Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden is making inquiries after a high-ranking public servant messaged musician Fred Again about a Wellington DJ who needed to fast-track her passport so she could play a gig with him overseas.
The minister said it was not appropriate for officials to use their personal channels for official business and she wanted to check there had been “no undue influence in this case”.
But deputy chief executive of service delivery and operations Maria Robertson said she did not do anything to fast-track the passport, and simply acknowledged the DJ’s application and copied a colleague into the email.
Robertson’s messages with English DJ Fred Again were posted on social media this week after Wellington woman Tessa Hills, whose stage name is Messie, was chosen to join the Australian leg of his global tour.
Hills told the Herald she realised after getting the gig that she did not have an up-to-date passport.
Fred Again posted on social media asking for help, noting that even with an urgent passport application, Hills would not receive a passport in time to go to the show, as these applications can take up to three working days.
Fans pulled together to offer advice and help to Hills, with some even contacting Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on social media. He did not have any involvement in the passport process, his office confirmed.
Robertson said “a number of people” saw Fred Again’s post, including her son, who was a fan of his music.
She said her son contacted Hills, who contacted her, having already made the urgent passport application and paid the fee. Robertson acknowledged her email and copied in a colleague. Her involvement did not extend any further than that. “I do that with every email,” she said.
Robertson then contacted Fred Again to let him know the matter was under control.
One of her messages to him was posted on social media.
“My son got in touch with Tessa after seeing your post, Tessa got in touch with us, she’s made her application and we are sorting it with her,” Robertson wrote. “We love your music and we are thrilled you are backing one of our own to support your gig.”
“I get emails every day from people when they need some form of assistance or there’s an issue or a problem.”
Robertson had no involvement with decisions on Hills’ passport.
“We did our job, and we do that job for urgent passport applications hundreds of times per week,” she said.
“There’s nothing particularly unusual about it.
“People have all manner of needs that are met. A really important part of our job . . . is to respond to the needs. Not everyone has three days’ warning.”
The Government passports website notes that people who need to travel urgently in less than three working days have an avenue to sort their urgent travel, by making the application then calling the passports office straight away.
“It is a really important part of our job.
“Our responsiveness is something we pride ourselves on . . . it doesn’t matter who you are, if you have an urgent need and we can meet that need, we will help everyone.”
This afternoon, van Velden said she would be making inquiries with the DIA on the “chain of events” leading to Messie’s passport approval.
“My expectation for every official dealing with passports is to not have their personal relationships affect their work. It is not appropriate for officials to use their personal channels for official business.”
Van Velden said she was pleased the DJ in this case would receive her passport in time.
“However I have an expectation that all New Zealanders be treated equally regardless of their public status and want to make sure that there has been no undue influence in this case.
“My clear expectation is that the privacy of individuals applying for passports is upheld and not disclosed to other individuals and I intend to make that expectation extremely clear to the department.”
Hills said she made her passport application yesterday and it had been approved within four hours. She was due to fly down to Wellington this afternoon to pick it up.
She said she was never particularly worried, and believed it would all work out in time.
“Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart,” she said to everyone who had offered help and advice.
“I’m so grateful to have such supportive people around me, it’s not gone unnoticed. I definitely am feeling the love from all of New Zealand.
“Everyone that’s reached out has been so, so kind. I’m super grateful and hope to make everyone proud.”
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
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