Dirty Politics: SIS director's three apologies

SIS director Rebecca Kitteridge has given three apologies this week over the actions of the SIS in 2011 when Warren Tucker was director - to Labour MP Phil Goff, Labour leader Andrew Little and to Prime Minister John Key.

The Inspector-General of Security and Intelligence, Cheryl Gwyn, recommended Ms Kittredgeapologize on behalf of the service to Mr Goff, which she did at Parliament today.

But Ms Kittredge told the Herald today that after reading the report she thought the other two deserved an apology too.

So she called on Mr Little at Parliament yesterday to deliver a written apology.

"I see the issue being a question of confidence and trust between the office of the Director of Security and the office of the Leader of the Opposition."

She said she wanted to put the relationship on a sound footing.

"I thought it was a really useful and constructive first visit," she said. "I was sorry it was taking place in these circumstances. I would rather have made a first call on him without an issue like this, but I was very grateful to him for making the time so early on in his tenure."

She could also see from the report that incomplete and in places misleading information had been given to the Prime Minister on which he had also relied.

"So I also felt - although it wasn't recommended - it was important to provide a letter of apology to the Prime Minister as well."

Ms Gwyn's report found that a release of information to blogger Cameron Slater by Dr Tucker under the Official Information Act about a briefing given to Mr Goff as Labour leader was incomplete, inaccurate and misleading and led to criticism of Mr Goff. It found the SIS had effectively delivered Mr Slater an exclusive story while denying other media the same information.

One of Ms Gwyns' recommendations was for the SIS to work with the Office of the Ombudsman and Ms Kitteridge said she met yesterday with acting chief ombudsman Leo Donnelly.

"They are going to work with us to ensure we have got best practice, guidance and training and so on with the OIA."

She believed the Official Information Act was very important for democracy.

She was sure that the agency was acting within the OIA at present 'but you will see an improvement as well in terms of our responsiveness."

She said it was too early to determine whether there would be any disciplinary action against staff who were still with the agency.

She would be getting some independent advice on that but she would not be commenting further on that matter.

Click here for the Phil Goff apology:

Click here for the John Key apology:

Click here for the Andrew Little apology: