Education Secretary condemns video urging staff to sidestep information requests, orders fresh review

Secretary for Education Ellen MacGregor‑Reid said she is displeased after a leaked video showed senior official Dr Catherine Law telling colleagues not to write down information shared with Education Minister Erica Stanford’s office because it could be disclosed under the Official Information Act. The clip sparked criticism and the minister’s office said the incident was not isolated. The controversy unfolded six weeks before the national election, adding political pressure to the ministry. A staff‑driven review released on Thursday listed several problems in the curriculum division, including claims of favouritism, unprofessional conduct and a climate where employees hesitate to raise concerns. MacGregor‑Reid told the radio programme Morning Report that Law’s remarks were incorrect and that all ministry staff must comply with the Official Information Act. She said she has commissioned an additional audit and will meet the chief ombudsman, sharing the ministry’s record of responding to past information requests. To her knowledge, no formal instruction to avoid written records has been issued. During the interview, host John Campbell asked whether the video reflected the wider workplace culture. MacGregor‑Reid clarified that Dr Law is a seconded school principal, not a senior career bureaucrat, and that she cannot explain Law’s thinking but has ordered a review to determine if the issue is systemic. The minister also noted that other allegations of avoiding the Act have surfaced, some dismissed by Minister Stanford as ideologically driven, and reiterated that staff can bring concerns to her safely and that any findings will be documented and subject to public access under the Act.