Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:643;Page:13283] 
7.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) 
 to the  
Minister of State Services 
: Does he have confidence in the State Services Commissioner’s ability to maintain a politically neutral Public Service; if so why? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Acting Minister of State Services) 
: Yes; because Dr Prebble is very experienced and in the words of Mr Hunn gave a “comprehensive cogent and correct” set of advice during the Setchell affair amongst many other reasons for saying that he is experienced. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Has the Minister seen the letter from the State Services Commissioner sent to the Leader of the Opposition just a short time ago in which he says he will be conducting further investigations into the appointment of Clare Curran at the Ministry for the Environment; and is he concerned that this may lead to an investigation of a wider-spread politicisation of the Public Service by the Labour Party? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Yes; and I would not make the assumption the member has as far as the second part of the question is concerned. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Do we take it from the Minister’s answer that his understanding is that the State Services Commission will not be widening the investigation into this matter and can he tell the House whether he has been involved in directing the State Services Commissioner in that regard? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: No the Minister has not been involved. The Acting Minister was informed as a matter of politeness by the State Services Commissioner at the time he sent the letter to Mr Key. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Acting Minister of State Services believe that there was political pressure or inappropriate ministerial interference in the appointment of Labour Party activist Clare Curran by the Ministry for the Environment; if so why? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: It is my view that a naive suggestion was made by a new Minister. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: When in his report into this matter the Deputy State Services Commissioner says it was agreed by officials that Ms Curran was of suitable calibre to undertake the work does this mean that Clare Curran was in fact not their first choice but simply had to be accepted because Minister Parker had personally recommended her? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: No absolutely the opposite: the Ministry for the Environment had been looking for someone it was desperate to find someone and this woman measured up. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does that stand as an explanation for why Ms Curran was employed with such haste; and does it also explain the need for the ministry to have someone of Ms Curran’s calibre who would put a political flavour on the Government’s climate change policy? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Ms Curran was employed at haste because the ministry was dissatisfied with the quality of work coming from its communications unit and it got someone who had experience working in strategic communications in this area for the Australian Government—which happens to be the Liberals of course. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Minister accept that what really happened here is that the Minister for the Environment David Parker decided he wanted to appoint a Labour Party activist to undertake the work of politicising the climate change policy that the department had no choice but to appoint her that she was appointed and that it would be totally naive of the Minister to believe that the public will accept any other view? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: The first allegation that David Parker was at the time the Minister for the Environment is wrong and everything the member said afterwards is as well.