2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions relating to Derek Handley and the Government Chief Technology Officer role?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Acting Prime Minister): Using Mr Bridges' standard measure yes.Hon Simon Bridges: When the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern was asked yesterday why she hadn't disclosed greater communications with Derek Handley why did she respond I have mentioned that I've known him for a number of years and that we've engaged with each other and that I do have messages and emails from him. I mentioned that from the moment I was asked." given that when she was asked by me in Parliament whether "she had any conversations emails or texts with Derek Handley since she's been Prime Minister" she twice responded that she'd received just one text from Mr Handley.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Because the questioner at the time—namely the leader of the National Party—forgot to make the point that the first lots of admissions by the Prime Minister were to do with a position before the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) ever arose and thereafter when it arose no longer was it handled by the Prime Minister or mentioned. The distinction of course is that the member is putting a different question in the House today that they didn't put to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has been patently obvious about and honest about the matter.Hon Simon Bridges: When the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern responded by text message to Mr Handley "… I'll talk to the team about how we can make use of you and your kind offer." does she stand by her statement in New York yesterday that finding a role for Mr Handley in New Zealand was "certainly not the expectation I was setting there. He wanted to catch up. That was simply responding to that request." and does every one of her friends who simply wants to catch up get a text response saying "I'll talk to the team about how we can make use of you and your kind offer."?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well first of all the Prime Minister is someone that does attract attention unlike some leaders. Secondly she's a very kind-hearted person who seeks any New Zealander now wanting to swarm back home to the great country that we're building now that we're making New Zealand great again. The third thing is the member has got to get back to understanding some simple legal precis when he's asks some questions: the facts matter and the CTO job was not raised. Hon Simon Bridges: In light of all the kindness the Acting Prime Minister's just referred to was the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern kind to Derek Handley?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Let me say that even with the assistance of the former National Party president Michelle Boag—I am holding up Mr Handley's comments right now. With the help of the former National Party president as his adviser he says "There's no smoking gun."Hon Simon Bridges: When will the process of approving for release all communications from all parties in relation to Government's Chief Technology Officer role be completed?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: An army of people are working day and night at the moment. The release is very imminent. The release is very imminent and I've no doubt that some people will extrapolate out truths which don't exist and make up all sorts of statements in respect of this matter but I can just say this: Mr Handley says again—and he is our expert; not that member's expert and that's the wonderful thing about this case—"There was nothing untoward or inappropriate."Hon Simon Bridges: Sorry how is Mr Handley "our expert"?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Oh well perhaps one could come to that conclusion after the member going on day in day out day in day out and getting himself exactly nowhere. If he's not your expert then why is he mentioned every five seconds to the media?Hon Simon Bridges: When the Prime Minister's chief of staff informed the Opposition last Friday that he would impose a 30 working day delay for the Official Information Act request made on 25 August about Clare Curran's initial demotion from Cabinet which means a release date of Tuesday 6 November 72 days after the initial request did that provide an indication of when all the other relevant material will be released?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: What happened there was the then Minister was giving an answer as to the parameters of the disclosure. But being the number one advocate for open and transparent Government we've been able to move the date so much further forward. In fact I would hold my breath because it's not very far away.Hon Simon Bridges: Is 72 days a good example of an open and transparent Government?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Let me make it very clear that is a very artificial announcement that that member has made given my assurance that very shortly there will be the full release. But let me say this: you know we're talking about a party who in Government had to correct the oral and written questions in this House 966 times—966 times.Hon Simon Bridges: Will the Prime Minister release every communication she has had with Derek Handley since becoming Prime Minister to clear up the suspicion over the extent and the nature of their discussions?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I think one could with the greatest of assurance say the Prime Minister is going to release all the information which being party to knowing what's going on will utterly and entirely exonerate her from these awful claims being made by the member. She'll be totally exonerated from the claims."