Goudie Sandra: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Goudie Sandra: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 21 February 2007. Volume:637;Page:7549. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
12.  
SANDRA GOUDIE (National—Coromandel) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Health 
: What reports has he received regarding problem-gambling service providers since his statement of 24 October 2006 that he hoped “to have a report by the end of next week” and will he be making those reports public? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Associate Minister of Health) 
: 
 On 3 November 2006 I received an interim report on 12 providers identified as being high-risk and I am expecting a final report on these providers by 2 March. The Ministry of Health has also been undertaking routine audits of problem-gambling service providers and I am expecting a report on 7 March. The results of these audits will be made publicly available. 
Sandra Goudie 
: What is the Minister doing about problem-gambling service provider contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars when the Minister and his officials have seen reports showing that providers are falling well short of contracted levels; or is he just waiting for the best time to dump those potentially embarrassing reports in the hope they will go unnoticed? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: Far from it. Three providers will have their contracts terminated four providers have had their funding reduced all nine remaining providers are being monitored on a monthly basis and we are currently negotiating some repayments. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Does the Minister stand by his statement that if these people are not able to meet the targets then they will be required to give money back; if so what money has he received back if any? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I am not sure whether that member is deaf. 
Hon Bill English 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Correct me if I am wrong but I think I just heard a member standing to ask a question and being subject to consistently loud interjections from Mr Trevor Mallard while that question was being asked. Yesterday in dubious circumstances you threw out one of National’s members who had interjected on a personal explanation although that is allowed under the Standing Orders. You took no action in this case when what the member did is absolutely not allowed. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: One of the bases of questions is that there are questions and answers that members listen to the answers that they are intelligent enough to take on board what is said and that they adjust their supplementary questions accordingly. This member seems incapable of that. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I do not need any further comment. I have asked members to moderate their interjections. If there are several it does lead to disorder in the House. I would ask the Minister to address the question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. That does not address the matter that was raised with you. I would suggest to you that in any reasonable circumstance you would conclude that Mr Mallard worsened the situation by his extremely pompous and arrogant non - point of order which you appear to have accepted. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: The member did not raise the point of order; Mr English raised the point of order and it was a perfectly valid point of order. The point Mr Mallard was making was a perfectly fair one. When members get up and ask a question that actually asks the Minister to say what he had just said—which is exactly what she did—then they do invite a certain degree of ribald comment from this side of the House. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I have asked members to moderate their interjections. I think particularly members on both sides of the House who sit near the Speaker do in fact persistently make interjections. They are loud and unfortunately they are probably heard more than other interjections. I would also note that in relation to Mr English’s point of order I am to rule tomorrow on personal explanations and I would just ask all members to note that the Standing Orders do not allow interjections on anything in fact. Would the Minister please address the question. 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: For the second time we are currently negotiating repayment with some of those providers. 
Sandra Goudie 
: What action will he be taking in regard to contracts with district health boards when targets are not being met—with the Waitemata District Health Board for example receiving $172200 to treat 13 problem gamblers at a cost of $13246.15 per user? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I will go through those answers once again. Three providers will have their contracts terminated. Four providers will have their funding reduced. All the remaining nine will be monitored on a monthly basis. Some will have to repay money to the ministry—that is what we are negotiating. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Will the Minister ever release the reports he has received on problem-gambling service providers; if he will when—or is he worried they will highlight his incompetence? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: No and yes.