English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
English Bill: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3685] 
1. Hon BILL ENGLISH (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Is it correct that she tried to stop Hon John Tamihere from circulating a speech which said that the “Welfare as presently practiced in this country literally kills [Maori] with kindness.” after the Knowledge Wave Conference; if so why? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) 
: 
 No. 
Hon Bill English 
: Why was John Tamihere’s speech removed from the Beehive website today? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: For all the reasons that I have outlined: that one cannot make speeches that do not reflect Government policy outside one’s portfolio and one cannot bag colleagues. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Is it correct that John Tamihere did not write the speech and that its contents are in fact correct or did he write the speech and is himself guilty of the bovine scatology of which he accused his colleague; in which case would the Prime Minister show some leadership and fire him? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I am sure Mr Tamihere may have had assistance with the speech from a staff member. I have not got the details of who crafted this or that sentence but I have laid out very clear expectations of behaviour from Ministers. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: Did the Prime Minister say to any member of the media that she was “relaxed about the Hon John Tamihere’s speech”; if so as a matter of integrity can she clearly explain to the House why she changed her position from being relaxed to being seriously critical? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I have not changed my view of the speech. As I said at the press conference yesterday it was capable of a benign or a malign interpretation. I told Mr Tamihere exactly which interpretation the media and parties like ACT would take. 
Sue Bradford 
: Is the Prime Minister concerned about the high levels of poverty amongst Maori beneficiaries and that poverty kills more people than kindness does; and will she be asking the Minister responsible to increase core benefit levels accordingly? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I am concerned about the standard of living that a significant minority of our people have—I will not say enjoy because it cannot be enjoyed. We have identified next year’s Budget as the time at which to make some specific progress on the income-related issues for low and modest income families. In the meantime it is fair to point out that in the course of the first 3 years of this Government 123000 extra people went into work which included many tens of thousands of Maori.  
Hon Peter Dunne 
: What latitude is the Prime Minister prepared to allow her Ministers and members of Parliament in contributing to debate on legitimate issues of public interest? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: For Ministers the convention is that one does not stray outside one’s portfolio attack core policy or bag one’s colleagues. I make one further point. Rising to the rank of Cabinet Minister is one of the major privileges of being in this House. That gives access to the policy-making process. That access should be used. 
Hon Bill English 
: Is the Prime Minister aware that Clayton Cosgrove has been reported as saying: “Mr Tamihere’s comments on welfare have gone down well in the street.”; if so will Mr Cosgrove be asked to apologise as well? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I am sure the comments went down very well on Victoria Avenue. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Have any of the Maori members of her caucus expressed support for the views outlined by Mr Tamihere; or is it a case of those members being lambs in the caucus and lions back in their constituencies? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I have not heard any caucus member express support for those views. 
Hon Bill English 
: I seek leave to table John Tamihere’s speech which was removed from the website. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that speech. Is there any objection? There is.