Mapp Wayne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mapp Wayne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:619;Page:14730] 
10.  
Dr WAYNE MAPP (National—North Shore) 
 to the  
Minister of Labour 
: Is he satisfied all correct procedures were followed by the Department of Labour leading up to the resignation of Ms AmokuraPanoho and that she was treated appropriately by Ministers and officials? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Labour) 
: 
 Yes. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: Does the Minister accept that the inappropriate activities of his ministerial colleagues Mr Tamihere and Ms Dyson for which Mr Tamihere has apologised on air contributed to Miss Panoho resigning and given that he is the Minister in charge what is he doing to remedy that wrongful dismissal? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: No. My concern was that the process and procedures were in place—and they were. I note from Miss Panoho’s comment in the  
New Zealand Herald 
 today that she did not plan any action against the Department of Labour which she said had “treated her with respect” and further said on  
Nine to Noon 
 that she was “not pressured to resign” and nor was she given an ultimatum. The process and procedures were good. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: If Community Employment Group cars were at the hui was it either a case that the cars were converted or that their drivers were there—and could have been there only if they were definitely on taxpayers’ paid business—because they were using those cars for that occasion? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: That was not my concern. My concern was with the process and procedure and they were followed properly. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister should make it his concern to answer my question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That may well be the case but— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: With respect he did not; he just said that it was not his concern. The purpose of question time is to bring our concerns to him and make them his concern. He did not answer the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Perhaps the Minister may comment. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: The Minister responsible for the Community Employment Group is my colleague Steve Maharey. My concern in the primary question was whether I considered the process and procedures followed were fair and I have answered that they were. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is perfectly correct. 
Heather Roy 
: Is it not true that the Minister’s department is investigating Miss Panoho’s role as northern regional manager of the Community Employment Group for inappropriately favouring capacity building for Maori groups but that the Government’s main concern is that Miss Panoho was approving inappropriate capacity building to favour the Maori Party when previously she had favoured the Labour Government? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I am not aware of that. 
Peter Brown 
: Was it appropriate for two Ministers to go out publicly with their thoughts on this issue and subsequently apologise on air and does the Minister believe that that was acting in good faith? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. What responsibility does this Minister have for other Ministers’ actions? The Prime Minister bears such responsibility. 
Peter Brown 
: I asked the Minister his views on acting principally in good faith; that was the thrust of my question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: In so far as that relates to the Minister’s portfolio he is to answer. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I note the last part of the comment—that the Ministers have apologised for those comments. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: Will the Minister ensure that the ministry has discussions with Miss Panoho in relation to reinstatement to her former position to the offer of a new position or to compensation for her wrongful constructive dismissal and will he report those discussions to this House? 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Is it permissible to ask a Minister to perform an act that he is not allowed to perform? That is precisely what the question has asked the Minister to do because he is not allowed to intervene in that fashion. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If the Minister is not allowed to intervene then of course that becomes his answer. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I am not allowed to intervene. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked two questions. The first one asked what he would do to ensure the ministry had discussions with Miss Panaho and secondly I asked whether he would report back to the House the results of any such discussions. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I think the answer to the second depends on the first. I am not allowed to intervene. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: I seek leave to table documents that show that the Hon Parekura Horomia was a candidate for the Labour Party while still general manager of the Community Employment Group. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.