3. Intelligence and Security—Russian Intelligence Activity in New ZealandHon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsIntelligence and Security—Russian Intelligence Activity in New Zealand3. Hon TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs): Yes in their context. Hon Todd McClay: For how long has he been aware of Russian intelligence activity in New Zealand? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Since I was a young boy.SPEAKER: Order! Order! [Interruption] Order! While the member has a long parliamentary experience and a lot of experience as Minister of Foreign Affairs it doesn't stretch back that far. The question relates to his responsibility as Minister of Foreign Affairs and the answer will reflect that. Hon WINSTON PETERS: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With respect you would expect anyone who was Minister of Foreign Affairs—or a member of Parliament for that matter—to have come to this House with some experience; he's entitled to recite it. And it's well-known in the fifties—the Molotov and other conflicts—and expulsions in Australia and elsewhere and also expulsions from New Zealand were something known for decades. That's why I answered that way. SPEAKER: Yes and I understand why the member answered that way and I think it's fair to say that the question was loose. But I just want to reinforce to people on both sides that we are asking and answering questions with respect to ministerial responsibility held. Now I will ask the Rt Hon Winston Peters to answer the question—Hon David Parker: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. SPEAKER: I just hope Mr Parker you're not going to dispute my ruling. Hon David Parker: Well point of order Mr Speaker. SPEAKER: A point of order Mr Parker. Hon David Parker: Thank you Mr Speaker. I would suggest that it is in order for a Minister to explain his understandings in order to answer a question and that's what the Prime Minister did. SPEAKER: Well the first point is the Prime Minister is not in the House and this is a question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. And if the Minister of Foreign Affairs had answered I had some early briefings on this matter when I was first the Minister of Foreign Affairs in year X and that confirmed my understandings from my youth." then that would've been in order.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I couldn't have said it better myself. SPEAKER: Well I'm actually wondering whether I should get a share of the member's pay. Hon Todd McClay: Given this is such an important issue who are the individuals undertaking Russian intelligence activity in New Zealand as was referred to in his speeches to media yesterday and are any of them stationed in the Russian embassy? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: That goes to the core of the capability and modus operandi of our intelligence services so I'm not going to compromise them nor would any other Foreign Minister or Prime Minister have ever done that in the past. Hon Todd McClay: When he told the House yesterday "There are no individuals here in New Zealand who fit the profiles of those being expelled by other countries." what are the profiles of those being expelled from other countries? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: The number one profile of those being expelled in other countries but not 40 percent of the countries in the European Union were that they were operating within the Russian embassies in those countries. That relates to this country where we in our advice from the intelligence service and also with the understanding of our Five Eyes partners did not find one that fit that profile. Hon Todd McClay: Has he asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for advice on the exact profiles of the 17 Russian diplomats stationed in New Zealand? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Not to that extent but what I do know—Hon David Bennett: What do you know? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: No what I do know in the converse is they do not fit the profile of the expulsions in other countries. The New Zealand SIS has said that. Hon Gerry Brownlee: What profile? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: The New Zealand SIS has specified that. Now I know the briefly previous Minister of Foreign Affairs wouldn't know it but bombast and noise don't pass for foreign policy. Hon Todd McClay: As Minister of Foreign Affairs has he received sufficient evidence that Russia is responsible for the Salisbury nerve agent attack on British soil? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: To the best of anyone's investigations thus far the product looks like it was manufactured in Russia that it was sourced out of Russia but as to who were the perpetrators of that violent terrorist crime that is still a matter of substantial investigation in the UK. But can I just say this sound advice that I have received thus far came via Sam Sachdeva on 26 March when he quoted this person saying "They need to take this very very seriously they need to keep in touch with these countries that have expelled Russian diplomats and they need to make a decision that is in the best interests of New Zealand." I can assure Mr McClay who made that statement that long before he offered that gratuitous advice we'd already done that and had acted 48 hours before our friends in Australia did."