Goff Phil: General Debate 
Goff Phil: General Debate 
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Hon PHIL GOFF (Leader of the Opposition) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. The Prime Minister absolutely stunned this House and the country this afternoon by defending Rodney Hide’s cover-up of the theft of a dead child’s identity as being ethical. Then he stunned the country again by condemning his predecessor’s action in signing the back of a painting that was a donation for a fund-raising effort at a kindergarten. The actions of Mr Garrett Mr Hide and Mr Key in the cover-up of the theft of that dead child’s identity caused immense distress to the mother and to the siblings of that child. The actions of Helen Clark were an altruistic step towards helping children but Mr Key was prepared to condemn Helen Clark’s action which caused no harm— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sorry to interrupt my colleague but could you do something about Melissa Lee and other members screaming as they left the Chamber. They were not even interjecting from their seats but screaming like banshees as they left. I do not think that is appropriate. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member should not say that members were screaming like banshees. But if any member is interjecting while leaving the Chamber and it comes to my notice I will be hauling them back very promptly. I apologise to the member that I missed that. I say to members still in the House that the level of noise is just unreasonable. There is nothing wrong with some interjections but when the level of noise gets as high as that it is just impossible to hear the speaker. The general debate is held so that we can hear what members have to say about issues of public importance. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: There will be no sympathy amongst ordinary Kiwis for a Prime Minister prepared to defend the cover-up of an appalling crime but then ready to condemn his predecessor a decent person who committed no crime did no harm and acted with good intent. That is double standards and it brings no credit on this Prime Minister. 
Mr Key must be the only person in this country still prepared to defend the actions of Rodney Hide in the cover-up of that passport fraud and the stealing of a dead baby’s identity. One thing that New Zealanders hate more than anything else is hypocrisy. That is what we saw in the ACT Party’s actions—the party that was against name suppression but was prepared to have it apply to the criminal offending of its own law and order spokesperson the party that opposed clean-slating minor convictions but wanted to clean-slate the actions of its law and order spokesperson without any formal judicial process and the party that apparently defended the rights of victims but effectively was happy to see the gagging of the family of that child who had to watch the hypocrisy of people who said one thing but did something totally different. 
This ACT Party is the party that brooked no excuses for the criminal actions of offenders in this country but were more than happy to find plenty of excuses for Mr Garrett. What this issue is about is that Mr Hide knew about those actions and he knew about the hypocrisy of saying one thing and doing another. But he was happy for that to happen provided the public did not know about it. 
I say that under the  
Cabinet Manual 
 Mr Key has an obligation to hold his Ministers to account if they do not show the highest ethical standards. Mr Hide’s actions were anything but ethical. Not only has Mr Key not held Mr Hide to account but also he has protected him. He has kept him on as a Minister notwithstanding the double standards on perks notwithstanding the allegations by a former Minister about Mr Hide being a menacing bully and notwithstanding the despicable cover-up of Mr Garrett’s actions. 
Mr Key demeans his position as Prime Minister. He has put politics ahead of the public interest. He keeps Mr Hide on despite breaches by Mr Hide of ethical standards for one reason and one reason alone. He wants the five votes of the ACT members. He tries to make MMP the issue but the issue is a lack of ethical standards by Mr Hide and a lack of leadership by Mr Key. Mr Key should have stripped ACT of its ministerial positions. National is tarnished by a party that the public sees as scandal-ridden and unworthy. It is time that Mr Key stopped his defence of that unacceptable behaviour.