Mark Ron: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMark Ron: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 29 April 2015. Volume:704;Page:2998. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]7.RON MARK (NZ First)to the Minister of Defence: How does he reconcile not providing any further detail on the deployment of troops in accordance with the NZDF policy of “non-identification of personnel and for reasons of operational security” with the Prime Minister confirming overnight that New Zealand troops were transiting through Dubai?Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Acting Minister of Defence):As has already been publicly stated we expect all of the New Zealand contingent involved in the Building Partner Capacity mission to Iraq to be deployed in Taji and Baghdad by mid-May. It should not come as a surprise that personnel have been going to the region in advance of deploying into Iraq. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence made it very clear on 15 April that the deployment would be staged with groups entering Iraq at different times. I also want to reiterate for the member that we have been very clear that for reasons of operational security and in order to keep our soldiers as safe as possible we will not be going into detail on specific travel arrangements. Although it should be no surprise that some of our troops are in the United Arab Emirates just as some have been in Australia we will not be announcing when they will be moving into Iraq.Ron Mark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I made my question very specific and he has had time to prepare asking how does he reconcile—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The question has definitely been answered. The member should listen to the answer.Ron Mark: Has the Prime Minister breached New Zealand Defence Force operational security by first talking to Gulf News and then telling New Zealand media: “I just don’t see it as newsworthy. You guys might but I don’t. I mean they have to fly through somewhere. That’s the base they use going into Baghdad so pffft.”? [Interruption]Hon SIMON BRIDGES: That was pretty good. No.Ron Mark: Can he explain the Prime Minister’s unauthorised release of official information when the Chief of Defence Force told Q+A: “I think most people would understand the sensitivities around getting forces into a country like Iraq and is that a matter for the public? I don’t think so.”?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: As I say the statement that troops are in Dubai should not come as a surprise. We have always been clear that this was a deployment that was staged but we do not go into details on specific travel arrangements certainly into the theatre of operation in Iraq.Ron Mark: I seek leave to table a document that suggests that the Prime Minister might be—Mr SPEAKER: Order! All I want is—[Interruption] Order! I just want details of the document.Ron Mark: Well can I refer you to Speakers’ Rulings?Mr SPEAKER: Yes.Ron Mark: Speakers’ ruling 147/3—I quote from Deputy Speaker Revell and Speaker Hunt back in 1998 and 2003 who say that “In seeking leave to table a document members should not only succinctly describe what is in the document but also sufficiently describe the nature of the document to inform members.” so that they can make a decision.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. If he had adhered to that and succinctly described the document I would be happy to listen to it. But when it is a long read of the document I will not be putting up with that. So a succinct description would be very much appreciated.Ron Mark: Thank you. It is a document that suggests the Prime Minister might be in breach of the Crimes Act 1961 that—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am not putting up with much more of this from Mr Mark. He must succinctly describe the document not whether the Prime Minister is breaching anything or we will not be putting the leave—simple as that.Ron Mark: Well Mr Speaker when—Mr SPEAKER: Order! We are moving to the next question.Ron Mark: Can I take you back to Speaker’s ruling—Mr SPEAKER: No. The member can resume his seat. I will give the member one more chance to succinctly describe the document as to the source of the document and the date of it and then I will determine whether to put the leave.Ron Mark: The document’s title is the Cabinet Manual. The succinct description—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. The Cabinet Manual is available to everybody.