Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 16 April 2014. Volume:698;Page:17307. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Leader of the Opposition) to thePrime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Hon Judith Collins and her handling of her relationship with Oravida Ltd?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes. However as I have stated in the past the Minister’s interactions with Oravida could have led to a perception of a conflict of interest. I am sure she will manage that situation more carefully in the future.Hon David Cunliffe: Is the Prime Minister satisfied that Judith Collins has disclosed to him all relevant information about Oravida that she knows?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes.Hon David Cunliffe: Given his statement that he would “not want to be in her shoes” if there were any further embarrassing revelations or if she has withheld relevant information or has been “cute with the truth” will he rule out removing Judith Collins’ ministerial warrant if it emerges that she has withheld further relevant information?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I think the member is asking a hypothetical question but I am comfortable with the actions of the Minister.Hon David Cunliffe: Does the Prime Minister stand by his statement that “I think she had a responsibility to make clear all of the meetings that she held in Beijing even if one of them was a ‘private meeting’. And she certainly should have made me aware of that.”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes.Hon David Cunliffe: How does he reconcile his answer to the last question with Judith Collins’ resiling from that position yesterday?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: She did not and if the member was here he would know that. But I guess that that is what it is like when life is in the slow lane. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Supplementary question the Hon David Cunliffe.Hon David Cunliffe: At least I did not renege on a housing debate.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Just ask the question.Hon David Cunliffe: Why did the Prime Minister’s office advise Judith Collins not to divulge the name and position of a senior Chinese border control official?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Because it was not germane to the conversation. What I can confirm is that I made the name the individual’s agency and his seniority well known to the Cabinet Office on the advice that it provided to me.Hon David Cunliffe: Is Oravida being given favourable treatment above and beyond any other company or cooperative sending the message that if you make a sizable donation to the National Party and appoint a Minister’s husband to your board you get a better deal?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No.Hon David Cunliffe: Did a donation to the National Party result from the Prime Minister’s second game of golf with Oravida chairman Stone Shi?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I have no ministerial responsibility for that. [Interruption]Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order.Grant Robertson: The question that the Leader of the Opposition asked was whether a donation had come from something that the Prime Minister had done. He is responsible for his actions as Prime Minister.Mr SPEAKER: No. There is no ministerial responsibility. I was about to rule the question out before the Prime Minister managed to get his answer out by saying that. That is an acceptable answer. There is no ministerial responsibility.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I was wondering whether you could ask the Prime Minister to speak up when he answers the questions. He is not speaking very close to his microphone and we most definitely want to hear his answers.Mr SPEAKER: I think the issue is more the level of noise and interjection—and it is occurring now and I am on my feet. The level of interjection from all around the House is not only making it difficult for the Rt Hon Winston Peters to hear but making it difficult for me to hear as well.Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I would like to remind you of exactly what that last question was. It asked about an action of the Prime Minister which involved the Prime Minister in his prime ministerial capacity taking with him Diplomatic Protection Squad people using ministerial services—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. I will have a careful look later. I have made a ruling with regard to that question for today.Hon David Parker: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order and it will be heard.Hon David Parker: I struggle to understand why you stood the Hon Trevor Mallard down through the middle of his point of order.Mr SPEAKER: Because I had heard enough. It was not strictly a relevant point of order. I have ruled on that question. I have given the member an assurance that I will look at the transcript. I always do.Hon David Cunliffe: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. In reviewing the tape as you have undertaken so kindly to do could I draw your attention to a possibility which is that if the Prime Minister had not played a second game of golf with Mr Shi in his prime ministerial capacity it would have been open to him to state that to the House. What he has said to the House is that he has no ministerial responsibility for the question at all and I would submit for your consideration that that is a different answer from the fact that he was not using his prime ministerial capacity.Mr SPEAKER: I will certainly relook at the transcript later on this afternoon.