Mallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMallard Trevor: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 February 2014. Volume:696;Page:16069. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) to thePrime Minister: Further to his response of “No” as to whether he received an assurance from Mr Dunne that he had not made a copy of the draftKitteridge Report on the GCSB available to a Fairfax reporter in Oral Question No 11 on 12 February and that he “accepted him at his word” in a supplementary answer to the same question in what context did Mr Dunne give his word that he did not make said report available to the reporter?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): It is “GCSB”. I will save you having to read it out. As I advised the House last year I was aware that Mr Dunne had made statements to the media where he categorically ruled out that he played any part in leaking the report.Hon Trevor Mallard: So therefore did he rely on a media report or media reports of Mr Dunne denying making theKitteridge report available to a Fairfax reporter to establish that Mr Dunne had “given his word” on this matter; if not how did Mr Dunne give “his word”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I saw the statements the member had made to the media and in the House and accepted them as good enough.Hon Trevor Mallard: Did he say on 7 June 2013 that he could not accept Mr Dunne’s assurances made earlier that day to the media that he had not made the draftKitteridge report available to a Fairfax reporter?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Most probably but a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does the Prime Minister stand by this statement: “I want to believe him but the problem is unfortunately the inquiry doesn’t rule him out and I can’t dismiss the possibility that he has because of the information contained in the report.”? Does he stand by those comments and what has changed now?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I do stand by those statements in the same way that I want to believe all the comments the member made about the Owen Glenn donations.Hon Trevor Mallard: Did the Prime Minister decide not to seek Mr Dunne’s direct answer on the question of whether he made the draftKitteridge report available to a Fairfax reporter because if Mr Dunne told the truth and admitted making it available he could not reappoint him and if he denied making it available Mr Dunne would have been misleading him and therefore equallyunappointable; if that was not the reason why did he not ask Mr Dunne?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I say to Chief InspectorClouseau no.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does the Prime Minister stand by this statement: “He has advised me that he remains unable to fully meet the inquiry’s requests and accordingly he offered and I have accepted his resignation as a Minister.”? If he stands by that comment what has changed now?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes I stand by that statement. As I say I also relied on the assurances the member gave in the House in the same way that I am relying on the assurances that Mr Peters has given over the Owen Glenn affair.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That is the second time the Prime Minister has introduced extraneous matters into his answers.Hon Members: Oh!Rt Hon Winston Peters: No no; let me finish. Let me finish. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is a point of order. It is required to be heard in silence.Rt Hon Winston Peters: That answer does not fit the parliamentary requirement to be terse and to the point when it comes to answers. But more important as we all know he went out and made all those allegations before the 2008 election but we are back now and it is too late.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member was doing marginally well when he started his point of order; he certainly was not by the time he finished.Hon Trevor Mallard: Does he feel more comfortable having his Government propped up by a member currently before the High Court following a prima facie case of electoral fraud being established or by one who has repeatedly declined in this House opportunities to deny being the person who made the draftKitteridge report available to a Fairfax reporter because to do so would involve telling the same lie he told to reporters? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order!Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I would ask you to think very carefully about whether or not it is in order for the last part of that question to be introduced to the House. It is an unreasonable accusation. All members in this House are to be treated as honourable members at all times. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: No I do not need the assistance of the member Trevor Mallard. Because of the noise I could not actually hear the part to which I know the member is objecting. I would have thought the Prime Minister would actually be able to respond quite satisfactorily to the question. I call on the right honourable Prime Minister to do so.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I refute the assertions made in the member’s question but I do say this. At least we have actually got a Government which is a lot better than that member has in Opposition because none of them is here today. Goodness knows where they are.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. During that exchange of comments a bit prior to Mr Key answering that question Mr Banks made a thoroughly unparliamentary statement. He should be asked to withdraw and apologise audibly.Mr SPEAKER: Well I certainly did not hear any comment that I considered unparliamentary coming from the Hon John Banks.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With respect what has that got to do with it? We heard it I heard it this member back here heard it—we all heard what he said and you should be relying upon my complaint. If you want to get to the bottom of it I will tell you what he said but that is what he did.Mr SPEAKER: No that will not be necessary. The best way forward is that I am going to ask the Hon John Banks if he did make a remark to withdraw that remark for the benefit of the House.Hon John Banks: Definitely not. Definitely not Trevor.Mr SPEAKER: Then I can take the matter no further.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Mr Banks called Mr Mallard a liar. We all heard it and he should be asked—Hon John Banks: That’s true.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Now he says it is true. Now he says it is true.Hon Gerry Brownlee: This clearly goes right to the point of the question. The question itself made a very similar assertion. There is no proof one way or the other. The member asking the question therefore left himself open to the same suggestion that he had just made about another member—my point I raised before.Mr SPEAKER: And I think that is a reasonable point but the more important point is that I asked Mr Banks whether he made an unparliamentary comment. He said he did not and Mr Banks’ word will be taken.Tracey Martin: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! This is a point of order. It will be heard in silence but I just want to caution the member. If we are relitigating the matter that has been discussed that is a direct challenge to a ruling I have given and the member would give me no choice but for me to then ask her to leave the Chamber. Does the member want to raise a fresh point of order?Tracey Martin: I do. Can I please seek clarification from you either now or after question time as a new member of Parliament. When a member of the Opposition rises and gives their word that a statement was made and that is not accepted yet when a member who is accused gives their word and it is—I am not seeking clarification now but it would be helpful for those of us who will be here after 2014.Mr SPEAKER: I am happy to take the member through this matter after question time.Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Following Mr Banks’ interjection I called him a liar. I withdraw and apologise for that because I unlike him am an honest member.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I thank the member for trying to assist the order of the House. Question No. 11—Gareth Hughes.Gareth Hughes: It’s time to go back to the real issues eh? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is members’ day that the members are using up. I have called Gareth Hughes.Gareth Hughes: Thank you Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Can we please get back to continuing with question time.