Smith NickHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): Madam Chairperson I wish to take a call about the muddled and duplicitous approach of the Government in respect of the issue of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the justice sector an issue that I raised at the select committee. Now in Opposition Labour rallied against PPPs. I could read quotes and I'll read one specifically for members opposite: The difference between National and Labour is that we believe in the public sector and we won't be having the private sector running or owning our prisons." Then right before the election even the Prime Minister said this: "Labour does not agree with PPPs when it comes to building core infrastructure like prisons." And then even after the change of Government and Mr Davis got his ministerial warrant and there was discussion about Waikeria Prison Mr Davis said "We are yet to make decisions but we will not"—not—"be agreeing to a public-private partnership." So when the Estimates came along and we have a $750 million public-private partnership I choked on my Kornies. I said to myself "Well what possibly could have led a political party that's rallied against PPPs to suddenly do one for three-quarters of a billion dollars?"But it gets worse than that. When the Government announced the PPP they said they were doing it because they had to because the previous Government had signed a contract. At the select committee we asked the Minister what date the contract for the Waikeria Prison was signed. And do you know what the answer was from the Minister and officials? "It hasn't been signed yet." And so we have this incredible situation where not only has the Labour Party gone back on its word to New Zealanders on PPPs in the prison sector; it's then had the audacity to dishonestly blame National.Now I don't know what words we might use for that sort of behaviour but I think it completely lacks integrity. It completely lacks integrity and the Minister of Corrections' performance at the select committee was truly bizarre. The only answer he could give the select committee was "I'm perfectly happy that Waikeria Prison will be built by a PPP." Well New Zealanders deserve far better in the justice sector than that sort of dishonesty. If that's the sort of behaviour we're getting from the Minister of Corrections what sort of role model is he setting for the honesty that actually our justice system depends on? Finally I want to make some comment about the so-called electoral integrity law. I would love the Minister in the chair to please answer the question as to where the integrity is in members of the Green Party—CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Order! That did not come up in the Estimates.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Well no actually the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill is on the Minister's work programme for this financial year. It is part of the Estimates Madam Chair and I'm perfectly entitled to raise it and I'm perfectly entitled—as much as the Government wants to shut down the debate—[Interruption] As much as the Government wants to shut down the debate it is completely lacking integrity for a bill changing 330 years of constitutional history to pass it without a majority of support in this House—[Time expired]"