1. Employment Relations Amendment Bill—Government SupportHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSEmployment Relations Amendment Bill—Government Support1. Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes in their context.Hon Paula Bennett: Will the Labour-led Government support the Employment Relations Amendment Bill that was approved by Cabinet as it is currently written?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister after 25 years of MMP we expect members of Parliament to come here understanding the lexicon and language of MMP. That's number one—it's a coalition between the Labour Party and New Zealand First with support agreement from the Green Party. Having got that out of the way can I just say that the bill is progressing successfully and it will pass in the fullness of time.Hon Paula Bennett: Can he confirm the Employment Relations Amendment Bill has already been approved by Cabinet?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: The bill was approved by Cabinet for introduction of course but it has a parliamentary process to go through and I would have thought members over there understood roughly what the process is. There will be a second reading there will be a committee of the full House looking at it and it will go into a third reading. Only then will it become legislation. Hon Chris Hipkins: Can the Prime Minister confirm that it's her expectation that the Government listen and Ministers listen to the select committee process and the feedback that members of the public give in a select committee process; and is that a change from what New Zealanders might be used to through the select committee process?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I can answer on behalf of the Prime Minister that listening and paying attention to the public is something that the Government parties do to a fault and we want to go on encouraging them to do that—listening to what the public have got to say rather than having the arrogant view that they service a little elite out there of about 2 percent of the population.Clayton Mitchell: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I didn't want to interrupt the question or the answer given just then but I found it extremely difficult to actually hear that question being answered and I wonder if the people back home actually had the same issue because there was so much noise coming from the Opposition benches.SPEAKER: I note the member's comment. I think it's fair to say that some of the noise came at a point where I should probably have stopped the Leader of House in his questioning because it was a question which invited an attack on the Opposition which in itself is out of order.Hon Nikki Kaye: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just wondered whether that applied to the Education Amendment Bill where the member denied members—SPEAKER: Order! No—hiding down there doesn't mean that the member gets away. I think the member does know that that point of order was disorderly and she will withdraw and apologise.Hon Nikki Kaye: I withdraw and apologise.Hon Paula Bennett: In light of the previous question and answer from the Prime Minister can she confirm that the Labour-led Government unanimously voted for the bill at select committee and the bill has now been prepared for a second reading and do they know how they will vote for it?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister that member will not conform to the proper language of an MMP environment. We do not intend to answer her mindless questions. She knows full well the construction. We can handle it. That's why we're here and that's why they're over there because they just don't grasp what the new environment looks like.Hon Paula Bennett: In light of the previous question and in light of the previous answer will the Winston Peters - led Government unanimously vote—SPEAKER: Order! Order! That was deliberately disorderly and the National Party will lose two supplementaries as a result of it. Hon Paula Bennett: So does the Government support the Employment Relations Amendment Bill as it is currently written and has been reported back to the House?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Can I say on behalf of the Prime Minister that the governing parties always supported that legislation but they were always mindful of the fact that there was a select committee process to go through and that we have a—Hon Paula Bennett: It's been reported back and your party voted for it.SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Look we're not going to have a drive to the bottom of the moronic abyss that that member wants us to go to. We are talking about the process of a full committee of the House and then on to the third reading. That's what's being targeted. That's what we'll do.