Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:621;Page:16225] 
7.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: What is the total amount of funding made available by Te PuniKokiri to Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust since 1 January 1998 and what was the purpose of this funding? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 I am advised that the total amount of funding paid to Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust since 1 January 1998 is $1040571. The funding has been provided for a range of purposes. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Minister think that the Waipareira Trust putting a couple of hundred thousand dollars into Mr Tamihere’s back pocket is an acceptable way to distribute some of the millions of dollars it has received from that Government agency? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Most certainly not. 
Darren Hughes 
: Does the Minister believe that the Waipareira Trust has provided value in respect of the funding that has been provided to it by Te PuniKokiri? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes. For example in relation to the direct resourcing project the trust continues to develop and test an integrated whanau managed-care pilot. I am advised by officials that the strategy is proving very successful and is of considerable benefit to families in high need in west Auckland. 
Stephen Franks 
: Does the Minister find it acceptable for a Government-funded Maori trust to finance a Labour political campaign; if so why? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: No. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: What did he have in mind when he stated: “There’s always those possibilities.” in response to a question asking whether it was possible that John Tamihere had done some things that “are not so honest”? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Can the member repeat the question. I cannot quite understand it. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Please repeat the question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Well actually we could not understand his response—that is why we asked the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member was asked to repeat the question. That is not unreasonable. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: What did the Minister have in mind when he stated in a recent interview “There’s always those possibilities.” which was his response to a question asking whether it was possible that John Tamihere had done some things that are not so honest? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I need to see the whole script and recall what that member is trying to drop in; it is just part of an interview apparently. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek leave to table a transcript of a  
Nine to Noon 
 interview between the interviewer and Parekura Horomia— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that interview. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Hang on! 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that interview. Is there any objection? 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Then I will withdraw the seeking of leave—it could have been for any old interview. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member indicated the actual programme. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Yes—but what day? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Carry on briefly—the date. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: It was conducted between the Radio New Zealand  
Nine to Noon 
 host and Mr Parekura Horomia and in it he was asked: “Is it possible that John Tamihere has done some things that are not so honest?” and he responded by saying: “There’s always those possibilities.” The question was what did he have in mind. 
Document not tabled. 
Rodney Hide 
: With the Waipareira Trust helping those families in high need in west Auckland does that include Mr John Tamihere and his family when he is out campaigning for the Labour Party because “someone has to pay for his mortgage and feed his kids”; and when did this Minister first learn that the Waipareira Trust had paid for Mr John Tamihere’s election campaign? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: No. I think it is despicable that that member should wax lyrical on members who are under duress and bring into account in this House their family members. It is disgraceful. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think Mr Hide whether or not it is accidental is asking a very very sound question and a very reasonable one. That response from the Minister cannot surely be acceptable. There was no attempt to attack anyone’s family at all. He is being asked as Minister whether he is happy as the head of a Government department with money going from the taxpayer towards paying for someone’s campaign. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first word the Minister said was “No.” I thought that addressed the question. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: That is my point. He said “No.” and if he had left it at that it would have been fine but then he launched into a tirade against Mr Hide for even asking the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Well that part of the tirade was irrelevant and in fact it was probably out of order. But as far as the question is concerned it was addressed and a direct answer was given. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There was also a second part of my question which I am sure the House is interested to know the answer to and it was when did Mr Parekura Horomia first learn that the Waipareira Trust was funding John Tamihere’s campaign when he was campaigning on behalf of the Labour Party in 1999. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member asked a series of questions. The member addressed one of them and that is quite satisfactory. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. So you are saying to this House that it is acceptable that the Minister answered “No.” and that as the Minister because of embarrassment did not answer the second limb of the question the Opposition has to burn another question asking it? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No I am not saying that at all. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That member is making an assumption. Those matters are currently the subject of a ministerial inquiry the terms of reference of which were announced yesterday. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Mr Hide’s question was when did the Minister learn and is he happy with what he learnt. It is that simple. He has answered one part of it but he will not answer the first part. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: As far as I am concerned the Minister has now expanded on his answer. He has given two answers to that particular question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Do we assume then if you accept that answer that the Minister is saying he will wait for the inquiry to tell him when he first knew about the election expenses being paid by the Waipareira Trust? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order. It is part of debate. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You might recall that during the Watergate inquiry there was a headline “What didn’t the President know and when did he know it?”. This is identical here. The Minister has been asked when did he know and first learn about this. At no part have I heard any date or an answer that states: “Well I didn’t know until later or yesterday or last month.” That would be acceptable but the Minister has said nothing at all. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If that had been the question then I would have expected the Minister to address it. The Minister answered the first part of the question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Minister accept full responsibility for Mr Tamihere’s actions as Associate Minister of Maori Affairs; if not why not? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Within his portfolio yes. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Rodney Hide 
: There they go. Someone yells out but it does not seem to matter to you Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Please sit down. I will discipline the House not the member. I first heard an interjection from this side of the House then heard one from that side of the House. I decided to ignore both. That is my prerogative. Please ask the question. 
Rodney Hide 
: When did the Minister first learn that the Waipareira Trust had paid for John Tamihere to campaign for the Labour Party and pay for his election expenses? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: The member is assuming that it paid for those. It is yet to be proved. On the other matter I learnt as much as he did at about the same time as a whole lot of other people in this House. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. There is one piece of progress here and it is this: clearly Parekura Horomia does not accept John Tamihere’s word either. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order. I am getting tired of the member raising points of order that are not points of order. That most certainly was not one.