Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 12 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16550. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]3.Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Leader of the Opposition)to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister):Yes.Hon David Cunliffe: Why did he tell the New Zealand public on Monday that “Yes they”—the Cabinet Office—“looked at the translation.”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Because I believed it to be correct and actually the Cabinet Office has written to me to say that the information it provided to me could well have left me with that impression. It apologised for that.Hon David Cunliffe: Did the Prime Minister personally or through directing his office specifically ask the Cabinet Office to look at the English translation of Oravida’s Chinese website when this issue first came to light last week; if not why not?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I do not have all the details of who contacted the Cabinet Office but my understanding was they looked at all the information required.Hon David Cunliffe: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. These are deliberately very straight and simple factual questions and a supplementary to—Mr SPEAKER: I am going to ask the member to repeat his question.Hon David Cunliffe: Did the Prime Minister personally or through personally directing his office specifically ask the Cabinet Office to look at the English translation of Oravida’s Chinese website when this issue first came to light last week; if not why not?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is the same answer. I do not have the information with me of what was asked for but—[Interruption]Hon David Cunliffe: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order.Hon David Cunliffe: The question asked—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have heard the question.Hon David Cunliffe: Mr Speaker—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have heard the question. You have put it twice. The Prime Minister has chosen to answer it by saying he does not have that information.Hon David Cunliffe: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: I will hear from the Hon David Cunliffe.Hon David Cunliffe: Given that the question went to his own personal knowledge or direction and not to the actions of any other party how is it possible for him to not have the information about his own personal actions?Mr SPEAKER: Well I can easily answer that before I accept—Hon Member: He’s covering up.Mr SPEAKER: No it could be that the Prime Minister on this occasion feels he does not have the information because he cannot recall it accurately enough. It is in his hands; it is for him to decide how he is going to answer the questions. [Interruption] Order! If members want to stay for the balance of question time then when I am on my feet I expect them to be silent. I have attempted to assist the member to get an answer that is more helpful. The Prime Minister has chosen how he is to answer that question and that is his responsibility. The member then has further supplementary questions and who knows—he may get an additional supplementary question to help elucidate the answer he may require.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. By the nature of Mr Cunliffe’s question it may be that Prime Minister can seek a defence in not being prepared but if you look at question No. 7 where he is asked whether he gave honest answers to questions asked on this matter he has had now 4 hours to be prepared so he should be down here today ready to go and not be hiding behind the points he—Mr SPEAKER: And that is for this House and the public of New Zealand to judge.Hon David Cunliffe: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. On previous occasions when there has been an apparent or possible obfuscation by a Minister to a direct question you have given members on this side of the House three opportunities to ask the supplementary question and the Minister concerned three opportunities to give a direct answer.Mr SPEAKER: I have ruled. I have given it—what two goes? I have determined that that is enough. The member has further supplementary questions.Hon David Cunliffe: Does the Prime Minister understand that the statement by his office that the deletion of the Chinese version of the website means there is no longer a conflict of interest means that there must have been an actual conflict of interest to start with; if not what does he understand by that statement?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No the member is not correct.Hon David Cunliffe: Has the Prime Minister seen the Chief Ombudsman’s report from October 2012 that states: “if a Minister refers to Cabinet Office advice publicly in a way that is misleading or exaggerated the countervailing public interest in disclosure is likely to outweigh the need for confidentiality.” and will he therefore table the Cabinet Office advice now for members of this House?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No but I do actively encourage the member to take the matter up with the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman will then look at all of the advice I have seen and the Ombudsman will—guess what—not release it because they will know that I am correct.Hon David Cunliffe: The underfunded Ombudsman. On what day—Rt Hon John Key: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition as he got to his feet impugned the reputation of the Ombudsman of New Zealand. I think that is a very serious matter and the member might want to reflect on that.Mr SPEAKER: I did not hear the remark. If the member made a comment that he thinks is unparliamentary—[Interruption] I will hear from the member.Hon David Cunliffe: Speaking to the point of order if the Speaker did not hear it the words I said were “The underfunded Ombudsman.” That was going to the point—Rt Hon John Key: No you said “Government funded”.Hon David Cunliffe: If I may that goes to the point that the Prime Minister is hiding behind an officer of Parliament whom he has insufficiently funded in the full knowledge that there will be a long delay before an answer can be given. That is impugning himself—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I will accept what the member has said and therefore we will move forward.Hon David Cunliffe: Does he agree that there is a conflict of interest arising from revelations this morning that Judith Collins had a previously undeclared dinner with her “close personal friends” which included the chairman of Oravida and a senior Chinese border control official while on a taxpayer-funded trip to China in which she also visited Oravida and endorsed or promoted its products?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I believe that the accumulation of meetings that the Minister of Justice held in China could lead to the perception of a conflict of interest and that is why I believe that transparency is very important. I believe for instance that if you get secret donations through a trust you should make those known. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order!Hon David Cunliffe: Does he consider it merely a perception of a conflict of interest that all this occurred with a company of which the Minister’s husband is one of only three directors which is supplied by a company substantially owned by the president of the National Party and from which his party has received $56000 in political donations?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Firstly I think it can lead to a perception of a conflict of interest. Secondly what is important here is that we actually do know what has taken place. We do not when it comes to the trust funds of—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Prime Minister has answered the question.Hon David Cunliffe: If Mrs Collins does not understand that this combination of circumstances reflects a serious conflict of interest is she fit to be a Minister in his Government?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes she is quite fit to be a Minister. My own view is that Judith Collins is an outstanding Minister but I think that on this particular occasion she has got this wrong. All I can say to Mrs Collins is this: thank goodness you did not grant him citizenship in the Labour Party caucus—Mr SPEAKER: Order!