Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumePeters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 06 November 2013. Volume:694;Page:14403. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to thePrime Minister: Does he have confidence in the Minister for State Owned Enterprises?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes.Rt Hon Winston Peters: How on earth can he have confidence in this Minister when just last night the ferryAratere had one more event in a disastrous line of events—[Interruption]—“Big Ears”—and lost a shaft and a propeller putting the lives of people on board at risk?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Firstly the matter is an operational matter for KiwiRail. We actually do not know what happened but an inquiry will now be undertaken by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission. But I am advised that there was no risk to passengers or crew.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is the Prime Minister aware that theAratere’s stabilisers do not work properly that the radar has in the past failed that the ship flexes in rough seas—in fact it now porpoises through the water—that the cargo doors do not close properly and that even the toilets do not often work?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No I am not aware of those matters. I am aware that around $45 million was invested in extending theAratere in 2011 to increase its capacity in order to facilitate the movement of freight. As I said I am advised that there was no risk to passengers or crew last night.Rt Hon Winston Peters: When is the Prime Minister going to become informed about what his Ministers are not doing and that in fact more than $50 million was spent on extending the ship so that it could carry more freight yet the problems are so great that it cannot carry any more freight now than it did originally?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I think that the member is making a great many statements that may well in the course of time be proved to be not correct. I am aware that the chief executive of KiwiRail has given the Minister his assurance as to the maintenance of the ferries and the priority of passenger safety.Rt Hon Winston Peters: When will the Prime Minister become informed about what his Ministers and the head of KiwiRail are not doing—[Interruption]. No I am putting a complaint to you because you are the Minister. You should know what you are doing in this Cabinet—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member cannot bring me into this debate. The member may now ask his question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am trying to ask my question. Your job is to stop that turkey—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I know very well what my job is. I will give the right honourable gentleman one more chance to ask a supplementary question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: At what stage—[Interruption] At what stage—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: “At what stage”—would the member please ask his question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: At what stage will they shut up?Mr SPEAKER: If the member wants to ask his question I invite him to do so. I will not give him another opportunity.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I wish to do that. I wish to be heard. At what stage will the Prime Minister recognise the threat to public safety and shipping created by theAratere and the numerous incidents fire his Minister in charge fire those responsible at the head of KiwiRail and call in experts to sort out this now $132 million lemon once and for all?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: As I said at the start of my answer to this question from the member we are unsure about exactly what happened but there is a full inquiry and in the fullness of time that inquiry will be made public. The member is making a lot of statements that I am pretty sure in the fullness of time will not actually be supported as accurate. I say to this member that if he thinks the Minister for State Owned Enterprises should resign because a propeller came off the ferry then maybe he should have resigned as the leader of New Zealand First when he himself lost a man overboard.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The unparliamentary nature of that comment would have been very obvious but the response is that we do not prop up crooks like he does.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have heard enough. The member asked a fairly provocative question and he got a fairly provocative answer.Brendan Horan: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I take offence and ask that the member withdraw and apologise.Mr SPEAKER: I cannot see what the member could have possibly taken offence at.