1. Prime Minister—Confidence in MinistersHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSPrime Minister—Confidence in Ministers1. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in all her Ministers?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes.Hon Simon Bridges: Has Ms Curran advised her—that is the Prime Minister—whether Ms Curran and Carol Hirschfeld discussed Radio New Zealand's concern over the Government plan to establish an RNZ television channel?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I have said in the House on several occasions I've been advised by Minister Curran that it was a high-level meeting discussing issues that are already in the public domain. For more detailed questions I would advise asking the Minister directly.Hon Simon Bridges: So is it a yes they did discuss—SPEAKER: Order! Does the member have a question?Hon Simon Bridges: A question.SPEAKER: Well the member will start with a question word.Hon Simon Bridges: Is the answer that yes Ms Curran and Carol Hirschfeld did discuss Radio New Zealand's concern over the Government plan to establish an RNZ television channel?SPEAKER: Before the Prime Minister answers I'll indicate that the Opposition have a further three supplementaries as a result of an intervention from Mr Jones.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I said in my first answer I've been advised the meeting was high level discussing issues in the public domain. Anything more specific that the member would like detail on I advise that he'd be best to ask Minister Curran.Hon Simon Bridges: Weren't there multiple lengthy discussions between the Prime Minister and Clare Curran and was all the time taken up discussing—what—the weather?SPEAKER: Order! No the Prime Minister won't answer that; it contains irony.Hon Simon Bridges: Has Ms Curran advised the Prime Minister of any steps taken to ensure that either she or Carol Hirschfeld advised Radio New Zealand's chief executive or chair of their meeting at Astoria?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Of course the responsibility for advising Carol Hirschfeld's employer lay with Carol Hirschfeld directly and understanding the protocol of RNZ lay with Carol Hirschfeld directly. Minister Curran has advised that had she known the protocol Radio New Zealand had she would not have had the meeting.Hon Simon Bridges: Hasn't Clare Curran clearly breached the Cabinet Manual by not ensuring the Astoria meeting was raised with Radio New Zealand's chief executive or chair; and if not precisely why not?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I believe the member is referring to 3.8 or 3.84 of the Cabinet Manual. I've sought advice on that directly from the Cabinet Office. Their advice was that no she was not in breach of that element of the Cabinet Manual.Hon Simon Bridges: Does she agree with respected senior commentator Fran O'Sullivan that the interpretation that she is not in breach is splitting hairs" and that the overall spirit of Part 3 of the Cabinet Manual has clearly been breached given the primacy it places several time on contacts between the chief executive and Minister with the chief executive being informed where that isn't the case?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No.Hon Simon Bridges: Does she know who directed Richard Griffin chair of Radio New Zealand to stay away from the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: My understanding is that when the Minister learnt that Radio New Zealand were unable to attend the original meeting they were scheduled to attend to correct the record around the breakfast meeting the Minister had she sought to contact Radio New Zealand to find an alternative so that they could correct the record immediately.Hon Simon Bridges: So is the Prime Minister's understanding that Clare Curran told the chair of Radio New Zealand that he shouldn't go to the select committee?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I've just said the Minister exchanged voice mails and text messages with the chair of Radio New Zealand where I'm advised that she sought to have the record corrected immediately. Obviously the fastest way to achieve that in lieu of attending that meeting would have been in writing. Hon Simon Bridges: Noting the correction earlier in question time—SPEAKER: Order! Order! No the member will sit down. Now if the member is going to preface his questions with comments he will end up losing. I have been tolerant with him so far.Hon Simon Bridges: Has the Prime Minister had any conversations with Eugenie Sage about whether the Associate Minister had discussions with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) about the performance or tenure of the Chief Scientist Jacqueline Rowarth?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Not directly but as the House will know the Minister corrected the record based on previous answers at the beginning of question time today.Hon Simon Bridges: So is the Prime Minister now clear that the chief executive Dr Freeth is correct when he says that the Associate Minister is "mistakenly confused" about meeting with the EPA's chief executive about the Chief Scientist?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The Minister herself corrected the record on that very matter today at the beginning of question time.Hon Simon Bridges: What does it say about the state of her Government that this week Radio New Zealand and the independent Environmental Protection Authority are having to reappear before select committees over Ministers interfering in independent agencies and covering thing up?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I do not accept the premise of that question. [Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! Both sides please."