Minister urged to launch inquiry into Wintec after legal fees revelations

Wintec Council chairman Barry Harris has defended the organisation spending $175,000 on legal fees to prevent a media organisation publishing stories about it. Photo / Alan Gibson

The Minister of Education is being urged to form a ministerial inquiry into Wintec following revelations about the amount of money it spent on legal fees to fight media.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed he received an email on Sunday calling for an inquiry and would be responding to it shortly.

Hipkins told the Herald at the weekend that it was inappropriate for him to comment on the legal spend, saying the Wintec Council was responsible for overseeing the financial and educational performance.

"The TEC [Tertiary Education Commission] has consistently signalled that it is the responsibility of TEO [Tertiary Education Organisation] governance and management to ensure their organisations act legally and ethically. They will take appropriate and commensurate action where non-compliance is detected."

The TEC then monitors the financial, educational, governance and capital asset management performance of TEOs, he said.

But National tertiary education spokesman Paul Goldsmith said the Government needed to take a closer look.

"I was surprised by the amount spent and I'd expect the Education Minister to be asking the right questions about whether it was appropriate or not."

The calls follow a story published in the Herald on Friday which revealed the organisation had spent $174,212 on legal fees during 2016 and to September 2017 to prevent stories being published.

Former Labour MP Sue Moroney supported an investigation into what was happening at Wintec at any level. "I know there's any speculation at Wintec and in the broader community and that speculation needs to be addressed. I want to be assured staff at Wintec are protected from any inappropriate behaviour."

Wintec Council chairman Barry Harris last week defended the spend in a statement to the Herald saying it was the actions of a responsible employer and was necessary to ensure its reputation and that of its people are protected against defamatory statements and allegations.

Harris also confirmed that an independent investigation into a complaint about the chief executive Mark Flowers had been investigated and was found to be based on speculation not evidence.

Wintec has been approached for comment.

Wintec defends spending six figures fighting media organisation