20 Aug 2012

PM speaks with Bennett over privacy breach

6:34 pm on 20 August 2012

The Prime Minister says it is highly unlikely that Social Development Minister Paula Bennett would release private information in Parliament again.

Earlier in August, the Human Rights Commission found that Ms Bennett was wrong to release personal details of a beneficiary who spoke out against government cuts to the tertiary training allowance in 2010.

The director of Human Rights Proceedings, Robert Hesketh, said it was a privacy breach, but would not take the matter further as all parties are satisfied it has now been resolved.

Paula Bennett refuses to accept that it was a breach and has said she would consider doing the same thing again.

John Key said on Monday he has spoken to Ms Bennett and was assured that would be very unlikely to happen again.