Dyson Ruth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDyson Ruth: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 27 August 2013. Volume:693;Page:12809. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) to thePrime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes and apologies. When you are rudderless over there question time finishes so early.Hon Ruth Dyson: Does he stand by his statement to Cantabrians who think the Government’s offer of 50 percent of rateable value for red zone commercial property and bare land is unfair that “One option is the Government says ‘thanks very much. It’s been a lot of fun. If you don’t want to take the offer that’s where it’s at’.”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: An option is that the Government says it has put its best offer on the table yes but the matter is before the courts on appeal.Hon Ruth Dyson: How is it fun or fair that red zone property owners with a partly constructed home are being offered the 100 percent rateable value Government offer while those who have not begun their construction are being offered 50 percent yet neither have land insurance; how is that fun or fair?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The question is whether it is fair and the Government’s view is that these are properties that do not have insurance.Hon Ruth Dyson: Does he stand by his statement that the red zone offer an offer described by JusticePanckhurst in the Christchurch High Court yesterday as being “not made according to law” is generous and fair; if so how can he explain that losing half the value of your land is generous and fair?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Under the circumstances and considering precedent yes those are properties that do not have insurance and for some of those people it will be above what they have paid for it.Hon Ruth Dyson: Did he rethink any of his statements when the Valuer-General stated publicly that there had been no formal analysis of the value of bare land in Canterbury contradicting the written word of Minister Gerry Brownlee who said in the Cabinet paper on this issue that the Valuer-General had said that the land was worth only 10 percent of the rateable value?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I am advised that that position was offered by officials. But what I can say is that in the end yes everyone accepts that this is a very challenging and difficult set of circumstances but there is a situation where these properties are uninsured. There are many New Zealanders who lose 100 percent of everything they have through no fault of their own because they do not have insurance. That is why the Government is taking the extraordinary step of offering them 50 percent.Hon Ruth Dyson: Has the Government lodged an appeal against the decision of Justice GrahamPanckhurst announced yesterday?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Not yet but the Government is intending to do so.Chris Hipkins: Does he stand by all of his statements in relation to the Henry inquiry; if so can he confirm that neither he nor anyone in his office indicated that the head of the Parliamentary Service Geoff Thorn should consider resigning?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I stand by my statements and the matter is before the Privileges Committee.