Bennett can't hide from damning report

Responsibility for the security breaches at the Ministry of Social Development, along with the ‘slack and sloppy’ processes within the department, cannot be dismissed by Paula Bennett as operational, Labour’s Social Development spokesperson Jacinda Ardern says.

“The Deloitte report shows the security risks around the department’s IT systems were clearly highlighted in an independent report by Dimension Data more than a year ago.

“Chief executive Brendan Boyle calls the lack of follow-up ‘slack and sloppy’. That’s an apt description of Paula Bennett’s handling of this fiasco.

“Here’s a Minister who wants to establish a database for at-risk children and ‘improve’ information sharing for those kids, who can’t even get the basics right – the report not only slams the Ministry's insufficient focus on security and privacy during design and build, but also its inadequate risk management.

“It’s not good enough that Ms Bennett, throughout this entire affair, has labelled it an operational issue and dismissed wider security issues as ‘human error’.

“Public confidence in her department is not an operational matter.

“While it is encouraging to see another report will look at broader issues around security of the Ministry’s IT systems and culture, it is Ms Bennett who needs to stand up and be accountable if there is to be any chance of restoring confidence in MSD.

“There is no way she can hide from this,” Jacinda Ardern said.