King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:664;Page:12383] 
1. 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: How much money if any was appropriated to the Pacific Economic Development Agency in Budget 2010? 
Hon SIMON POWER (Associate Minister of Finance) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Finance 
: As announced on Budget day the Budget provides $4.8 million over 4 years for Pacific youth training and job opportunities. The intention is for this money to be used by the Pacific Economic Development Agency for those initiatives subject to the negotiation of a purchase agreement and the usual rules around that. There is no specific appropriation to the Pacific Economic Development Agency in the Budget. 
Hon Annette King 
: What due diligence was undertaken on the one and only shareholder of the private company Pacific Economic Development Agency Ltd before Cabinet approved $4.8 million worth of taxpayers’ money to that company in Budget 2010? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Although I do not have immediate details of the specific issue raised I am sure it was appropriate. 
Hon Annette King 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I wonder whether you think it is an appropriate answer for the Minister to say he was sure it was sufficient when I asked “What due diligence was undertaken …” I did not ask whether it was sufficient or insufficient but about what was actually undertaken. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I hear the honourable member. I think in fairness though the Minister is answering on behalf of the Minister of Finance. He indicated that he did not have the particular details needed to give a more precise answer to the member. 
Hon Annette King 
: Will the private company Pacific Economic Development Agency allocated $4.8 million of taxpayers’ funding as set out on page 186 of the Budget supporting documents be required to report to Parliament under section 32A of the Public Finance Act as an organisation like Plunket for example is required to account for its expenditure of taxpayers’ funding; if not why not? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: I do not have advice in respect of the section of the Public Finance Act that the member refers to. I know that a contract that is currently in the process of being negotiated will require all of the normal capacity to deliver—ability to collaborate accountability and measured outcomes—that any purchase agreement for Crown funding would. 
Hon Annette King 
: Was he aware that the author of the original Pacific Economic Development Agency proposal has stated as recently as 29 June this year that others would have to be engaged to deliver some of the proposals because “PEDA won’t be able to.”; and why would he risk allocating funding to an organisation that will have to hand funding to a third party where it will not be accountable to the taxpayer? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: No. 
Hon Annette King 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have quite a number of questions to ask the Minister. I seek leave to hold them over because the Minister obviously has not come prepared to answer any of my questions. 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: First of all perhaps the leave should have been put before the question was asked. Secondly the first part of that question asked whether I was aware of such-and-such. The answer to that question was “No.” 
Mr SPEAKER 
: We do not—[ 
Interruption 
]—I am on my feet and members will be silent. The Minister has pointed out that he did answer the question that was asked. But leave has been sought to have the questions deferred. The member is perfectly entitled to seek that leave. Would the member like me to put that leave? 
Hon Annette King 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I know how good your memory is. You will recall that his answer was “No.” He is answering on behalf of the Minister not on his own behalf. So if he has information that the Minister is not aware of that statement then he must have other information that he has not been able to provide today. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member makes a perfectly fair point in pointing out that the Minister is answering on behalf of another Minister so therefore the answer means that the Minister of Finance is not aware. Unless the Minister wishes to correct the answer that is how the House will take it. 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: As far as I am aware no. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Even then he did not get there. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have ruled that he has answered and the honourable member may wish to ask further a supplementary question. 
Hon Annette King 
: Did he discuss any proposals from the Pacific Economic Development Agency Ltd with the Prime Minister or Georgina te Heuheu after the Prime Minister met with Mr Pereira Michael Jones Inga Tuigamala and National MP Sam Lotu-Iiga in June 2009; if so what was the outcome of those discussions? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: I am sorry. I do not have that information with me this afternoon.