Kerre Woodham: We need a definitive answer to if data was misused

I don't think this counts as breaking news, does it?  

An inquiry ordered by the Prime Minister has identified significant failures with public agencies’ protection of New Zealanders’ personal information and management of conflict of interests. The investigation, which focused on public agencies actions, was sparked by allegations last year that data provided to health and social services providers at Manurewa Marae for the census and for Covid-19 vaccinations was misused. Those murmurings were rumbling for some time before the investigation was sparked.  

It was claimed personal information was improperly used to favour Te Pati Māori and the Māori electorate of Tamaki Makaurau. The allegations have been denied, but the Government wanted assurances that Kiwis’ data had been properly safeguarded.  

Spoiler alert, it wasn't. Among the findings of the report is that the Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand did not have control over data once it was downloaded by providers, had no means for ensuring providers were meeting contractual expectations, and had no safeguards for managing potential conflicts of interest. This really doesn't come as any surprise to me at all. Stats New Zealand was found to have insufficient arrangements to protect the shared data. The findings are so serious for Stats NZ that chief executive Mark Sowden has fallen on his sword and will leave at the end of his current term, something public services Commissioner Sir Brian Roche says is the right thing to do.  

Waipareira Trust chief executive and president of Te Pati Māori John Tamihere on the other hand, is defending the use of data at Manurewa Marae, saying there's no evidence of any wrongdoing. He says they're being targeted for being Māori, a Māori organisation attracting extra scrutiny over suspicions that Māori were somehow crooked. He said whistle blowers had not been able to provide evidence that data was actually misused. He said every political party used data and Waipareira Trust, which had existed for 40 years, had built up huge data sets. He denied that the census data from government agencies that had been shared with the Manurewa Marae was then handed over to Te Pati Māori.  

Labour leader Chris Hipkins on Three News last night seemed to suggest that he himself had raised eyebrows but would wait the findings of the police investigation.  

“I've certainly felt that the election in that seat was unfair and the result in that seat was unfair. I think the fact that our polling booth was held at the Manurewa Marae with very active Māori party presence really did draw into question the result there. It was such a close result.” 

Just to remind you of the result in the electorate of Tamaki Makaurau, Maurewa Marae CEO and Te Pāti Māori's representative Takutai Tarsh Kemp took the seat from Labour's Peeni Henare by four votes, just four. On recount, that went to 42 votes, because naturally, Peeni Henare said “I’ve held that seat since 2014. I find it very hard to believe I could have lost it. Oh, hang on a minute, no I don't.”  

Should there be a by-election? If Te Pati Māori believes they won the seat fair and square, that Labour was being rolled in plenty of other long held seats, would their member be willing to put it to the test in a by-election? Where there’s absolutely no hint of wrongdoing on behalf of her party, that here we are fair and square, let's go mano o mano, go head-to-head and let's see who wins at this time. I mean, I suppose the horses bolted.  

If the data has been misused, and at the moment there are no individuals you can point the didgeridoo at and say they misused that information, but there is a police investigation ongoing. There is no clear evidence that could go before a court, that the data was misused. But if it looks like a rat, smells like a rat, and it's got a long

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Kerrywood and Morning's podcast from News
Talks hed B.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
I don't think this council's breaking news, does it. An
inquiry ordered by the Prime Minister has identified significant failures
with public agencies, protection of New Zealander's personal information and
management of conflict of interests. The investigation, which focused on
public agencies actions, was sparked by allegations last year that

(00:34):
data provided to health and social services providers at Monterewa
Marai for the census and for COVID nineteen vaccinations was misused.
Those murmurings were rumbling for some time before the investigation
was sparked. It was claimed personal information was improperly used

(00:54):
to favor Tepatimori in the Maori electorate of Tomakimikoo. The
allegations have been denied, but the government wanted assurances that
Kiwi's data had been properly so safeguarded. Spoiler alert, It
wasn't among the findings of the reporters that the Ministry
of Health and Health New Zealand did not have control

(01:15):
over data once it was downloaded by providers, had no
means for ensuring providers were meeting contractual expectations and had
no safeguards for managing potential conflicts of interest. This really
doesn't come as any surprise to me at all. STATS
New Zealand was found to have insufficient arrangements to protect

(01:37):
the shared data. The findings are so serious for statsn
Z that chief executive Mark Selden has fallen on his
sword and will leave at the end of his current terms,
something Public Services Commissioner Sir Brian Roche says as the
right thing to do. Whypareda Trust. Chief executive and president
of Tapati Maori, John Tomaheerti, on the other hand, is

(02:00):
defending the use of data at Mona day were marais
saying there's no evidence of any wrongdoing. He says they're
being targeted for being MARI, a MARI organization, attracting extra
scrutiny over suspicions that MARI was somehow crooked. He said
whistleblowers had not been able to provide evidence that data

(02:20):
was actually misused. He said every political party used data,
and Wiper added Trust, which had existed for forty years,
had built up huge data sets. He denied that the
census data from government agencies that had been shared with
the monadae Wamurai was then handed over to Tapati Maori.

(02:43):
Labor leader Chris Hipkins on three News last night seemed
to suggest that he himself had raised eyebrows, but would
wait the findings of the police investigation.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
I certainly felt that the election in that seat was
unfair and the result in that seat was unfair. I
think the fact that a polling booth was held at
the Monda Daoo Maro I were very active. Mightty party
presidents really did draw into question the result there. It
was such a close result.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
Just to remind you of the result in the electric
of Tomaki Markado manae Wa Murray chair so chair of
manade Wa Murrai where all these allegations were made and
Tapati Maori's representative Takata taj Camp took the seat from
Labour's Penny Henare by four votes, just four on recount

(03:39):
that went to forty two votes because naturally Penna Henadi said,
I've held that seat since twenty fourteen. I find it
very hard to believe I could have lost it. Oh,
hang on a minute, no, I don't should there be
a by election if Tapati Maori believes they won the

(04:00):
seat fair and square, that labor was being rolled in
plenty of other long held seats. You know, they lost
some seats that they never imagined they would ever lose.
That this seat was just another of them that they lost.
Would their member be willing to put it to the

(04:20):
test in a by election where there's absolutely no hint
of wrongdoing on behalf of her party that here we
are fair and square. Let's go Mana Wamano or Woana
Womana Wamano and go head to head and let's see
who wins it this time. I mean, I suppose the
horse has bolted if the data has been misused, and

(04:45):
at the moment, there are no individuals you can point
the DIDERI do at and say they misuse that information.
There is a police investigation ongoing. You know, there is
no clear evidence that could go before a court that
the data was misused. But if it looks like a rat,

(05:06):
smells like a rat, and it's got a long tail
like a rat, it does make you raise your eyebrows.
You need a definitive answer, was the data misused or not.
At the moment, we have suspicions, we have rumblings, and
while those rumblings continue. Then it puts the whole judicial
process and the whole electoral process and doubt as far

(05:27):
as I'm concerned. I mean, you look at the chair
of Mana Rowa Marii winning the seat, and you think,
really did she was it fair and square? I don't know,
you know, labor was being rolled left, right and center.

(05:49):
She might just have got lucky. I smell rats.

Speaker 1 (05:53):
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