Little Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLittle Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 03 May 2016. Volume:713;Page:10656. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]3.ANDREW LITTLE (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Why on 13 April when he told reporters that he had been approached by someone in the foreign trusts industry who was concerned that the rules for trusts were about to be tightened did he not reveal that person was his personal lawyer?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Because the name of the person was redacted in the information that was to be released under the Official Information Act. The member may like to note that there were six people who met the Minister; none of their names were identified in the official information.Andrew Little: So what specifically if anything is inaccurate about this brief time line: first his personal lawyer writes to revenue Minister Todd McClay claiming that the Prime Minister had told him that foreign trusts would stay protected; next Todd McClay immediately meets the Prime Minister’s personal lawyer and says that foreign trusts will be protected; and finally Todd McClay directs the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to drop its existing review of foreign trusts?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: A more accurate reflection is that somebody who is involved in an industry lobby group who is my lawyer asks me a question about something that was in the paper. I did what any professional Prime Minister would do and referred them to the Minister. I do not have a sign around me that says: “If you know me don’t talk to me.” And by the way if the member ever gets into Government is he now telling us that he will not talk to his union mates if they come and ask him a question or send them to a relevant Minister? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I have got to ask for a little less interjection from my left.Andrew Little: I seek leave to table two IRD documents from August and November 2014 both of which confirm that IRD is planning to review foreign trusts.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table those two IRD documents. Is there any objection? There is no objection. They can be tabled.Documents by leave laid on the Table of the House.Andrew Little: When the Prime Minister’s lawyer went to a junior Minister and said: “The Prime Minister says you will protect my business.” does he think that this just might have influenced that Minister’s decision making in this case?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The member is making it up. That is not what I said. I did what anyone would expect me to do. If I am approached by someone whether I know them or whether I do not I refer them to another Minister. That is also true by the way when constituents come to me and ask me about IRD matters immigration matters or ACC matters—I write on their behalf to the Minister. But the member does not say that I should not do that in case that junior Minister is influenced by what I do. We live in New Zealand it is a small country and when people ask me questions I refer them to Ministers.[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order![Interruption] Order!Andrew Little: When he as Prime Minister spoke to revenue Minister Todd McClay and said: “My personal lawyer wants to lobby you about protecting his business.” does he think that that just might have influenced Todd McClay’s decision making in this case?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: See this is the problem. The member loses credibility when he makes stuff up. It is a well-known and established fact that my personal lawyer is involved in trust businesses and those are businesses established under the rules of a Labour Government. And those rules have been there for a long period of time. I did not establish those; Labour did. So Labour were the ones that set them up not me.Hon Annette King: You’re on thin ice there John.Mr SPEAKER: And so will the member be if she continues to—[Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order! A reasonable amount of interjection I will accept but a barrage—[Interruption] Order!Andrew Little: Does he see that New Zealanders are not surprised that we are gaining a reputation as a tax haven when the Prime Minister’s personal lawyer is able to influence Ministers to protect the tax-dodging industry?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: New Zealand is not a tax haven. In 2013 the OECD did a review of New Zealand and gave us a fully compliant rating. New Zealand is a country that discloses information and all information either directly to Australia or to any other inquiry we have had. The only people who think New Zealand is a tax haven are the Labour Party members who want to propagate that myth.Andrew Little: Can he not see New Zealanders do not like it when people with connections to the Prime Minister get special treatment and that denying this is just plain out of touch?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Those people did not get special treatment. They are the industry group that represents an industry in New Zealand that was established under rules set up by a Labour Government and they are quite entitled whether they know me or not to actually raise their points with a new Minister. That is what happens all the time. The member had dinner with the people who make Keytruda and then went out and advocated for it. Does that mean he is crooked? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Both front benches will cease when I rise to my feet. [Interruption] Order! That is probably one interjection too many. I will have to deal with it next time.Andrew Little: Why will he not be straight with New Zealanders about what he said to his lawyer what he said to his Minister and what he said to anyone else in his efforts to protect the tax-dodging industry rather than constantly changing his story and blaming others? Kiwis deserve—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The question has been asked.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I have been completely straight and the member does not like it because it does not suit his wild conspiracy theories. Well I am sorry; yes I am an available Prime Minister I do walk around and people do talk to me including people who know me and there is no particular reason why somebody who knows me should not actually be able to go and talk to Ministers. That happens and it should be that way.