Sio Su'a William: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Sio Su'a William: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:663;Page:11605] 
9. 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
 to the  
Minister of Pacific Island Affairs 
: Was there an open and transparent bidding process to ensure accountability for taxpayer funds before the decision was made to grant $4.8 million to the Pacific Economic Development Agency Ltd in Budget 2010; if not why not? 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU (Minister of Pacific Island Affairs) 
: 
 Talofa lava. The member is making an assumption that a contestable process was required. In this instance the Government decided to fund the Pacific Economic Development Agency for certain economic deliverables and new money was appropriated in Budget 2010 for this purpose. 
Su’a William Sio 
: Were any of the well-established organisations that offer similar services to the Pacific communities in Auckland—such as the Pacific Business Trust the New Zealand Pacific Business Council the Manukau Institute of Technology the Auckland University of Technology Best Pacific Institute of Education and the Pasifika Education Centre—able to bid for the $4.8 million before the Government awarded it to the Pacific Economic Development Agency Ltd; if so which one? 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: Those are all excellent organisations and yes they are all in Auckland. But as I said earlier this was a Budget initiative. New money was appropriated specifically for the provision of services from the Pacific Economic Development Agency. 
Su’a William Sio 
: What did the Pacific Economic Development Agency say it could deliver in return for $4.8 million of taxpayer money that other well-established organisations could not? 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: The Government is still to enter into negotiations for a purchase agreement with the Pacific Economic Development Agency and all of those issues will be sorted out in good time. 
Su’a William Sio 
: Who represented the Pacific Economic Development Agency throughout its negotiations with the Government which resulted in it being awarded $4.8 million of taxpayer funding in Budget 2010? 
Hon GEORGINA TE HEUHEU 
: Ministers met with a number of people who are connected with that agency and we were convinced that it could offer certain services that would help the Government to achieve its priorities for Pacific people in Auckland. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was I think a specific and careful question about who represented it and I think that saying “a number of people” is not an answer to the question of who represented someone. Saying “a number of people” is not I think an answer to what was a careful and specific question without any spin around it at all. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think that the member makes a fair point. I think the question was a fair question that was totally focused on the primary question and if the Minister has that information it would be helpful to the House. [ 
Interruption 
] The Minister is indicating that she does not have that information with her. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I know that I am placing myself at some risk here but it just beggars belief that the Minister— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No the member will resume his seat right now. He cannot treat the House like that; that is not on. The Minister has indicated that she does not have that particular information and therefore she cannot answer the question with any more detail than that. People can make their own judgments about that but it is a perfectly fair answer to the question. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. In support of my colleague I say this is an important matter. I seek clarification as to whether the Minister is saying she does not know— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will resume his seat right now. I am on my feet. The member is trying to litigate the answer. That is not on. It is perfectly within the members’ opportunity to ask on the next sitting day a specific question about whom the negotiations took place with and then the Minister will answer it. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The point of order was just that if the Minister had a document with her for example that she might have access to or might have quoted from then it would not be within the Standing Orders for her to say she did not have that information so— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will resume his seat. He will not litigate this. The Minister has indicated to the Speaker that she does not have that information with her. I must take the Minister’s word on that and so must the member. He cannot litigate the matter in that way.