Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 08 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6442. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
5. 
JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development 
: Does she stand by all her statements relating to the departure of the Ministry of Social Development Deputy Chief Executive Janet Grossman? 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Defence) 
 on behalf of the Minister for Social Development: Yes. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Was she briefed by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development on the reason for Janet Grossman’s departure? 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: The Minister for Social Development has been very clear about the reasons for the departure. On 14 June in the House she said: “She handed in her notice because as far as I was informed her husband has had job opportunities in the UK and she wishes to return back there. That is the reason for it.” 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I think I can foresee the point of order coming up. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Very straight question: was she briefed? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I think I can see that. The question asked was whether the Minister was briefed on the reasons why Janet Grossman departed. The Minister I think implied in his answer that he was but he should tell the House—it would be helpful if he told the House—whether or not he was briefed. 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: I have said as far as I was informed. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Was the only reason she was given for Janet Grossman’s departure in that briefing or information that “her husband has had job opportunities in the UK and she wishes to return back there.”? 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: Yes. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Was Janet Grossman paid a termination benefit? 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: As you know $97000 was allocated across five people who left that year and there will be no breakdown given for privacy reasons of the allocation to any of those five executives. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I very explicitly and deliberately just asked whether Janet Grossman was paid— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think I can appreciate the member’s point of order. The member did not ask how much Janet Grossman might have been paid. She simply asked whether she was paid a termination sum. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! The Minister in replying said that there were five people who departed and he would not be advising how much anyone received. That was not the question. It did not ask how much she received; it asked whether she received a termination payment. 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: Yes. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Why was Janet Grossman paid a termination benefit if the only reason for her departure was as the Minister stated to this House that her husband had job opportunities in the UK and wished to return back there? 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: Well this is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Minister of Social Development and the State Services Commissioner but presumably it was in her contract. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Question No. 6 Simon O’Connor. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! That is the end of that question. [ 
Interruption 
] Order! I have called Simon O’Connor.