Peters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 02 December 2015. Volume:710;Page:8469. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Minister for the Environment: Does he stand by all his statements?Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment): Yes particularly my statement that parties that are genuinely concerned about jobs about housing and about regional development in areas like Northland will support the Government’s resource management reforms.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does he particularly stand by the statement he made in regard to the proposed changes to the Resource Management Act and the involvement of iwi in water management that “I actually think there are advantages for all New Zealanders in these changes”; if so why?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I support involving iwi properly in the consultation and development of water plans and improving New Zealand’s water management—and I would say for instance that I think the member supports it as well. I noted that on 11 December—Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am asking him about his comments not about mine or New Zealand First policy. I just want to know as the public does what his comments mean.Mr SPEAKER: No no. You asked whether the Minister stood by his comments; he has answered that he does and he was giving an explanation. If the member does not want—Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I am happy to give the member a further—Mr SPEAKER: No. If the member does not want to hear the explanation we will move on with further supplementary questions.Rt Hon Winston Peters: That is OK Mr Speaker. [Interruption] The joke will be on you baldy.Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Kris Faafoi I am on my feet. Would the member just proceed to ask his supplementary question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Minister where the advantage for all New Zealanders is in having the statutory responsibility for the allocation and control of fresh water transferred from councils to unelected private interests based on racial entitlement?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: That certainly is not in the bill; it is certainly not in the Government proposals. But I would note that changes were made to the Resource Management Act providing for iwi joint management agreements that also cover water. That legislation was introduced to the House on 16 December 2004 and voted in favour of by both the member and his party.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I just need some silence from my right-hand side.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I have a read-out of the proposed law 11 years later—for example like 2015—rather than something reciting—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I have no idea what point of order the member is making.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can this Minister tell the House what iwi or hapū values are and how developing a range of mechanisms to give effect to them will improve water quality given that that is the proposed objective in a document from the iwi leaders group that Cabinet received in July of this year—2015?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: This Government does believe that iwi and Māori need to have an effective say in the way in which this country manages its freshwater resources. I would note that that member’s party also agreed with that view—Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have asked this Minister whether he can tell the House what iwi and hapū values are. That is all that was in this question.Mr SPEAKER: No it was not. The member then went on and added about a memorandum that had come from the iwi leaders group in July—[Interruption] No—[Interruption] Order! If the member wants to remain in the House to ask his questions he—[Interruption] Order! The member will resume his seat. If the member had simply asked that I could have helped but that was not the question the member asked. He then added substantially more which gives a very wide ambit for the Minister in answering the question. If the member wants a short sharp answer he needs to ask a short sharp supplementary question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I want to specifically refer to what I asked for which was iwi and hapū values given that they are in the proposed objective document—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The way forward—[Interruption] Order! If the member wants to stay to ask another supplementary question—[Interruption] Order! The member will stand and withdraw and apologise for that interjection.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I withdraw and apologise. Point of order—Mr SPEAKER: No. The member will now resume his seat. I have ruled that the question that was asked was very elaborate and gave the Minister quite a wide ambit in answering it. That is my final decision on that. If the member wants to ask further supplementary questions he can do so; otherwise I am very happy to move to the next question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Given that I asked the Minister to tell us what iwi and hapū—Mr SPEAKER: Order! A short sharp supplementary question please.Rt Hon Winston Peters: With respect Mr Speaker I had hardly got out the first five words when you made that criticism.Mr SPEAKER: And the member should read Speakers’ rulings and understand that you are not actually meant to ask questions starting with the words “Given that”. If we can now have further supplementary questions that are in order we will have them.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Will he advise what iwi and hapū values are as referred to in a document that Cabinet received and will he give credence or support to the following demands made in this document: one that ownership of all Crown-owned lake and riverbeds be transferred to iwi; two that ownership of freshwater be transferred to iwi; three that all marae receive freshwater infrastructure; and four that iwi receive—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The question is too long. It can be answered—[Interruption] Order! There are three questions there that I deciphered.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: What I can be very clear about is the Government’s policy with respect to freshwater and that is that no one owns the water that we need to work the issues through on a catchment-by-catchment basis and that the final decisions on all water plans across New Zealand will be made by elected councils.Marama Fox: Can the Minister enlighten us as to whether Wairarapa Moana will be part of the settlement in which the member Ron Mark negotiated on behalf of Wairarapa iwi to return to Kahungunu?Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I would—Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member has a right to raise a point of order.Rt Hon Winston Peters: My point of order is that you have been at pains to make sure that the Opposition asks certain specific questions except that you are allowing Ministers to deviate having been led on by supplementary questions from the Government side. First of all—No. 1 this is a confidential matter. It cannot be disclosed in this Parliament. That is a breach of confidentiality—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am unaware of whether it is a confidential matter. I have got an interjection coming from my side which should not be coming through a point of order that it is in the public arena. So I cannot make a comment—[Interruption] Order! I am on my feet. The question that was asked is certainly in order. It was a longer question than I would have liked but it is definitely in order.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I know that it is probably not possible for you to make a ruling right now but could I ask you in consultation with the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations to look at the obligations of the Crown in its negotiations to keep confidential all matters relating to ongoing negotiations. That is a clear breach of the confidentiality agreement between the Crown and the negotiators of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki Nui-ā-Rua.Mr SPEAKER: I will hear from the Hon Gerry Brownlee.Hon Gerry Brownlee: You might want to expand that investigation or consideration a little bit further because if in fact the question from Marama Fox was a breach of confidentiality then we would be in a position of New Zealand First in fact arguing that no other iwi should get the secret provisions that it has been able to negotiate for a particular iwi. That itself would be a breach of the confidentiality.Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! No I need no further assistance. [Interruption] Order! Mr Mark has asked me to look further into this matter and acknowledges I am not in a position to make a decision as to whether this is in the public arena at this stage. I will look into the matter. In the meantime I am going to invite the Minister to answer the question. I would expect him if it is a matter of confidentiality to state that in his answer.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I have been briefed by the Ministry for the Environment on the proposed agreement dealing with the Wairarapa Moana change of ownerships in respect of the longstanding relationship that local iwi has. I would commend the member the mayor for his involvement in what I think is a constructive way forward for that water body.