Radio NZ chairman Richard Griffin encouraged against select committee appearance

Radio New Zealand chairman Richard Griffin is expected to defy the Government and appear in front of a select committee to discuss the fallout over Carol Hirschfeld's resignation.

Griffin has confirmed that it was "suggested" he stay away from a select committee which has recalled him and RNZ chief executive Paul Thompson over the saga.

Both men inadvertently misled the select committee by insisting that Hirschfeld's December meeting with Curran at a Wellington cafe was a coincidence.

Griffin would not say who made the suggestion that he instead write a letter of apology to the committee, but Newstalk ZB's political editor Barry Soper has reported that it was Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran.

The committee was misled because Carol Hirschfeld told her RNZ bosses for four months that the meeting with Curran was a coincidence.

Hirschfeld resigned last week and it emerged the meeting had been planned for weeks.

Griffin would not discuss today who had suggested he write an apology letter rather than appear before MPs in person.

However he said the advice applied only to him, not Thompson.

A spokeswoman for Curran said today there had been no directive nor any suggestion to Griffin not to attend in person.

Curran, in her capacity as Broadcasting Minister, is due to fly to Australia for the Commonwealth Games on Thursday - the day Radio NZ bosses are due back in front of the select committee.

Curran is under pressure following the resignation of Hirschfeld as RNZ's head of content last week after it was revealed Hirschfeld had repeatedly lied about a meeting she and Curran had.

Thompson and Griffin are due to reappear before the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Select Committee on Thursday over the statements they made about the meeting.

They inadvertently misled the committee by saying it was a coincidence that Hirschfeld and Curran had bumped into each other in the Astoria café.

Curran has said those comments to the select committee prompted her office to immediately contact the broadcaster on March 1, and again on March 22, to set the record straight that the meeting was pre-planned.

Griffin says a personal source contacted him last month to tell him that the meeting between Hirschfeld and Curran was not coincidental and was in fact scheduled in the minister's diary.

Griffin's term as Radio NZ chairman ends later this month. He is not expected to be re-appointed by the Government.