Trade Minister Tim Groser did not mean to cause offence when drinking on an international flight, Prime Minister John Key says.Last Friday the PM's office confirmed a member of the public had complained about Mr Groser's behaviour on a recent flight from
Trade Minister Tim Groser did not mean to cause offence when drinking on an international flight, Prime Minister John Key says.
Last Friday the PM's office confirmed a member of the public had complained about Mr Groser's behaviour on a recent flight from Dubai.
It was dealt with by Mr Key's chief of staff, Wayne Eagleson.
"The minister acknowledged that there had been some drinking on the flight but he felt his behaviour was appropriate," Mr Key's spokesman told NZPA.
"We still gave him the message." That was that Mr Key expected a high standard of behaviour from his ministers.
Today Mr Key told Newstalk ZB that the complaint letter had been sent to him and he gave it to Mr Eagleson to handle.
Mr Groser said he was drinking with others at a bar in the back of the plane and may have been a "little bit noisy".
Mr Key said the minister had not intended to offend anyone and would have quietened down if the problem was raised with him at the time.
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