Parliament finds MBIE officials in contempt for misleading MPs over cancelled IT project

The Privileges Committee has found MBIE committed contempt of Parliament by deliberately misleading MPs about a cancelled biometric upgrade project. In March, chief executive Nic Blakeley and former Immigration New Zealand head Alison McDonald failed to disclose the project's cancellation. Blakeley cited commercial sensitivity around NEC negotiations; the committee ruled selective answering can constitute contempt regardless. No further sanction was recommended, as both had publicly apologised.