Curran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Curran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:677;Page:406] 
11. 
CLARE CURRAN (Labour—Dunedin South) 
 to the  
Minister of Broadcasting 
: What advice and reports if any has he received about the Rt Hon John Key’s electorate chair Stephen McElrea’s potential conflict of interest in his role as a board member of New Zealand On Air? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister of Broadcasting) 
: 
 None. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister in the House has received reports that point to that conflict and there have been documents tabled in the House that indicate— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! Forgive me but this is not a point of order. The member may be surprised by the Minister’s answer; that is his right to—whatever. But his colleague asked a question the Minister gave a very clear answer to it and no point of order can dispute that. 
Clare Curran 
: When and from whom did he first receive reports that Mr McElrea was working with a MediaWorks staff member making decisions about individual documentaries? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: I became aware of that from media reports or maybe something from the member a few weeks ago. 
Clare Curran 
: What role did Mr McElrea play in selecting the production company for the Whanau Ora programme? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: The various working groups for New Zealand On Air work as they have done now for about 15 years and all decisions of those various groups that decide such matters are I understand always unanimous. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This was a question not about the working group that involved MediaWorks but about the selection of MediaWorks to be involved in the documentary. The Minister I think understands— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No we do not go down that track. In order to save time I invite Clare Curran to repeat her question so that there can be no misunderstanding.  
Clare Curran 
: What role did Mr McElrea play in selecting the production company for the Whanau Ora programme? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: I do not know of that. It was part of the working group process that has been going on with New Zealand On Air for quite some time. I do not know the answer to the specifics of that question and I do not get involved in operational matters of the board. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Once again we have a Minister saying he does not know what the process is but it is the same as it has always been— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! Ministers answer in this House and members must take their word unless of course they can subsequently produce evidence that they were wrong. But what the Minister just said was he did not know what role the particular gentleman Stephen McElrea had played in the selection of the production company. That was a very clear answer to the previous supplementary question and we have to take the Minister’s word on that. We cannot dispute it by way of point of order. It has nothing to do with the order of the House. The Minister has answered the question and he must be accountable for his answer. Members have got the chance to dig further into it either through further supplementary questions or in the future and Ministers have to be accountable for their answers. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That would have been absolutely right if the Minister had not then gone on to say that the process is the same as it has always been. It is not possible for him to say both he does not know and the process is the same as it has always been.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: I am not sure I need help on this because the answer is perfectly possible—that in fact he does not have specific information about the role any particular person played yet he has been advised that the process is the same as the one that has been adopted for years. There is nothing in conflict about the Minister’s answer in that regard. 
Clare Curran 
: Is he aware of the working title of the fourth documentary in this series the title of which has hitherto been withheld; if so what is it? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: I have no idea what the title of that particular programme is. I do not get involved in operational matters of the board. 
Clare Curran 
: Has he received an assurance from either the Prime Minister or Mr McElrea that none of the New Zealand On Air matters that Mr McElrea has been involved in have been shared with either the Prime Minister or his office? 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: I have sought discussions with the chair of the board and he has full confidence in the board. I have not sought any other communications along those lines from anybody else.