The new leader of the Labour Party says an apology about the release of information to a right-wing blogger should come from the Prime Minister, not the Security Intelligence Service.
The head of the SIS, Rebecca Kitteridge, will this morning apologise to former Labour Party leader Phil Goff.
The apology is expected as the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security, Cheryl Gwyn, releases findings of her investigation into allegations in Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics.
The book accused the Prime Minister's Office of helping right-wing blogger Cameron Slater to request information in 2011 which would be embarrassing to Goff.
Radio New Zealand has been told that Gwyn's report would confirm that.
Labour Party leader Andrew Little told Radio New Zealand that the situation arose because of an unhealthy relationship between John Key's office and bloggers.
“It is part of John Key's smear machine that he has set up, he's been tripped up by it, and I think irrespective of where the apology's come from in terms of the SIS, actually there needs to be an apology from John Key for the state apparatus being put in this position.”
In the lead-up to the election, Prime Minister John Key said neither he nor his office had anything to do with the information's release.
The inquiry was also expected to reveal that the-then SIS director, Warren Tucker, dealt with the request for information in an incomplete and unprofessional manner.
