Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:629;Page:1656] 
3.  
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: How often does he exercise personal judgment in his role as Minister for Social Development and Employment? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 Often and subject of course to existing Government policy and the collective decisions of my Cabinet colleagues. 
Judith Collins 
: What does it say of his ability to make sound judgments for one of our country’s most important ministries when his judgment has seen him call the tennis ball allegations “ridiculous” and say that he “utterly refuted them” then change track and merely say he has no recollection of the incident and when his judgment has seen him prematurely release parts of his police report and say that it “vindicated him” when police found the nine witnesses against him credible and that there was a prima facie case of assault against him? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: Those allegations were exhaustively canvassed by a very lengthy police investigation at the end of which the authorities made a decision to take no further action. 
Judith Collins 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The Minister was asked what it said about his ability to make sound judgments. I do not believe if you consider his answer that he actually addressed that question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Minister addressed the question. 
Judith Collins 
: What does it say of his personal judgment that he referred to the latest allegations of improper behaviour as “nonsense” only to acknowledge later that there had been complaints and then to apologise? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: The quote referred to was in relation to the articles on the Wishart website and those allegations were despicable—as despicable as the comments of that member in the House yesterday. 
Judith Collins 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Is that comment by the Minister in order or out of order? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: It was not an unparliamentary term. 
Judith Collins 
: OK—as long as we can now use “despicable”. What does it say of his personal judgment that he said to the House yesterday: “I completely refute the ridiculous statement that has just been made by Mr Hide”; and if does refute it what does he now want to say to Geana Earl who has backed up Mr Hide’s allegation? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I would say to Geana Earl that she should recall not only my refutation of her allegation but also that of the school and the female staff member Ms Armstrong who was present at the same time which was communicated to her parents some years ago. 
Judith Collins 
: What does it say of his personal judgment that he said in this House he was not aware of any complaints made against him when it has been alleged and verified that a student a parent and a teacher all laid complaints against him? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: Like any member of this House I am human and sometimes make mistakes. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: If you wish to remain in the Chamber in question time please do not interrupt while the member is asking her question. 
Heather Roy 
: What advice would he give as the Minister for Social Development and Employment to a mother if a male teacher had entered a dormitory when girls were getting dressed or changing whether or not the school had a policy in place and can he detail any circumstances when it would be appropriate for a male teacher to enter a dormitory unannounced? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I would advise the mother or any parent or concerned adult to make an appropriate approach to the relevant authorities and ascertain the facts of the matter concerned. 
Rodney Hide 
: Following his answer yesterday does he now accept that he did enter a girls’ dormitory in 1998 after the policy had changed when the young pupils were getting changed for a school tramp to give them “a hurry-up”? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I do not recollect but if so it would have been subject to the school’s procedures including the giving of an advance warning. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: I seek the leave of the House to table a document from a National voter saying that he sees these personal attacks on Mr Benson-Pope as being from small-minded and malicious people who wish only to ruin a man’s reputation. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? 
Judith Collins 
: Point of order— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I am dealing with something else and I would like to complete it. Leave was sought. [ 
Interruption 
] Does the member wish to raise a point of information? 
Judith Collins 
: Yes a point of information. How does the Minister know that that document is from a National voter when of course votes in this country are secret and anybody can say he or she is a National voter—and hopefully there will be a lot more? 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Simply because the person states in black and white that he is a National voter and “probably always will be although I still weigh all the issues up before voting”. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave has been sought. Is there any objection? There is no objection. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon Steve Maharey 
: I seek leave to table an email from a National Party voter who says: “I am disappointed that the National Party in so far as I am concerned needs to dish dirt in order to make points.” 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought. [ 
Interruption 
] I understand the point; members themselves can decide. 
Judith Collins 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Would the Minister please explain how he can be certain that the person is a National Party supporter. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order or a point of clarification. Leave has been sought. Members can decide for themselves whether that document should be admitted. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Despite the fact that the person says they are and has obviously put their name to it the member cannot surely raise objection on the basis that that is two and that is one too many! 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That point of order was about as irrelevant as the others. Leave is sought. Is there any objection? There is objection.