10. Question No. 10—State ServicesHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of State ServicesQuestion No. 10—State Services10. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of State Services: What are the dates and the contents of the work-related emails to and from former Minister Hon Clare Curran's private Gmail account in relation to the appointment of the Government's Chief Technology Officer that he referred to as having been handed over to the Chief Archivist in yesterday's Oral Question No 11?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Minister of State Services): Mr Speaker as I informed your office this will be a slightly longer than normal answer. There are three email exchanges. The first: on 11 August where Derek Handley emails Clare Curran about the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) position and questions about the role of the CTO including resourcing for the role and potential conflicts of interest. On 14 August Clare Curran replies to that email confirming a call to discuss these matters. On 15 August Derek Handley replies to that confirming times for the call.The second exchange: on 19 August Clare Curran emails Derek Handley regarding logistics around the next step on the process of appointment including the content of any public statements that might be made and refers to contract discussions with the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA). On 20 August Derek Handley responds to that email to Clare Curran about those issues including the contact he has had with DIA and management of conflicts of interest.The third exchange: on 21 August Clare Curran emails Derek Handley regarding issues that would be on the work plan of the CTO and attaches some relevant background documents on those issues. On the same day Derek Handley responds to Clare Curran acknowledging the material and referring to the discussions that he is having with DIA.I have sought and received an assurance from the former Minister that these email exchanges will be made available for release subject to the normal Official Information Act (OIA) processes.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Will he publicly release or table those emails today given his responsibilities as the Minister of open Government and this Government's commitment to be the most open and transparent ever?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I believe I have explained the dates and the contents of the emails today. As I said at the end of my primary answer those emails will be released in accordance with the rules of the OIA.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Was there any inappropriate content in any of those emails between Mr Handley and Clare Curran over the appointment that influenced the Government's decision to not proceed with Mr Handley's appointment?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Government's decision not to proceed with the appointment does not relate to those emails.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Does he agree with the statement The only conclusion that can be drawn from Ministers using private Gmail addresses for Government business is that they have something to hide. "—a statement made by Chris Hipkins in Opposition; if so what were Minister Curran and the Prime Minister doing having Government business communicated through a private Gmail account?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: One of the things we learn on becoming Ministers is that we receive a lot of correspondence from a lot of different sources to a lot of different places and as I quoted in the House yesterday Sir John Key the former Prime Minister acknowledged his use of a private email address for ministerial business.Rt Hon Winston Peters: As a precedent for the Minister's judgment on these matters has he seen inappropriate comment with respect to a Minister having to step down such as an ACC case?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Mr Speaker I'm—SPEAKER: Order! Order! I think that's beyond the Minister.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked the Minister as to whether he had a precedent he is using as a measurement to judge by. I think it's a part of our recent history and Ministers are entitled to have authoritative precedents to make their judgments on. That's why I put it before him.SPEAKER: Yes and if that question was asked to the Prime Minister who had responsibility for the Minister stepping down then I would have allowed it. This Minister does not have responsibility for his predecessor's stepping down.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Can the Minister reassure the House that there were no communications between the Prime Minister and former Minister Curran in respect of the appointment of the Chief Technology Officer?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In fact I believe yesterday it was acknowledged that there were communications between the Prime Minister and Ms Curran as the Prime Minister said yesterday as would be expected for any major role."