12. Question No. 12—HealthHon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour) to the Associate Minister of HealthQuestion No. 12—Health12. Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she stand by her statement to Radio New Zealand that The document you have referred to was not generated or collated by any members of my office was not left on my desk by any member of my office and was only received as a hard copy on 6 December 2023"; if so was the document received by her directly or another member of her office?Hon CASEY COSTELLO (Associate Minister of Health): I believe I was clear in the House yesterday in response to oral question No. 10 that a range of information from various sources was provided to officials who then subsequently scanned the information into one document. The scanned version of that information is the one referred to in the Official Information Act response to RNZ from which the member is quoting. I remind the member the same document was provided to the Labour Party five months ago on 27 March. Regarding the second leg of the question as a new Minister with multiple portfolios I was provided with a large amount of background information relevant to my portfolios over the first few weeks after receiving my warrant. It would be impossible to categorically state the source of all the information I was provided; however I can confirm as I've stated repeatedly it was not left on my desk by any member of my office. I'd just like to add that the member and some of her colleagues are fixated on claiming that I am connected to the tobacco industry. I want to again state to this Chamber: that is not true. I can state unequivocally I have never had any involvement or engagement with the tobacco industry. If the Opposition continues their smear and soundbite campaign they can continue to do that and they will be judged on the fact that they will be unable to find any proof. We are on this side of the House—SPEAKER: That's probably enough so far.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: How was the document delivered to her office?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: I will reiterate my previous answer that clearly the member missed: as an incoming Minister with a range of portfolios I was provided with a large amount of background information relevant to my portfolios. It would be impossible to categorically state the source of all the information I was provided.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Does she stand by her statement to Radio New Zealand that "My office and I have not been able to identify who authored the document or delivered it to me."; if not why not?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: Yes.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: When as she said in answers to oral parliamentary questions yesterday health officials scanned the information into a single document did those officials make any changes to the content?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: Not that I'm aware of.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Is she saying that the compilation of different information that she has described as historical policy positions did not occur in her office or by Ministry of Health officials?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: I'm sorry Mr Speaker can she repeat the question?SPEAKER: Yes.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Is she saying that the compilation of different information that she has described as historical policy positions did not occur in her office or by Ministry of Health officials?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: I think what she's asking is did my office compile the document and I think I've answered that repeatedly that my office did not compile the document. What I will I think highlight for the member which may be of assistance is that the information in the document does refer to a range of statements and policies and positions that were both historical and things that the New Zealand First Party campaigned on. But it may be of assistance to simply summarise that the document reflected coalition agreement commitments and everything I have done is deliver on those coalition agreement commitments which were published in November last year.Hon Kieran McAnulty: Point of order. Thank you very much Mr Speaker. Look I appreciate the Minister provided some information there but did not address the substance of the question. But my point of order is in reference to her first part of her response. It was a very carefully worded supplementary that used the wording the Minister provided yesterday in her responses. There was a number of answers provided that disputed the fact that it was a document—it was a collection of information. So to try and avoid that path the member has used the information the Minister gave the House yesterday. And therefore for the Minister to stand up and say "I don't understand the question"; I'm not sure that washes and nor should it stand.SPEAKER: Well I took it that she didn't actually hear the question. That's why I asked for it to be stated again.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Thank you Mr Speaker. So to repeat is she saying that the compilation of different information that she has described as historical policy positions did not occur in her office and did not occur in the Ministry of Health?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: The compilation which she refers to summarises historical policy documents as I've stated repeatedly. It included historical policy positions but it included a range of things as I've stated repeatedly. The information included a range of things and we've traversed repeatedly that I don't know the source because it came in my office with a whole lot of other information.Rt Hon Winston Peters: In the vein of the question being asked a number of times can she name all the people who didn't write the document?SPEAKER: Look we don't have time for seven billion names so have you got another supplementary?Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: How can she know the document was a compilation if she is already on record as saying she didn't know where it came from and it was not compiled during the time it was in her office or afterwards?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: Sorry Mr Speaker. Could she repeat the first part of the question?SPEAKER: Yes.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: How can she know the document was a compilation if she does not know where it came from but it was not compiled during the time it was in her office or afterwards?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: Mr Speaker as you will become aware it was easy to tell it's a compilation because there are different typefaces. You can see different watermarks on the paper. They were separate pieces of paper that were handed to the ministry.Rt Hon Winston Peters: In the vein of that question has she ever heard that famous line "I shot an arrow into the air. Where it landed I knew not where."?SPEAKER: Have you got any other poetry that might help the afternoon move on a bit? Do you have another question? You've got another question if you want it.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Did her or her office—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Hold on. We're listening to a question.Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall: Did she or her office receive an electronic copy of the document before 6 December 2023?Hon CASEY COSTELLO: As I've stated repeatedly the document as you're referring to was scanned by Health. It may have been emailed back to my office. As to the date it was received I don't know. It was as I've said a hard copy compilation of information that was handed—and it's unfortunate in all of this discussion that we have missed the point that we have one of the lowest smoking rates in the world and we are working towards delivering the smoke-free target as we speak."