Andrew Little weighs in on Kiri Allan’s RNZ farewell speech for host partner Māni Dunlop

A senior cabinet minister says no matter the situation - whether it’s in Parliament, at a partner’s farewell or even the supermarket - you are always a minister.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking on Justice Minister Kiri Allan’s critical remarks about RNZ at fiancee Māni Dunlop’s farewell, Defence Minister Andrew Little said as a minister one had to always realise “whatever context you are in you are a minister.

“That’s the way people see you and when I am in the supermarket people stop and talk to me - I am a minister when they are talking to me regardless.

“We’ve all got to bear that in mind,” Little said.

Defence Minister Andrew Little says whatever context a minister is in they are always seen by the public as one. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Allan yesterday apologised for comments she made at fiancee Dunlop’s farewell from RNZ, admitting it could have been interpreted as her telling the state broadcaster how to manage its staff or company.

National MP Mark Mitchell told Hosking he did not think Allan should be sacked for what she said at her partner’s farewell party.

However, “I think all cabinet ministers need to carry a copy of the cabinet manual around so they can refer to it.

“You can’t go to a farewell function for your partner as a minister, stand up and start criticising the organisation because she didn’t get the promotion or the job offer.

“That’s unacceptable,” Mitchell said.

Dunlop, an award-winning journalist who had worked at RNZ for 11 years, had earlier been tipped as a potential co-host on Morning Report, seen as one of the top on-air positions at the organisation.

Dunlop then quit after journalist and television presenter Ingrid Hipkiss was hired for the role, with Dunlop indicating during her final broadcast on Friday that she left because she was passed over for the “top job”.

Cabinet Minister Kiri Allan has apologised for comments at her fiancée Māni Dunlop’s farewell from RNZ. Photos / NZME / Supplied

At a leaving event later that day Allan was one of the speakers and made comments critical of the state broadcaster, taking aim at RNZ’s treatment of Māori reporters and urging the public broadcaster to have a look at its culture.

Allan told the Herald that while she did not have ministerial responsibility for media and broadcasting, she sincerely apologised “if any of my comments or reflections said at Māni’s farewell made any person feel uncomfortable”.

She said she accepted it could have been interpreted as her telling RNZ how to manage their staff or company.

“That was not my intent and it is certainly not my job,” she said.

“My sole intention was to speak on behalf of Māni’s family.”

Allan said she was speaking in a personal capacity but acknowledged and accepted that “I am a senior Government minister, and as such that there is not such a delineation in terms of public perception.

“I was invited to Friday’s event as Māni’s fiancee to speak on her behalf, and the family’s behalf, to her employer of 11 years.”

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he had accepted Allan’s apology and that management of issues involving families of MPs was “tricky.

“She was invited to the event in a personal capacity and was there as a family member.

“It’s natural and understandable for people to support their families.”

He said in this instance it would have been better if Allan, given her ministerial position, had chosen not to speak.

An RNZ spokesperson told the Herald more than a dozen people took the opportunity to speak at Dunlop’s leaving event.

“They are private functions and provide an opportunity for whānau and kaimahi [workers] to gather to acknowledge, celebrate and support departing colleagues. Farewells include an open invitation for anyone present to whaikōrero [give a speech] and the free expression of views is encouraged.”

Why does it matter and how serious is it?

Constitutional law expert Graeme Edgeler said Allan’s conduct was a breach of the Cabinet manual, but at the “lower end” compared with the recent example of Stuart Nash.

“There are different levels of breaching the cabinet manual and this is at the lower end.

“It is not something you’d expect her to be sacked for, more a telling off.”

The Cabinet manual states that “ministers must conduct themselves at all times in the knowledge that their role is a public one”.

It provides an expectation that they “exercise a professional approach and good judgement in their interactions with the public and officials, and in all their communications, personal and professional”.

Edgeler said the fundamental point was that ministers could always be seen to be speaking for the government – not just their portfolio – and so needed to be careful about what they said and where.

“As a cabinet minister, you are the Government, any minister can act as any minister for any decision, so they can be seen to be speaking for the government.

“Speaking in front of employers about employment decisions, in front of members of the RNZ board, you’d want to avoid as much as you can any perception and avoid any sort or risk.

“Ministers can speak as individuals but even when they do they need to be careful.”