1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime Minister1. CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she have confidence in all of her Ministers?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes.Christopher Luxon: Are media reports correct that Minister Mahuta did not tell her or her Cabinet about the 60 percent entrenchment provision before it was voted on?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I've already been clear on this issue: caucus did not discuss this specific Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) because it had not been tabled. We had a general discussion on entrenchment but ultimately I think the most important thing is that we have said it was a mistake and as a team we have fixed it.Christopher Luxon: When she said she has no plans to remove Minister Mahuta based on anything that's happened here" does that mean as Prime Minister she is willing to tolerate one of her Ministers deliberately keeping her in the dark?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again the member is implying that somehow I should have seen an SOP that had not yet been tabled and also the point that I've made here in this regard: there were 24 SOPs. I would not have an expectation that for every single bill that comes through this House we would see every single SOP. And I imagine that the member himself may not have either. Again the most important thing here is a mistake has been made and we have corrected it.Christopher Luxon: Can she confirm that on 30 May Cabinet "agreed that the bill should not entrench the privatisation provisions" and if so why is she tolerating a Minister going against the explicit instructions of her and her Cabinet?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The Minister has not.Christopher Luxon: Doesn't the Cabinet Manual state "Once Cabinet makes a decision Ministers must support it regardless of their personal views …" and why has she not taken any action over Minister Mahuta saying in this House "There is a moral obligation of people who believe that privatisation should not occur to support that particular SOP."?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes that is what the Cabinet Manual says. Yes the member did continue to uphold the Cabinet decision. The member actually though is asking a question about another party's SOP. Again I come back to the principle point: Labour maintains its position that you should never sell these assets. It would be good if the National Party confirmed the same. We also confirmed a mistake was made and we have fixed it.Christopher Luxon: Isn't it the case that Minister Mahuta has clearly breached the Cabinet Manual and when will the Prime Minister finally show some leadership and sack her?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No the member has not. Secondly leadership is fixing a problem when you see it. The member on the opposite side has never once given New Zealanders an explanation of what he would do to fix failing water infrastructure in this country. Saying you'll do nothing is not an option. This country cannot afford to no longer invest in water infrastructure. We have a solution. The member only has opposition and no ideas.Christopher Luxon: Why is she allowing one of her Ministers to blatantly defy her by standing up in Parliament to speak in support of something Cabinet had collectively agreed not to support?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member continues to misrepresent the Minister. Secondly as a party we have always stood against the notion of privatisation. We have been absolutely clear on that. We have used every mechanism to make sure that we do not see the privatisation of those assets. The Minister has gone to great lengths to ensure it. What we've come to is a question over whether or not a mechanism like entrenchment should be used for those purposes. Our view is it should be removed but we still stand by keeping them in public ownership. Does the member?Christopher Luxon: Has she lost so much control over her Cabinet that she's now either unwilling or unable to remove a Minister who has openly defied her?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The Minister has not defied Cabinet. The Minister has not broken the Cabinet Manual. Again I accept the member hasn't been here very long but it was an SOP from another party."