Radio New Zealand's chairman Richard Griffin and chief executive Paul Thompson have apologised to MPs for inadvertently misleading them over the coffee meeting that cost broadcaster Carol Hirschfeld her job.
Just hours after Broadcasting Minister Clare Curran flew out of New Zealand to attend the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Griffin and Thompson reappeared at the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Select Committee this morning.
Griffin said little to reporters as he walked in, except to comment it was "not great" that he was back before the committee.
The pair were recalled after inadvertently misleading the committee over the nature of a meeting between Hirschfeld and Curran at a Wellington cafe in December.
Hirschfeld resigned last week after repeatedly lying to her bosses about the meeting.
She had said it was a chance encounter but it was found four months later that the breakfast meeting at the Astoria cafe was instigated by Curran and arranged by text between the pair.
Curran flew out of New Zealand early today and will return on Saturday.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been forced to defend her besieged Broadcasting Minister.
It emerged this week that Curran phoned Griffin over his upcoming appearance at the select committee.
She and Ardern have denied reports that Curran's phone message implied he should not appear at the select committee in person and a letter would suffice.
Curran and Ardern said she was passing on advice from the Office of the Leader of the House that he did not have to appear if it was difficult to do so.
Griffin said he did not have the recording of Curran's phone message with him because that would be "inappropriate".
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