Curran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCurran Clare: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 05 June 2013. Volume:690;Page:10731. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.CLARE CURRAN (Labour—Dunedin South) to thePrime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes.Clare Curran: Does he stand by his statement to this House on 4 April 2012 that he is “comfortable with the arrangements that we have with Huawei.” and in light of this is he aware that Chorus has rejected Huawei’s bid to provide fibre equipment and services for the major contract for taxpayer-funded ultra-fast broadband in New Zealand?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In answer to the first part of the question yes.Clare Curran: Has any Government agency that he is responsible for recommended against Chorus accepting the bid from Huawei to provide equipment and services for taxpayer-funded ultra-fast broadband?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is not my policy to talk publicly about the advice I receive from the Government Communications Security Bureau and I will not be doing so this afternoon.Clare Curran: Is he aware that three of the four New Zealand security Echelon partners have outright rejected Huawei’s involvement in their Government broadband roll-out while the fourth the UK now bitterly regrets approving a contract with the Chinese company after a forensic audit costing more than £20 million uncovered thousands of bugs in the telecommunications system?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I cannot speak for other partners that New Zealand has but in relation to the last part I do not believe that would actually be right. But what I can say is the Government takes network security seriously. It protects network security where it believes possible and where appropriate and if the member wants to vote for the legislation that is currently going through the House that will strengthen network security that would be great. But guess what? The member will not.Clare Curran: Given the UK Government communications headquarters has an agreement with Huawei that allows it to vet Huawei devices and source codes for bugs and that covers British Telecom is there a similar arrangement between the Government Communications Security Bureau and Huawei in New Zealand?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: As I said earlier I am not going to discuss specific providers and either what advice or measures the Government Communications Security Bureau gives the Government or the Government follows because I do not believe it is in the national interest to do so. What I do believe is in the national interest is to strengthen thelegislation in this area. I invite the member’s party to do so. I am sure she will not but I invite her to do so. I stand by my earlier statements that I am comfortable as Prime Minister with the steps this Government has been taking.Clare Curran: Has he at any time discussed with the Government Communications Security Bureau Huawei’s bid for the ultra-fast broadband contract with Chorus?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: For the third time this afternoon I do not talk about the discussions I have with the Government Communications Security Bureau in relation to this matter or other matters unless there is specific reason to do so. That is a longstanding position by the way that the former Prime Minister Helen Clark adopted.Clare Curran: Does he now feel embarrassed that having invited Huawei into New Zealand and virtually offering it contracts on a plate in 2011 he is now being forced to keep it out of the major contract following the persistent concerns of all our major security partners?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The member is deliberately attempting to mislead the House. I did not invite Huawei into New Zealand.Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think you know that the Prime Minister cannot say that.Mr SPEAKER: It would be helpful if the Prime Minister did not suggest that the member was deliberately misleading the House. It is certainly in order for the member to dispute the supposition raised. It would be helpful if the Prime Minister in future would not accuse another honourable member of deliberately misleading the House. [Interruption]Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You just asked the Prime Minister to not do that in the future and I would question whether or not he should have been made to withdraw and apologise but immediately following your making that ruling the Prime Minister repeated it and said: “She is.”Mr SPEAKER: Well if the Prime Minister did interject that it would be useful if he now stood withdrew and apologised to the member.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I withdraw and apologise.Clare Curran: I seek leave to table a list of contracts related to the ultra-fast broadband roll-out that the telecommunications company Huawei has in New Zealand.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that information. Is there any objection? There appears to be none.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.