5. Question No. 5—JusticeHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of JusticeQuestion No. 5—Justice5. Hon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson) to the Minister of Justice: Does he stand by all his Government's statements and actions on electoral law?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): Yes and in particular I stand by this Government's action in introducing a bill that will make it easier for people to vote in a general election during the voting period and will make it possible for people to enrol on election day. Hon Dr Nick Smith: What action will the Minister take noting his previous statements of concern about political donations being concealed about the revelations that New Zealand First concealed hundreds of thousands of dollars—Rt Hon Winston Peters: Point of order. Hon Dr Nick Smith: —of donations—SPEAKER: A point of order—Hon Dr Nick Smith: —in the New Zealand First—SPEAKER: A point of order—Hon Dr Nick Smith: —Foundation—SPEAKER: Order! The member has been here for quite a while. He knows that when a point of order is taken he sits down. Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The member should be asked to desist from that line of allegation seeing as that he himself in his own writing has referred to New Zealand First reporting $342000 in donations whereas his party declared $28000. This is a disgrace and he should not be allowed to bring it up in the House. SPEAKER: Order! Order! I was listening very carefully to the question and while I can't be totally responsible for the authentication behind it generally we're pretty liberal on that in the House including both with himself and a couple of his colleagues. I think that the question notwithstanding the lack of authentication for the allegation in it can be satisfactorily answered by the Minister. Hon Dr Nick Smith: Thank you Mr Speaker—SPEAKER: No no. The member had finished. He kept on going. Hon Dr Nick Smith: Well you interrupted me. SPEAKER: No the member had finished his questions. He'd had at least two. Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I think most members of the House and many members of the public are concerned enough about issues in our donations regime which is why the Justice Committee in conducting its inquiry into the last general election considered that issue specifically. It's just disappointing that members opposite blocked that committee from reporting their report—SPEAKER: Order! Order! Now that is out of order because that is a matter which is currently before the committee and you know we're now having some pretty senior and experienced members sailing very close to the wind.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Is he satisfied that the Government is living up to its statement of being the most open transparent Government ever in respect of Electoral Act disclosure requirements?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Yes. The regime that we have on our statute book at the moment is a good one but I'm awaiting the Justice Committee's report of their inquiry into the last general election. It's taking a long time but I eagerly await that report.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Was he involved in any discussions or actions with Labour members of the Justice Committee in their decision on 1 October to block the Electoral Commission and justice officials reporting on the unusually high level of anonymous donations to New Zealand First?SPEAKER: Order! Order! That is outside again for the very same reason. It is something that the Minister cannot answer.Hon Dr Nick Smith: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was very specific as to whether the Minister had had any discussions.SPEAKER: Yes and what the member did at the tail end of it was that he made public or purported to make public a decision of a committee which has not yet been reported.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Has he taken the action of requesting information from the Ministry of Justice or the Electoral Commission on the serious allegations of electoral law breaches—Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister has no responsibility for the enforcement of the electoral laws in this country. That's over to the Electoral Commission and the courts of law and he should be stopped from pursuing this line of questioning.SPEAKER: And probably if he had got a few more words out we would have got to the point of being out of order. Because that hadn't occurred I am going to listen to the question but I'm going to warn the Hon Dr Nick Smith that asking a Minister if he has inappropriately interfered in an Electoral Commission matter would be serious.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Has he taken the action of requesting information from his ministry or the Electoral Commission on the serious allegations of electoral law breaches and what implications they may have for preventing people working around the disclosure requirements?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: None.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Does he agree with the Prime Minister's statement that political donations need to comply with the spirit as well as the intent of our electoral laws?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Yes and that's why I remain concerned about those who as Ministers have travelled overseas to solicit overseas support for their political purposes.