Speaker turns down Act privilege complaint over NZ Post

By VERNON SMALL deputy political editor

Speaker Jonathan Hunt has turned down a complaint that New Zealand Post breached parliamentary privilege by trying to stop Act leader Richard Prebble using a leaked Kiwi Bank business plan.

The High Court last week rejected NZ Post's action seeking to gag Mr Prebble.

"My overriding reason for not finding the question of privileges involved in this case is that the matter is now moot," Mr Hunt said.

Even if there had been an attempt to prohibit a member's action in the House - and he did not believe there was - the court had dealt with the matter with due regard for the House's privileges.

He said NZ Post could have been held in contempt of Parliament only if it sought to stop Mr Prebble using the document in the House.

There was no suggestion it had been trying to do that.

Meanwhile, State Owned Enterprises Minister Mark Burton said in Parliament yesterday he had advised NZ Post not to appeal against the High Court's ruling.

NZ Post said on Monday it would not take the issue to appeal.

National MP Murray McCully yesterday accused Mr Burton of being party to "a shabby cover-up" over who decided to take the initial court action against Mr Prebble.

Last week, Mr Burton said he had been "informed of the decision the board had taken."

But Mr McCully said the decision had been made by NZ Post chairman Ross Armstrong and chief executive Elmar Toime "behind the backs of the directors."

Mr Burton said in Parliament yesterday that all decisions made by State Owned Enterprises were made under provisions of laws which involved "the authority of the board."

"But of course on a day to day basis, chairpersons and chief executives have to attend to the proper business of the SOEs."

In court, NZ Post had said the decision to seek the injunction had been made and conveyed to the board, which was meeting at the time.

New Zealand First has joined the Government and the Green Party in backing New Zealand Post's plan to launch the Kiwi Bank next year.

Leader Winston Peters said his party had always strongly favoured a locally-owned bank offering a wide network, encouraging savings and reducing fees.