Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:630;Page:2399] 
3.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) 
 to the  
Minister responsible for Ministerial Services 
: Does she share the concerns of the Auditor-General who in his inquiry into funding arrangements for Green Party liaison roles stated that “there is a risk arising out of the three individuals being based in the Green Party’s parliamentary office … the 3 individuals may be drawn into activities outside the scope of the Vote Ministerial Services appropriations”; if not why not? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Minister responsible for Ministerial Services) 
: 
 No because I have been advised by Ministerial Services that the measures the Auditor-General recommended to avoid that risk have already been put in place and the Auditor-General states in his report: “No further steps are necessary beyond those the Department of Internal Affairs has agreed to take.” 
Gerry Brownlee 
: What assurances can the Minister give the House that Ministerial Services funding for the Green Party liaison roles and any other activities carried out by those people will not be spent on Green Party parliamentary or political activities and will she publicly release the protocols required by the Auditor-General? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Very clear guidelines are in place. The Department of Internal Affairs has worked with the Auditor-General on those and I am satisfied they are appropriate. As to specific protocols I am not sure what the member is referring to. 
Sue Bradford 
: Is the Minister confident that good progress is being made by this Government in its Buy Kiwi Made and energy-efficiency programmes and that the relationship between Government spokespeople and Ministers is proceeding well within the guidelines set down by the Auditor-General? 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. That question asks about the arrangements around coalition dealings. To then ask the Prime Minister to report on the satisfaction of the Greens’ work in this area steps well outside the province of that question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I listened to the question quite closely and it did actually relate to the guidelines that were in fact the subject of the Auditor-General’s report so I ask the right honourable Prime Minister to address that question. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I am satisfied the arrangements that have been made are absolutely in the interests of stable Government—which of course National members are not terribly interested in. I further wish to say that the work being done by Jeanette Fitzsimons on energy efficiency and Sue Bradford on the Buy Kiwi Made campaign are very important to the Government’s work programme. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Prime Minister share the Auditor-General’s concerns that the person working 70 percent of the time for the Prime Minister in the liaison position is the same person working 30 percent of the time as a political adviser to the Green Party—and therefore will have conflicts of interest—and how does that benefit the country? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: No because there are very clear guidelines. That benefits the country because it is in the interests of stable Government—something the National Party does not want. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Can the Prime Minister assure the House that under the protocols she has had the new furnishings for the Beehive ticked off as being bought in New Zealand or New Zealand - made? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That may be considered wide of the question but the right honourable Prime Minister may answer. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I really have no information about the furnishings in the Beehive. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Prime Minister agree that the report effectively makes it clear that the Green Party which has no responsibility for Government is being granted additional funding to compensate its election losses by a Prime Minister who will not hesitate to use taxpayer funds to ensure her own survival? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I think it is time the member read the Auditor-General’s report very carefully. [ 
Interruption 
] The Auditor-General has agreed that appropriate steps are in place to ensure stable Government and that they are in line with appropriate expenditure. I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I heard Nick Smith once again interjecting on a response to a question. That has been constant. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Unless the response to the answer was unparliamentary it is permitted. It is the barracking in fact that is not permitted. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek leave of the House to table the report of the inquiry into funding arrangements for the Green Party liaison roles released by the Auditor-General. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection. There is objection. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: On the issue of buying New Zealand - made and in the interests of satisfying the full ambit of Mr Brownlee’s question is the food that is to be served in the Beehive New Zealand – made and what quality is it? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I did allow the other question so if the right honourable Prime Minister wants to give a very brief response? [ 
Interruption 
] I permitted Mr Brownlee’s question which was very wide of the mark. Having done that with no objection from his colleagues I have permitted another.  
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I would be extraordinarily surprised if the meat supplied for tomorrow whether it is fish chicken beef or lamb is not Kiwi-made.