Megan Woods clarifies - no confidentiality agreement with Handley

Entrepreneur Derek Handley has released his communications with the PM and Clare Curran. Photo / Dean Purcell.

Digital Services Minister Megan Woods was mistaken when she said earlier today that there was a confidentiality agreement with entrepreneur Derek Handley over the settlement he received over his recruitment as government digital technology officer.

A spokesman for Woods said she had received incorrect advice from the Department of Internal Affairs, and as a result, misspoke when she responded to reporters' questions on the issue this morning.

Woods was speaking to reporters after Handley released a tranche of communications between himself and former minister Clare Curran, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Handley also issued a statement with that information, and previously wrote a blog on how the episode unfolded.

He received a payment of $107,000, which will be donated, after he was offered the role by Curran in August when she was digital services minister then the offer was withdrawn after she was sacked as minister.

"My understanding is, yes, there was a confidentiality agreement with the final settlement," Woods said this morning.

A spokesman for the minister later said she had based those comments on incorrect advice from officials and after seeking more information, had received clarification.

One of Handley's gripes was that he had not heard from anyone over why the role was dropped.

Woods confirmed she hadn't been in touch with Handley yet.

"We made a conscious decision to talk to Mr Handley through officials. I haven't spoken to Mr Handley yet but I haven't ruled out doing so later today."

Curran said today it was Handley's right and his choice to release the information. "I think it's good that it's out there."

Curran said she and the Government were "working through" releasing the information themselves.

"With relation to the Government's process, it is a different process and there are other responsibilities and obligations, and one of the obligations that I had was to respect the process with regard to him."

She denied that it was embarrassing for Ardern.

"No, I think this is part of what happens when there is a controversial issue and transparency is actually occurring. I would like to make the point that the State Services Commission found that the process of the recruitment was very robust and the meeting I had with him in February did not prejudice that process."

An aide-memoire from the State Services Commission to Minister Chris Hipkins earlier this month said the evidence suggested a "suitably robust " recruitment process. It also said that viewed objectively, the meeting did not prejudice the process.