Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:652;Page:1698] 
4.  
Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour—Waimakariri) 
 to the  
Minister of Police 
: Is the police code of conduct adequate for the administration of the police and the maintenance of public confidence in the police? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS (Minister of Police) 
: 
 I am advised that the New Zealand Police is confident that its code of conduct is adequate for the administration of the New Zealand Police and the maintenance of public confidence. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Does she think it appropriate for a senior police officer who was discovered by a volunteer community patrol slumped over the wheel of his police car who was asleep behind a service station and was smelling of alcohol while recovering from a drinking session who was seen only a few minutes later to be driving his vehicle erratically towards his home and who then refused to take a breath test to be then rewarded by being granted 6 months’ gardening leave on full pay? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: As I have advised the member employment inquiries with the New Zealand Police are matters that I cannot comment on. 
Sandra Goudie 
: What can the Minister say about a code of conduct inquiry? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: Nothing. As it is an employment inquiry it is a matter for the employer and is subject to privacy law. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Will she then recommend to the Commissioner of Police changes she may feel would be appropriate to the police code of conduct so as to avoid this situation ever happening again? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: The matter that the member refers to is obviously hypothetical and I would think that the member should understand that under the Policing Act I do not have responsibility for the employment decisions of the New Zealand Police. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I seek your advice. I asked a specific question—not hypothetical—as to whether she if she saw fit would recommend changes to the Commissioner of Police in respect of the code of conduct. She is entitled to recommend anything she likes to her officials. That is a specific question; it is nothing to do with a hypothetical matter. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Where the member is seeking an opinion he may not necessarily get the opinion that he is seeking. I cannot assist him on that. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Does the Minister realise that her continued inability to properly condemn this incident is tarnishing the professional image of the police who on the whole carry out their duties honourably and professionally; and does she agree with the  
Dominion  
Post which noted: “For the sake of confidence in the police the full facts of the Thomas case must be made public.”? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: The supposition on which the member has based his question is incorrect. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Will the Minister now show a modicum of leadership and express—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member has a right to ask his question. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Thank you. I am glad to see the Opposition treat this issue very seriously Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will get on with the question please. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: When will—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The House will be quiet while the member asks his question. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Standing Orders are very clear that a person asking a question cannot make remarks or other suggestions in it outside the question. That is exactly what the member has done. He has not even asked his question and he has made a derogatory comment about the Minister. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I accept that procedures in the last 60 seconds have not been great. Would the member please ask his question without provoking disorder. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: When will the Minister show leadership and express her condemnation of and outrage at this incident given that the Commissioner of Police has said that the police officer in question had a moral duty to undertake a breath test; or does she exhibit outrage only when she is in this House being called to account as the responsible Minister by Parliament? 
Hon JUDITH COLLINS 
: No matter what my personal views are on this matter the fact is that police officers are entitled to employment law and that member as a member of the Labour Party should actually have some regard to that.