Mfat gave Sooden family $4000 assistance

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spent an additional $4012 outside baseline costs in assisting the family of Harmeet Sooden during his ordeal in Iraq.

The additional spending, outlined in response to an Official Information Act request from the Herald, provided consular assistance to Mr Sooden's family while they were in the United Arab Emirates. Baseline spending covered phone, taxi and courier.

The ministry also said there was no correspondence with Television New Zealand or TV3 about coverage or any assistance offered to Mr Sooden's family during the ordeal.

TVNZ faced accusations of chequebook journalism after paying to fly members of Mr Sooden's family to the Middle East to meet him after he was released from captivity in Iraq.