Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 02 May 2012. Volume:679;Page:1851. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
1. 
DAVID SHEARER (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does he believe that Hon John Banks has behaved in a manner that “upholds and is seen to uphold the highest ethical standards” as required by the Cabinet Manual? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) 
: 
 Yes. 
David Shearer 
: Does he find it acceptable for a Minister to act unethically as long as they comply with the law? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: For a start-off the member is making an assumption or an assertion should I say and secondly I would point out to the member that the issue of ethical standards applies to Ministers when they are holding their warrants. 
David Shearer 
: Does he believe that John Banks acted ethically and gave an honest answer when he claimed that he “hardly knew” Kim Dotcom in light of reports that he flew in Dotcom’s helicopter to his mansion for a 2½-hour meeting and dinner attended Dotcom’s birthday party and proposed a toast in his honour and attended a fireworks display with Mr Dotcom? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I have no ministerial responsibility for that. 
David Shearer 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Mr Banks gave this assertion when he was in his position as a Minister as a statement. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The point the honourable member is making is that his question asked whether a statement made by a certain Minister while he was a Minister in relation to matters that occurred perhaps before he was a Minister upheld whatever it was—ethical standards; forgive me I cannot recollect exactly the last part of the question. I believe that there is ministerial responsibility for a statement made by the Minister while he was a Minister and I think to that extent the question should be answered more than that because the Prime Minister does have responsibility for the ethical standards or otherwise of statements made by Ministers while they are Ministers. 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I think the Minister would have answered it as honestly as he could subject to his memory of things that had happened 2 years ago. But I have no capacity nor knowledge of being able to understand the veracity of that argument because I have no ministerial responsibility for it. 
David Shearer 
: Does he believe John Banks when he says he cannot remember asking Kim Dotcom for the donation to be split into two $25000 cheques to disguise its origins? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I have no reason to doubt it. 
David Shearer 
: Given the questions around the donations from Dotcom and Skycity has he or his office sought assurances about the legitimacy of the 42 other anonymous donations totalling $648000 given to Mr Banks? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: What my office has sought is an assurance that the Minister acted in compliance with the Local Electoral Act. He has given that assurance categorically and I will not be sacking a Minister for complying with the law. 
David Shearer 
: Did he or his office ask John Banks whether he had lied to journalists late last week in relation to the level of his involvement with Kim Dotcom? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: No. 
David Shearer 
: Did he or his office ask John Banks what contact Kim Dotcom has had with him or his office since he became a Minister; if so what was his response? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: No. My office sought an assurance on the basic allegation that Mr Banks had broken the law and he in fact assured us that he had not broken the law. If the member wants us to start sacking people for complying with the law it is going to be a very interesting test. 
David Shearer 
: Does he not think it is about time he sat and had another cup of tea with John Banks to discuss his promise to have higher ethical standards under his Government? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: No but I will recall for the House that when I went off to the police because I believed I had been illegally taped the first thing I got from the Labour Party was “Don’t waste the police’s time.” and the first thing Trevor Mallard has done is run off to the police. Mind you he knows the police quite well Trevor Mallard. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order!