9. Question No. 9—Prime MinisterBROOKE VAN VELDEN (Deputy Leader—ACT) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 9—Prime Minister9. BROOKE VAN VELDEN (Deputy Leader—ACT) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and policies?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes. In particular I stand by our ongoing management of this pandemic. Our focus on public health measures and a strong vaccination campaign has meant less disruption to the economy and less disruption for New Zealanders. For the past two years our strategy has worked but we've always been clear that the restrictions sat in place aren't for ever. Like we did with lockdowns and like we are doing with border when the time is right and we're able we'll adjust the settings accordingly—but obviously that time isn't right now. All the evidence over the past two years has unequivocally demonstrated that our public health measures are the best way to ensure that we have a strong economic response as well.Brooke van Velden: Does she accept the Government's policy of vaccine mandates is causing significant division and disruption and if so is she open to alternatives?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I think it's worth canvassing briefly where we have applied mandates because we have been judicious in their use. Obviously as Delta hit us we wanted to make sure that anyone who was vulnerable who was accessing health services could be assured that for instance they wouldn't risk being exposed to an unvaccinated worker. In education parents were rightly raising concerns that at that time their children were unable to be vaccinated and their desire for that education workforce to be vaccinated. Likewise the police expressly asked we consider a mandate that applied to them and the Defence Force of course to ensure that when they are in the likes of Tonga that they don't represent an added danger. Otherwise many of the mandates that I've heard raised by those externally who take issue with them are often referencing a decision made by an employer—a private employer—rather than a Government mandate. But to finally round out every time we've made that decision it has been very carefully considered and we've done it to protect New Zealanders. I imagine that had we not taken steps to look after New Zealanders' health we would not only have those raising those concerns possibly in a public way but we would have a death count that mirrored it as well.Brooke van Velden: Would she consider a vaccinate-or-test rule as applies to people flying domestically on Air New Zealand to replace the vaccine-only requirement or allowing businesses to set their own rules on their own property as suggested by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I'm not quite clear on whether or not the member is referring to it in situations where employees are covered by a mandate which is put in place by their employer or whether the member is speaking to vaccine passes. I'll defer to the former; there I would again reiterate that where many workplaces have put in place mandates it has been at their discretion and their decision. I'd be surprised if the member was advocating that we expressly remove the right of a private enterprise to undertake a policy that essentially would be their own decision not one for Government.Brooke van Velden: If a test-to-work rule is OK for workers in critical industries why can it not be used by other workers?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I would point out that the test-to-work regime that allows you to not be the subject of our usual isolation requirements only apply to vaccinated workers. The other point that I'd really like to take the opportunity to make: firstly there have been a number of countries—I'll make an assumption that member might be talking now about vaccine passes but excuse me if I've misinterpreted the question. There were countries that originally did use either a vaccine pass or someone showing that they had been tested within the previous 72 hours. Most of the countries that did that dropped the testing element demonstrating that it wasn't working from a policy perspective and we had that insight when we made our own decisions. Instead we created a COVID-19 Protection Framework that—for the most part the most part—does give businesses the opportunity to operate differently should they not wish to use vaccine passes.Brooke van Velden: Does she stand by her statement from yesterday that I'm not here to pass judgement" in relation to the way that the Speaker turned sprinklers and loud music on the protestors outside Parliament?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: That was a reference to the fact that obviously the Speaker has jurisdiction over this place and these grounds on behalf of all parliamentarians so it's therefore not for me to speak on those matters.Brooke van Velden: What communications if any did she or her office have with the Speaker on Friday Saturday or Sunday about his actions in response to the protests?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As the member will be aware there have been communications with other leaders in this House to ensure we are kept briefed on the situation that exists on our forecourt. So I imagine that I've had contact in the same way that other leaders have been briefed on what's going on.Brooke van Velden: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I'm not sure the Prime Minister addressed that question. It was specific about the Prime Minister's communication with the Speaker not—SPEAKER: Well I think the Prime Minister indicated that she had. Brooke van Velden: Did the Speaker inform her of the way he was planning to turn the sprinklers on or play loud music to drive protestors away; if so did she raise any concerns with him about that.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Firstly I would acknowledge that my communication with the Speaker is as leader of the Labour Party in the same way that the Speaker's communication with Mr Luxon would be as leader of the National Party and with Mr Seymour as leader of ACT. The actions that the Speaker takes is entirely at his discretion and his decision. What I am aware of is that the Speaker has ensured that he's been in close contact with the police throughout this period as you'd expect. That is a much more important set of dialogue between the Speaker and police than it would be between the Speaker and myself as leader of the Labour Party."