Gallagher Martin: General Debate 
Gallagher Martin: General Debate 
[Volume:633;Page:5222] 
MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 Spare me! Talk about collective amnesia! 
Hon Dover Samuels 
: Wayne Mapp with a cheque book! 
MARTIN GALLAGHER 
: Let us talk about the cheque book. Let us talk about the $1.2 million cheque. That was a big cheque. Let us talk about a National Party leader who did not know there was a $1.2 million cheque from the Exclusive Brethren floating around. I tell members that David Henry certainly knew about it. If we are to talk about scrutiny and media scrutiny let us look at that. 
I remind the House of an email sent on Wednesday 8 June 2005 to one David Henry with the subject heading of “Electoral Act 1993” and stating: “Dear David”—[ 
Interruption 
] 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Order! Would the member please continue. 
MARTIN GALLAGHER 
: I hope that is added to my time Mr Assistant Speaker. The email states: “Dear David many thanks for your phone time today and for making time available Tuesday next 9 a.m. your office. Those attending the meeting will be Mr Simmons Mr Win Mr Goudie Mr Hickmott”—all men—“to assist in the process. We represent a group of Christian businessmen”—what a misuse of the term but never mind—“concerned as to the course and direction of the current Government. Accordingly we have put together an election programme with a budget of $1.2 million with the goal of ‘getting party votes for National’ as this is the only way change will come about. Our programme involves extensive publications throughout New Zealand with a theme showing and demonstrating mistrust in the current Government and building trust in a Brash-led National Government. We write seeking clarification and direction re the election funding issue specifying that anything we do does not compromise National’s funding position. Typically does it compromise National’s position if we communicate to MPs and candidates our strategy? Does it compromise National’s position if we show them draft publications before they are published? Is there any legality prohibiting us printing ‘Vote National Vote Brash’ and including a photo of Dr Brash on these and can it be done without compromising National’s funding position? To what extent can we legally advise direct assist communicate to others with National MPs and candidates? We would appreciate your directives on the above and any other legal points you think are appropriate.” 
Then I have a report from a TV3 news clip dated Monday 5 September: “Reporter: Do you know who is responsible for the pamphlets? Dr Brash: I don’t.” Another report from Tuesday 6 September states: “Presenter: Who’s doing the nasty pamphlets? Dr Brash: I don’t actually know Paul. One thing I do know: it’s not the National Party.” Further on Wednesday 7 September: “Dr Brash says he met with representatives of the Exclusive Brethren church about a month ago.” I have this report as per the Television New Zealand website: “Presenter: Did they tell you about their plans for the pamphlet drop? Did they tell you anything about that? Dr Brash: OK. (walks away).” On Thursday 8 September Dr Brash said: “I knew they were going to use some pamphlets attacking the Government and I said ‘Tremendous’.” My source is 95bFM on 8 September from transcribed audio. On Friday 9 September when asked why he had not owned up to his knowledge of the pamphlets sooner Dr Brash said: “I wasn’t asked whether I knew about it.” 
Does anyone in this country believe that the National Party stumbled across a golden cheque of $1.2 million from some so-called Christian businessmen and did not know anything about it? Does anyone in this country honestly believe that in terms of the pamphlets that came into people’s letterboxes? In my electorate they even arrived in my personal letterbox on election day stating: “Vote for a party that can actually change the Government. Your party vote is critical; use it wisely. Change the Government to one that cares. Use your party vote.” and so on and so on. If we are to talk about credibility about paying the money back and about using a cheque book does anyone believe that National members did not know about that? The other question we are asking National members today is to tell us please what money they got from insurance companies and from the Insurance Council.