Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:630;Page:2131] 
2.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) 
 to the  
Associate Minister for Economic Development 
: What part has he played in general policy development as an Associate Minister for Economic Development since taking up the role? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS (Associate Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
I muai taku whakaututangai te patai kei te mihi atu ki te hoa o te kaipatai ki a Nick Smith: “Haere mai piki mai hoki mai.” 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
Before I reply to the question I extend greetings of welcome to Nick Smith colleague of the member who asked the question: “Welcome welcome welcome back” 
.] 
I have been involved in the development of industry and regional development— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: How can that be an answer? I raise a point of order Madam Speaker— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No I am sorry. As I understand what is happening that was a preliminary comment before the question is being answered. Is that right? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: Yes it was. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Well would you please just get to the answer; we do not have preliminaries before. Would you please just answer the question. 
Hon Tau Henare 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. As I understand it that was not just a preliminary comment to the question. It was a sarcastic comment about the return of Nick Smith to the House. So I think you need to be a bit stronger with your condemnation of the Minister. I think that that is actually a poor use of the Maori language in this House. The Minister is just trying to use Maori language to get away with it. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I would ask the Minister to withdraw and apologise. 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: I withdraw and apologise for the welcome. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I think you should reflect on this matter somewhat further and maybe give a considered ruling to the House because what the Minister has done is quite serious. He has breached the Standing Orders deliberately made a sarcastic comment—and we have had that confirmed; it was completely out of order—and put the interpreter in an impossible situation because he could not interpret it properly. We have a Minister who is not prepared to stand up in the House and say in an honest way what he wanted to say. Instead he tried to hide under the Maori language and say something in a language that only a few people could understand. I think that that is an abuse that you should consider most carefully and give a report to this House on. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. I will consider it. Would the Minister now please reply to the question. 
Hone Harawira 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Is it a new point of order? 
Hone Harawira 
: Aye it is. In terms of the sarcastic responses be they in Maori or in English it would seem to me that Dr Cullen’s response to Rodney Hide was far more sarcastic than the response from our Minister over here. The fact that the Minister was speaking in Maori and that it was interpreted should not in any way detract from it being part of his formal response to the question. Me mihi au ki a ia motonakorero. 
[ 
I must congratulate him on what he said. 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member for his comment. The Minister in his answer can incorporate what he wishes but would he please now address the question. 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: I have been involved in the development of industry and regional economic development policy at several levels. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Why did the Minister give an interview with the  
Independent 
 newspaper about the decision of the Minister of Conservation in the case of the Whangamata marina? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: The  
Independent 
 journalist rang me when I was at a sitting of a select committee in Hokitika. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The question asked why did he give the interview not when or how. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: He gave the interview because somebody rang him and asked to speak to him. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That was my understanding of it. There will be further questions. 
Shane Jones 
: He aha nga kaupapa kua paui a ia i roto i te wa e tu ana ia hei Minita Tuaruamonga take whanaketanga? What policy initiatives has the Minister been involved with regarding his delegated responsibilities as Associate Minister with responsibility for Maori economic development? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: In particular I have been involved in the development of key Maori economic policies which have enhanced Maori participation in New Zealand’s economy. 
Hon Member 
: Which ones? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: If the member will wait for a little while I will tell him. Namely these are the formation and the strengthening of Maori tourism structures which has brought about a renaissance in the Maori tourism sector. This sector is enjoying rapid growth. Tourism contributes more than $15 billion to the New Zealand economy and I am proud to say that the Maori nation in terms of Maori tourism is making a valid and major contribution to the economy. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does he stand by his comments in the  
Independent 
 article in which he said: “Ministers should not be allowed to overturn the decision of a jury or a court” or does he stand by his comments in the House yesterday when he said: “I believe that the Minister of Conservation should have overall jurisdiction in terms of the final decision under the Act.”; if he does not why has he changed his mind? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: The reality is that the Minister has the final decision. Those are the provisions of the Act. I remind the House that the legislation was put into place by Nick Smith and his National Government. The process that was followed by my colleague the Hon Chris Carter was an honourable one. The issues I have raised have been raised as a matter of process and that process was in regard to the experience I had as a councillor some years ago. 
Hon Jim Anderton 
: Can the Minister confirm that during the period 2002-05 as Associate Minister for Economic Development he was delegated a wide range of economic development initiatives to follow through including the economic development of Northland and in particular the Maori people of Northland and could he comment on whether his sojourn in that position resulted in an improvement or a decrease in economic activity and well-being in Northland? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: One of the major factors that our people realise in terms of economic success is how many people are employed. I say to this House that the majority of Maori people in Te Tai Tokerau enjoy full employment at this particular time. That has been as a result of the economic policies that have been driven by this Government. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Why was the Minister so condemning of Chris Carter when he did the interview with the  
Independent 
 last week but today he is so very complimentary about the very decision he was railing against some days ago? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: I tell that member that I was not condemning and I have never ever been condemning of my honourable colleague Chris Carter. I restated that situation yesterday in the House and I have not changed my mind since. Perhaps that member could learn a little bit about aroha to give to his own side and if he wants to understand what aroha is all about what integrity and friendship in a relationship is all about I could brief him on all that after question time. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Has the Minister shared his “huge frustration” about the unworkability of the Government’s aquaculture legislation with his colleague the Minister of Fisheries or will we have to wait for another  
Independent 
 phone call to find out his real views? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: No I have not shared my frustrations with anybody because I do not have any frustrations—unlike the member across the other side of the House. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Then why did the Minister tell the  
Independent 
 that he had huge frustrations and that it undermines the integrity of the process when Ministers make those decisions and why has he described the Government’s ocean policies as pie in the sky? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: My observations and my comments to the  
Independent 
 were ones of process involving the procedures under the Resource Management Act. That is absolutely what it was all about. I suggest that that member read my comments in context. At the end of the day if that member wants to know what the impediments are in the Resource Management Act and if he wants a briefing on it and if he wants a way to be able to resolve those issues then I will be free to brief him at the end of question time. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Will the Minister give his sign-off for the full tape of his interview with the  
Independent 
 to be made available to this House? 
Hon DOVER SAMUELS 
: I was not aware that the  
Independent 
 had a tape. That is a matter for the  
Independent 
. Perhaps I should start taping the member’s questions.