ACC email leak to be investigated

ACC minister Judith Collins. File photo / NZPA

The Privacy Commissioner is to investigate the leak of correspondence between National Party president Michelle Boag and ACC Minister Judith Collins.

Ms Collins this afternoon confirmed the investigation into the leak of an email, in which Ms Boag set out her account of a December meeting which she attended between ACC claimant Bronwyn Pullar and senior ACC managers.

All recipients of the email, including Ms Collins herself, ACC chief executive Ralph Stewart and ACC chairman John Judge have denied leaking the email to the Herald On Sunday.

Ms Collins said the investigation, which she had been informed of early today following a discussion with Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff last night, was "a very good idea".

The commission's work "may involve computer forensic investigation" she said.
"Frankly I welcome that."

Ms Collins said she did not know whether the investigation was the result of a complaint about the leak.

The Herald On Sunday's report identified Ms Pullar as the woman at the centre of a massive privacy breach at ACC and also identified Ms Boag as her support person at the December meeting.

At that meeting ACC claims Ms Pullar attempted to strike a deal to exchange the private information of thousands of other ACC claimants in return for guaranteed benefit.

It subsequently emerged that former ACC Minister Nick Smith wrote two letters supporting his old friend Ms Pullar's pursuit of her ACC claim, for which he resigned last week.