Sepuloni CarmelCARMEL SEPULONI (Labour—Kelston): We have heard the National Government speakers today try to deliver speeches about the tunnel as a way of trying to dig a tunnel out of here because they are in trouble and they know it.I want to refer firstly to the fact that we are 94 days away from an election—94 days away from an election. The public is watching. The public is making a decision about whom they want to govern their country. I want to acknowledge our leadership on this side of the House. I want to acknowledge Andrew Little because he has the hardest job in this place as the Leader of the Opposition. He as a competent leader has been working tirelessly with our deputy leader—getting out there genuinely engaging with New Zealanders on issues that matter to New Zealanders.They have been out there informing people discussing with people and learning from people to bring together fresh ideas for how to run this country. They have a vision for New Zealand and New Zealand will be able to see that on 23 September. At this time a politically tumultuous time on this side of this House we are very proud of the fact that we have leadership with integrity that is beyond reproach. New Zealanders deserve that. They deserve leadership with integrity and they expect nothing less from a Prime Minister.Let us contrast that with what we have on that side of the House. The question has to be asked: Did Bill English stand aside while Todd Barclay lied?". The other question that has to be asked is: "Did Bill English lie about the situation?". If the answer to either of those questions is yes then how can it be tenable for the Prime Minister to continue in his role?These are not white lies that we are speaking about. They are serious. The police have been involved. There have been cover-ups. There are staff members who have come out party members making accusations that are serious. Todd Barclay's resignation today does not change anything. The Prime Minister's astonishing lack of discernment regarding this matter reflects serious flaws in judgment and serious flaws in leadership. We are concerned and so should the whole of New Zealand be concerned.The Prime Minister's credibility is absolutely on the line over the Barclay debacle. No one can question that. In the space of 4 hours yesterday English first claimed that he did not know whom he had told that Barclay made secret recordings of his staff. Then 4 hours later he admitted that he told the police that Barclay himself had told him about the recordings. The fact is that English did not do a U-turn yesterday morning about not remembering who told him about the recordings; he misled the public. You can dress it up you can call it a brain fade but it is simply a lie.What we heard today in the House was a continuation of those lies. We heard Paula Bennett get questioned in the House as the Minister of Police. She said that no Minister of Police was informed about the fact that this matter had been taken to the police. Well I have spoken to a very credible former Minister of Police who informed me that actually when she was the Minister of Police there was a weekly briefing given to the Minister of Police and at that briefing any matters that were sensitive particularly matters involving high-profile New Zealanders particularly matters that might involve MPs would be included in the briefing.So for the Minister of Police to stand in this House today and say that the Minister of Police was not informed at any time about the fact that this matter had been taken to the police can only be deemed a lie. This whole situation places major question marks over Bill English's competency as the leader of this country. It also lets the country know that we have a tired Government. After 9 years the level of arrogance has gone through the roof and is leading to behaviour that is unacceptable with regard to MPs and also the Prime Minister of New Zealand."