Cosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCosgrove Clayton: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 08 April 2014. Volume:697;Page:16951. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE (Labour)to the Minister of Commerce: Does he stand by all his statements?Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister of Commerce):Yes and unlike the member’s colleague I am careful not to use political rhetoric and exaggerating language—Mr SPEAKER: Order! That will not help the order of the House. The question has been answered.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: Why did the Minister tell this House on 19 February 2014 that he was not aware of any documents produced by his office regarding the concerns around the conduct of supermarkets until they were raised by my colleague the Hon Shane Jones when on 29 January 2014 he met with Katherine Rich chief executive of the Food and Grocery Council who explicitly advised him of these concerns and he subsequently had his office draft a file note of that meeting and potential responses to questioning on the issue?Hon CRAIG FOSS: The specific allegations of Mr Jones of blackmail extortion and retrospective payments were raised in the House around the time the member there mentioned. I did run into Katherine Rich at a function with about 100 to 150 others. The specific issues that Mr Jones raised and talked about in the House for a couple of weeks under privilege were not raised.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: How does the Minister reconcile his answer to this House on 19 February 2014 in answer to a question from the Hon Shane Jones that “I am not aware of any documents prepared by my office regarding the behaviour of supermarkets towards suppliers.” when the file note he asked his office to prepare after his meeting with Katherine Rich on 29 January 2014 clearly stated: “Katherine Rich has raised an issue with the Minister around supermarkets using dominant-buyer position to put pressure on suppliers.”?Hon CRAIG FOSS: As I noted in my previous answer the issues that Mr Jones raised were specific to blackmail extortion and retrospective payments. The issues that were discussed very briefly with Katherine Rich at a function were about dominant behaviour which is section 36 of the Commerce Act in the context of a much larger discussion about all sorts of matters in the industry.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: I seek leave to table the said file note reference MBIE-MAKO-14354590 noting the issues raised by Katherine Rich—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I think that is sufficient—[Interruption] Order! I think that is sufficient information. Leave is sought to table that particular file note. Is there any objection? There is objection.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: Given that concerns regarding supermarket conduct towards suppliers were raised with the National Government by the Food and Grocery Council directly and in correspondence as early as 2010 why has his Government failed to take any action to date?Hon CRAIG FOSS: Those matters have not been raised with me directly at all thus my answers in the House to the allegations of Mr Jones of blackmail extortion and retrospective payments.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: My question related to the National Government of which the Minister is a member therefore I seek leave to table a letter dated 6 August 2010 from the Minister of Commerce to Peter Silcock the Chief Executive of Horticulture New Zealand dealing with the issues that Mr Silcock raised as per my question.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table a letter dated 6 August 2010 from the Minister to Mr Silcock. Is there an objection to that letter being tabled? There is objection.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: I think Mr Banks is practising his objections for court.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Ask the question.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: Does the Minister feel it is appropriate to refuse to answer questions in this House on 19 February 2014 regarding Progressive Enterprises because it is the subject of an ongoing Commerce Commission investigation but deems it appropriate to meet with Progressive Enterprises—the very entity currently being investigated by the commission—to carve out a face-saving voluntary supermarket code of practice that no one supports?Hon CRAIG FOSS: To the best of my recollection I have not refused to answer any questions in this House about these matters.