what the reason, for Clare Curran to advise the chair of New Zealand's independent radio broadcaster, Radio New Zealand, not to appear at the upcoming select committee to answer questions?"

Ardern: "I reject the premise of that question. As has been stated, when it was found by the Minister they were unable to appear on Thursday, she left a message with the chair around the possibility of correcting the record in writing, something that the other side of the House has held the Minister to account on; correcting the record as soon as is available."

On Tuesday Curran was forced to deny reports she suggested Griffin should stay away from the select committee but admitted she left a message on his phone saying he didn't have to appear in person and a letter would suffice.

That was on the advice of the Office of the Leader of the House.

Ardern conceded on Tuesday that there were other ways Curran could have passed on that message.

"Under the circumstances it would have been cleaner to have either someone from the select committee office or the Leader of the House pass on that advice. Ultimately though, the Minister's focus was on getting the record corrected."