5. Foreign Affairs Minister—Manus Island Refugees and Russia Free-trade AgreementHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) to the Minister of Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs Minister—Manus Island Refugees and Russia Free-trade Agreement5. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: What reports has he received on the effects on New Zealand of Australia's major political economic and strategic relationships?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs): As the member might understand you would expect the Foreign Minister to receive a variety of reports of official nature from countries all around the world and weekly and that's exactly what I've got. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Does the Minister concur with the view of the Australian Government that its relationship with New Zealand is its most comprehensive and that deepening bilateral links will help support regional security in a time of change? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I most certainly agree that when the Australians apprised themselves of the shape and the character of the new Government they came to that conclusion. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Has he seen any reporting suggesting that the New Zealand Government is causing strain in the relationship with Australia over the Manus Island refugee issue? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well all I can say is that when I met the Foreign Minister for Australia she seemed delighted to meet me and to talk to me and she seemed terribly relaxed about cancelling the order for the sedan chair. But on the matter of Manus Island I can say that she did not raise with me the National Party commitment of 2013. Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I didn't ask about the way Mr Peters was received in Australia or whether he was treated to a sedan chair or whether or not the Australians were happy with the National Government policy. I asked him about whether or not he had received reports about whether or not the Manus Island refugee position and public statements made by the New Zealand Government were causing strain in the relationship with Australia. Mr SPEAKER: We'll have another crack. Ask it again. I think the Minister came quite close at the end but it might have been lost in translation. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Has he seen any reporting suggesting that the New Zealand Government is causing strain in the relationship with Australia over the Manus Island refugee issue? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: If by reports" the questioner means media reports yes I've seen a variety of misinterpretations. But I can say having met the Foreign Minister for Australia and indeed at his behest the Prime Minister of Australia that was not raised with me. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Can he assure the House that New Zealand will be joining Australia in working with partners to resist Russia's conduct when it is inimical to global security when it engages in destabilising activities? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well this is a wide-ranging trip around the world but let me say that it was the previous Government that was engrossed in negotiations with the Russians on the question of a clean free-trade deal that would be with respect to the customs union. Some of us perceived the wisdom of that while bearing in mind the view of the European Union and others about recent Russian international activity. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Can he confirm that as Foreign Minister he agrees with the Prime Minister that a free-trade agreement with the European Union is a higher priority than a free-trade agreement with Russia? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: No. I'm going to deal with it. It doesn't actually come close to the original question of the original answer. [Interruption] Order! Who said that?Hon Gerry Brownlee: We got one back.Mr SPEAKER: Yeah we will give one back because we are partway through a point of order. But it's not helpful especially from a whip.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The issue of a free-trade agreement was not raised by me; it was raised by Mr Peters in his answer to my previous question and I think that it's quite reasonable then that I ask for further clarification on that.Hon Tracey Martin: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. With regard to Mr Gerry Brownlee talking about his previous question—where you also sir were very lenient—but that also was very far from the primary because it was referring to Russia.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I haven't been here for some time—for the necessity of travelling overseas—but I want to make it very clear that from my point of view I seriously welcome any challenge from Mr Brownlee or the rest of them. And I'd like for you to be a bit more open in giving them a chance to show their performance here because I like a good joke and I like a good story.Mr SPEAKER: Has the member got the question written down? Maybe he could remind us all what it is given the willingness.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Can he confirm that as Foreign Minister he agrees with the Prime Minister that a free-trade agreement with the European Union is a much higher priority than a free-trade agreement with Russia?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: The free-trade agreement aspirations we have with the European Union are to be aligned with a much bigger set of economies—in fact the biggest economy in the world if you see it that way. In that sense I agree with the Prime Minister. But of course we are not only aspirational but visionary and we want to have free-trade agreements wherever we can get them and as quickly as possible that are fair to New Zealanders and where we see every boat rise as a consequence.Hon Gerry Brownlee: If that is the case then why has he instructed his ministry not to give him any information or advice that puts a free-trade agreement with the European Union ahead of or as a priority over a free-trade agreement with Russia?Mr SPEAKER: I am going to give the member another chance to reword it in a way that is consistent with the Standing Orders because I can see the eagerness of the Minister of Foreign Affairs—you can't make the assumption is what I'm saying. "Has he given advice?"—the member might want to ask it that way.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I asked if he could confirm.Mr SPEAKER: If you do that—yes.Hon Gerry Brownlee: So can he confirm that he has required of his department the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that they do not give him any information or advice that suggests the EU is a priority for a free-trade agreement over Russia?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: First of all I am not the Minister for trade and second I have given no such idiotic instruction—that was the behaviour of the former Government."