4. Question No. 4—Prime MinisterHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 4—Prime Minister4. Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her statements and actions?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes and compliments of the season.Hon Paula Bennett: Does she stand by her statements in relation to the safety of Karel Sroubek's estranged wife: My expectation would be that if we had information brought to us that raised concerns around her safety we act appropriately on that."?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes.Hon Paula Bennett: Does she stand by her statement in relation to Karel Sroubek's estranged wife: "She asserted one thing when the process was in place—again falsely—and said something else today." and she has "changed her tune now."?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Obviously a range of questions have been asked and answered on my behalf as well as to me directly. But to clarify of course the action that was taken when—I believe on 31 October—I was first advised via a journalist of allegations that Mr Sroubek's ex-wife's safety may have been at risk was that I immediately raised that issue directly with the Minister of Immigration. This prompted the Minister to follow up. An investigation was launched I understand within 24 hours of that issue being raised directly with him.Hon Paula Bennett: If that is the case then why has she repeatedly since then even on her behalf actually denigrated the ex-wife and made her out to not be a victim?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I do not believe that I have done that. When concerns around Mr Sroubek's ex-wife's safety were raised with me I raised it directly with those who had the most direct contact and the ability to offer that support and investigation—that was with the Minister of Immigration. It also came to my attention further down the track that the member Mark Mitchell had raised concerns with the Minister of Police. As soon as I was aware of that I followed up with the Minister of Police to gain assurances that he also had appropriately followed up on those concerns and I'm advised that that was also done.Hon Paula Bennett: Was Iain Lees-Galloway or anyone in her ministry at any point advised about the prison phone call of Karel Sroubek with his estranged wife where he threatened to send somebody to talk to her and said "This makes me angry so much." and "I'm going to [effing] let this go. [eff] off."?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: My understanding is that the Minister of Immigration was not aware that that phone call had taken place.Hon Paula Bennett: Is she aware that questions to her from me on 8 November raised questions around this phone call and was it followed up by any of those people whom she said did?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Actually it was followed up before that. As I said the first time these issues were raised with me and my office—in more general terms; I don't believe at that time it was specific as to say a phone call but in general terms around the safety issues—was as I say I believe on 31 October. That same day I raised it with the Minister of Immigration and I understand within 24 hours he had officials following up on that issue.Hon Paula Bennett: Does she stand by her statement that Iain Lees-Galloway was the victim in all of this?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: In my recollection of course that was a statement that was made I think in the context of a set of wider issues on my behalf when I was unfortunately unavailable in the House.Hon Paula Bennett: Who does she believe: the drug-dealing thug Karel Sroubek who claims that this is all just a property dispute or his estranged wife who was screamed at threatened and placed under police—SPEAKER: Order! No prime ministerial responsibility for that.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think she's made it clear in the past that actually in answers to questions in this House—SPEAKER: Well I should have ruled it out.Hon Paula Bennett: Well then does she stand by her previous statement that she asserted one thing in regards to the estranged wife she asserted one thing when the process was in place—again falsely—where she is saying that she doesn't believe the ex-wife and does she still stand by that?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I have reiterated the moment that I heard these allegations I acted. Of course I was concerned around any claims that were made around coercion threats of violence—anything in that regard. I raised it immediately with the Minister of Immigration who acted and I understand work was undertaken straight away as a result of those allegations as it should have.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I have a situation where I've got her saying one thing in this House. Since then I'm asking her if she still stands by that—SPEAKER: You mean the Prime Minister?Hon Paula Bennett: Yes I do sorry—the Prime Minister sorry. I have the Prime Minister who has said something in this House in recent weeks in regards to the ex-wife. I have the direct quote. I'm asking her if she still stands by it the Prime Minister and I can't get an answer to that and it is in quite contrast to the answer she's giving me today.SPEAKER: I'm going to ask the member to ask it again but I also want to make clear that the Prime Minister indicated that the important answer was one given on her behalf which does give her some room to move away.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I don't ask for a ruling today but I do ask you to reflect. As someone that used to answer on behalf of a Prime Minister it was made extremely clear to us that our words were not our own in this House when answering on behalf; they were certainly the words of the Prime Minister and that is something I took very seriously.SPEAKER: The member will resume her seat. I think the member has heard me say this to the Deputy Prime Minister when he's been acting for the Prime Minister as may have been indicated to that member on occasion: that the voice being used was not exactly the one that the Prime Minister would have used.Hon Paula Bennett: Does she stand by her statement in relation to Karel Sroubek's estranged wife: "She asserted one thing when the process was in place—again falsely—and said something else today." and she "has changed her tune now."?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again I have reiterated several times both what I have directly stated and the action that I have directly undertaken. Those have been utterly consistent. I cannot hand on heart answer now as to whether the Deputy Prime Minister when answering on my behalf knew of the actions I had undertaken directly with the Minister of Immigration when I was advised by a journalist of concerns for her safety but I'm being utterly clear with the House now about the action that I took.Hon Paula Bennett: Was the Deputy Prime Minister when answering on her behalf wrong to claim it like that?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again without having the full transcript and context of the conversation what I am outlining here is again the direct action that I undertook and I absolutely stand by that.Hon Paula Bennett: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I acknowledge that it's the second to last day and it may be next year but I do think that we need a more solid ruling on when speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister that those words are the words of the Prime Minister. If there needs to be a correction to that record there is a tradition and a way to do that in this House.SPEAKER: I don't think we need an additional ruling; the rulings on the matter are very clear. If someone answers a question and it's grossly wrong then there's an obligation for that to be corrected. If members came back on both sides of the House to correct every error they made we would be spending a lot of time doing it."