11. Office of Ethnic Communities—PremisesHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister for Ethnic CommunitiesOffice of Ethnic Communities—PremisesHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I note the Minister is not in the House and I seek leave for the question to be deferred until the Minister is present next Tuesday.SPEAKER: OK and I want some clarification. Is the member trying for an extra question or just holding it back.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Just transferring the question.SPEAKER: And the member wants an extra question when the Minister's next here. Is there any objection to that? Yes there is.11. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister for Ethnic Communities: Are the statements in the Onehunga Community News that The Office of Ethnic Communities is moving into premises in Onehunga which will be shared with list MP Priyanca Radhakrishnan." and the quote by her parliamentary under-secretary saying "We've boosted support that we're providing in terms of connecting with ethnic communities so we have more staff members working in our ethnic communities' outreach teams." correct?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education) on behalf of the Minister for Ethnic Communities: On behalf of the Minister for Ethnic Communities in answer to the first quotation the member has used no. In answer to the second quotation that the member used in his question I have no ministerial responsibility for Parliamentary Service's funded staff or the comments that MPs make about them.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Did the parliamentary under-secretary tell the Onehunga Community News that the new premises included the Office of Ethnic Communities?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I'm advised no.Hon Dr Nick Smith: How can the Government claim that the Onehunga Community News report is the fault of the publication when the editor has stated that no correction will be made to the story as it is consistent with her recording of the interview with her parliamentary under-secretary and Government colleagues or is the Government saying that the editor is being untruthful?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I'm not saying that the editor is being untruthful. I am saying that the editor has confused two different issues. There are Parliamentary Service staff employed under the Labour Party Parliamentary Service's allocation for which I have no ministerial responsibility who are doing ethnic community outreach who are in that office. There are no staff from the Office of Ethnic Communities working in that office. That would be inappropriate. Nor has there been any suggestion that there would be staff from the core Public Service working in that office.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Why if the parliamentary under-secretary had no intention to mislead that there was anything other than Parliamentary Service staff did the parliamentary under-secretary specifically promote the Office of Ethnic Affairs and the provision of funds in the Budget for expanding the staff of the Office of Ethnic Affairs at those premises?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I reject the assertion in the member's question. I have the article in front of me and it is abundantly clear from reading the direct quotes of the member of Parliament who has made them that he was speaking of Parliamentary Service staff and not staff of the Office of Ethnic Communities.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Will she ensure that the parliamentary under-secretary Michael Wood respects the political neutrality of the Office of Ethnic Communities and stops using the role to promote the Labour Party?Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Despite the numerous denials from this Government that member is now making a very serious allegation and he cannot substantiate it and there's a more appropriate place if he thinks that's right.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Speaking to the point of order.SPEAKER: No. I don't need any further help with this one. I don't think in my listening to the question the member had suggested that Mr Wood had acted inappropriately. I think the request was: did he not? So Chris Hipkins can answer the question.Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I have received no evidence to suggest that he has done so."