Brownlee Gerry: Financial Review Debate — Procedure In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
Brownlee Gerry: Financial Review Debate — Procedure In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
[Volume:616;Page:11857] 
GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) 
: 
 Three simple questions were asked of the Prime Minister by Nick Smith—three simple questions that could have been answered by the Prime Minister but were avoided by her. The first question was: will there be Crown ownership of the seabed and foreshore—yes or no? The answer was that we should wait and see because the Government does not know—it has no idea—and maybe it will know tomorrow or next week but not just now. The second question was: when will we see the legislation? The answer was that the Prime Minister does not know—perhaps tomorrow or next week but soon. And when she was asked why she will not debate with the leader of the National Party Don Brash in a public forum what did we get? We had the cowering little excuse that she wants to debate with him here in the Chamber. No fewer than six times there have been requests for leave for a snap debate on the very issue of the seabed and foreshore and the Prime Minister has instructed the troops on every occasion not to let her get into the situation of debating that tangle with Don Brash. 
Now we have the crazy idea from the Prime Minister that Don Brash should be here this afternoon with about maybe 10000 or 11000 people if we are lucky listening to the radio broadcast of this debate whereas— 
Rt Hon Helen Clark 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I think it would be useful if the deputy leader of the National Party could clarify whether he is trying to speak long enough to get Dr Brash to appear here in the Chamber. Is that the purpose of his speech? 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: That is not a point of order. 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Is that coming off my time? 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: No the member will be given time for it. 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I want to know what the Chair will do about a frivolous point of order like that from the Prime Minister. That shows what a terrible state the Government is in. Dr Brash is right now—let us not refer to his absence from the Chamber in any particular way—making himself available to be on the  
Holmes 
 show tonight to discuss in front of over a million New Zealanders this particular issue. The Government knows and the Prime Minister knows that the Prime Minister cannot be there to appear on  
Holmes 
 because New Zealanders do not want to hear these answers: “I don’t know. I can’t see when it is going to happen—maybe soon at some time in the future.” 
Hon Annette King 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I feel that this entire speech is out of order because Mr Brownlee is constantly indicating the absence of his leader from the Chamber in his speech and that is out of order. 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Speaking to the point of order I point out that I said Dr Brash was making himself available to be on the  
Holmes 
 show this evening. 
Hon Annette King 
: He’s not here. 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I know the difference—we live in a technological age. Mind you we would not expect the Labour Party to know that. It is not necessary for Don Brash to be anywhere other than within the precincts of Parliament.[ 
Interruption 
] The point is— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Order! Has the member finished speaking to the point of order? 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: I have now yes. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Would the member please continue with his speech. 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: How many times are we going to have to put up speakers this afternoon before the Prime Minister decides to give the Committee some answers? We know that the Prime Minister does not want to get cornered by Paul Holmes or to get into a head-to-head debate with Dr Don Brash. We know that the Prime Minister says she is prepared to debate the matter here in the Chamber but when she came down here this afternoon and the questions were put to her what did we get? She said she did not know and could not tell us. That is just unacceptable. I can only assume there are people up on the seventh floor of the Beehive now people from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet who are ripping their hair out knowing what option No. 7 will be for the Prime Minister. They know what option No. 7 will be for the Prime Minister. It is a very simple thing. She must tell the country whether the foreshore and seabed of this nation are to remain in Crown ownership. 
Hon Annette King 
: Hear hear! 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Is that right? 
Hon Annette King 
: Of course it will! 
GERRY BROWNLEE 
: Annette King has just said that that is what is to happen. 
 I want to know whether Mahara Okeroa or Tariana Turia will take a call this afternoon and tell us they agree with that position. How about Dover Samuels John Tamihere or any of the rest of them? Some of them I cannot remember. There is a “Miha Ritinui” and a “Dave Horeore”. Where do they stand on this stuff? 
Those are simple questions and the Opposition will keep asking them until the Prime Minister is prepared to answer them. Why can we not have simple answers? Why can we not have a public debate about this matter? Why is the Prime Minister so fearful of going on State television with Don Brash? It seems to me that it may that the Government has a little bit of “poll-itis”. The great spin machine from the seventh floor has let Government members down.