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A Corrections officer suspended from Rimutaka Prison is in New Zealand's world-beating parliamentary rugby team - co-captained by Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor.
The team, who are touring France and this week won the World Cup for Parliamentarians, includes Jim Morgan, who was stood down from Rimutaka several months
ago during an independent investigation.
Mr Morgan's wife is Mr O'Connor's senior private secretary in Parliament.
It is understood the minister has delegated issues over suspended prison officers to Cabinet colleague Clayton Cosgrove to avoid a conflict of interest.
It is not known why Mr Morgan was suspended.
But it is understood that the grounds involved employment issues rather than potentially criminal actions.
Eleven officers have been stood down this year. Four are under suspicion of corruption, two of breaching the code of conduct and four of not correctly supervising an inmate suspected of having conjugal visits while in hospital.
The latter four have been cleared. Two have been reinstated and the other two face disciplinary action for sleeping while on duty.
Mr Morgan has been a member of the parliamentary team for several years and was in France as part of a team co-captained by Mr O'Connor and National MP Murray McCully.
It is understood that Mr O'Connor did not widely consult others about the decision to include Mr Morgan in the team - a misjudgment that could cost him his portfolio.
The disclosure raises questions about his judgment at a time when Prime Minister Helen Clark is re-assessing all ministers for a Cabinet reshuffle.
Helen Clark learned of Mr Morgan's role in the team late this week.
"She was surprised, to say the least," a spokeswoman said.
It is expected she will talk to Mr O'Connor today or tomorrow from Sydney, where she is attending the Apec conference
National's corrections spokesman, Simon Power, said: "Broadly, circumstances such as this don't help a minister who has been heavily scrutinised in his abilities in the corrections area over the past couple of years."
Attempts to contact Mr O'Connor were unsuccessful and Mr McCully said he could not comment as he did not know the full facts.
A spokeswoman for Mr O'Connor's office directed questions about team members to the players involved.
"As far as this office is aware, the other members of the parliamentary rugby team come from a range of backgrounds, and Mr O'Connor has obviously been acquainted with them all for some time, through team activities," she said.
The Corrections Department last night refused to comment. A spokeswoman for chief executive Barry Matthews said the suspension of officers was a confidential matter.
Mr Morgan is understood to be still in France.
The rugby trip was part-financed its regular sponsors - including Air New Zealand, adidas, Lion Nathan, McDonald's, Visa and AMP - and the players are paying $3000 to $4000 each.
About 10 other MPs played in the team.
Coached by former All Black prop Richie Guy, they beat an international parliamentary team, made up mainly of players from Europe, 19-0 in Paris in their final match.
* Yesterday, it emerged that two Rimutaka guards had returned to work after being suspended.
Acting Wellington Regional Manager Leanne Field said one of the officers has not had any allegations against him proven.
The other was still under investigation, but even if the charges against him were proven, they were not a firing offence.
- additional reporting, Audrey Young
