11. People's Mental Health Report—Minister of Health's StatementsDr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of HealthPeople's Mental Health Report—Minister of Health's Statements11. Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement about the authors of the People's Mental Health Report they're very left-wing anti-Government protesters"; if not when will he apologise to the 500 people who wrote their own stories about experiences with the mental health system as part of the report?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Yes and my statement distinguished between the genuinely motivated story submitters and those ActionStation organisers with some political agenda. My quote was: "When you look at the people behind it [you know] they're very left-wing anti-Government protesters." As I say ActionStation is back on Thursday with another separate anti-Government protest within the health area and it could be back week after week with different topics. And just for the record the ActionStation campaign coordinator is Mr Rick Zwaan the Green Party's Wellington election campaign coordinator who used to work as Kennedy Graham's researcher. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Supplementary question Dr David Clark. [Interruption] Order! I have asked for less interjection from everybody so that Dr David Clark can ask his supplementary questions.Dr David Clark: Has he read the report; if so does he accept that its aim as recorded in the executive summary is to give space to the stories of what is really going on and going wrong in our mental health services?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Yes I have read the report and especially the executive summary the first line of which is a totally false premise. It talks about $140 million being cut from health funding. Well actually health funding has gone up by $300 million which kind of proves the point that this is a political document.Dr David Clark: Does he think the contribution of Robbie who described support services as expensive and inadequate and which he says "almost drove him to take his own life" should be dismissed as the experience of a left-wing anti-Government campaign?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I have already answered that. Look I think Robbie's experience is worth listening to but that does not change the fact that this report is produced by a group of people who are permanent anti-Government protesters. If the member does not believe me go and look at their website. They will be back here week after week on subject after subject after subject because they do not like the Government.Dr David Clark: Does he think the contribution of Mike King who "describes despair and hopelessness in the face of inadequate access to mental health services" should be dismissed as the experience of a left-wing anti-Government campaigner?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Look I think the member needs to speak to Mrs King about how you think on your feet. I have answered that question already. The organisers are from ActionStation and it is the permanent anti-Government left-wing protester. Mr King is a very good man—Mike King as opposed to Mrs Annette King—who is genuinely motivated and I do not detract from his efforts. But as I say when you have people like Mr Rick Zwaan who used to work for Kennedy Graham and his friends from the Green Party I think it is pretty obvious that this is political.Dr David Clark: Does he think the contribution of "the many parents who submitted in regard of their children's experience of huge waiting lists and lack of funding" should be dismissed as the experience of a left-wing anti-Government campaign?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I point out to the member that he does not have to take all his supplementary questions and if he cannot think of new material in response to the answers he should just stop. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! We will deal with them one at a time.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. For two answers in a row the Minister began by insulting the questioner rather than addressing the question. But the main substantive point is that despite the abuse in that last answer he did not even address the question that was asked.Mr SPEAKER: On this occasion—[Interruption] Order! I have been increasingly worried about the interchange between these two members and some of the answers that have been given on occasion by the Hon Dr Jonathan Coleman but on this occasion when I consider the three questions that were asked they were effectively the same question each time. Therefore I can understand the frustration of the Minister in having answered the question the first time he effectively gets the same question for the next two occasions.Dr David Clark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That question in my view was not addressed because he had talked about ActionStation which is the compiler of the report. I am asking a specific question about the comments from the parents within the report. That is a very specific and non - politically loaded question.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I would like to assist the member but when I consider the answer that was given to I think the second supplementary question that effectively was an answer that was then quite suitable for the rest of the questions the member asked which were effectively just drawing on the experience of someone else within the book. The Minister was quite clear in saying he is not in any way critical of the experiences that were detailed in the report; he was certainly critical of the authors who put the report together.Hon David Parker: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With respect is the problem with that not that the Minister is trying to write this off as being a left-wing conspiracy—that is the essence of his answer? I think it is quite proper for members of the Opposition to put instance after instance after instance that paint a different picture. I think the Minister should have to address each of those instances rather than just cast aside a political insult telling him he should learn how to ask different questions.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I do not agree that it was a political insult. The question was answered. There was no attack on the various contributions that were made within that report by the Minister. There was certainly a feeling that the authors were not of the same political persuasion as the Minister. That is acceptable.Dr David Clark: To clarify—Mr SPEAKER: No. [Interruption] Order! [Interruption] Order! Would the member please resume his seat. [Interruption] Order! Would the member please resume his seat. I have ruled on that matter. The member is now starting to challenge the Chair and debate with the Chair. That in itself will lead to gross disorder in this House. Question No. 12 Melissa Lee—[Interruption] Order! [Interruption] If I hear a further interjection from Carmel Sepuloni while I am in the Chair today she will be leaving the Chamber. She has been consistently interjecting throughout question time in a very—[Interruption] Order! If the member wants to go now I can make that arrangement very easily. I expect cooperation particularly from whips and the level of interjection that has been coming from Carmel Sepuloni throughout question time is unacceptable. When I rise to my feet for those interjections still to continue is just not acceptable to this House."