Faafoi Kris: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFaafoi Kris: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 19 November 2015. Volume:710;Page:8325. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]12.KRIS FAAFOI (Labour—Mana) to the Minister for Building and Housing: Is he confident that all taxpayers’ money allocated for his HomeStart roadshow is being spent appropriately?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister of Local Government) on behalf of theMinister for Building and Housing: Yes. The first HomeStart roadshow meeting was held on 15 April in Henderson and the last on 1 October in Timaru. All 19 meetings were held in locations across the country some even in Labour electorates.Kris Faafoi: Is it appropriate for National MP Parmjeet Parmar to host or co-host a roadshow funded by taxpayers for the purpose of raising her “local profile” in Mt Roskill in case of a by-election; if so why?Hon PAULA BENNETT: No it would not be and that is exactly why that did not happen and she did not do that. So to make it really clear and I think it is only fair that it gets on the record it is a very short email and I would like to say the only email that I have seen that Parmjeet has actually sent. It said: “Hi Jane. Please can you check with Hon Nick Smith’s office re KiwiSaver HomeStart roadshow. I am keen to have one in Mt Roskill and can talk to Maungakiekie and Epsom electorates to come together for this. We will need enough time to prepare and put up hoardings etc. Thanks. Parmjeet.” That does not say anything about a by-election at all.Kris Faafoi: If there was nothing wrong with that request made by Parmjeet Parmar why was the purpose of her request to raise her profile in Mt Roskill blacked out in three out of four occasions in documents released to me under the Official Information Act?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Because quite simply that is not what the MP requested and that is not what the Minister did. If the member wants to pick on a public servant who has made a mistake then he can go ahead and do that because that is what has actually happened here but he cannot start pointing the finger when it is very clear what the member actually asked for.Kris Faafoi: I seek leave to table an Official Information Act request document that says that Parmjeet Parmar has also expressed a strong interest in hosting a roadshow to lift her local profile.Mr SPEAKER: In view of the circumstances I will put the leave and it will be for the House to decide. Leave is sought to table that particular email. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Kris Faafoi: Does he believe—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Will the member please resume his seat. The interjections now are far too frequent from my immediate right and they will cease.Kris Faafoi: Does he believe it appropriate for a ministerial staffer in his office funded by the taxpayer to be working with National Party HQ to organise those roadshow meetings to raise the profile of National MPs as is shown in those Official Information Act documents?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Those documents actually do not say that so let us get it clear: we have got a policy we are proud of we have held 19 meetings throughout the country we have an MP who is doing a fantastic job locally and we can afford to run a by-election. So things are going pretty well for us.Kris Faafoi: I seek leave to table an Official Information Act response to me that is from the Minister’s office and is pointing out instructions to members’ offices—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The document has been described. I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table that particular Official Information Act document. Is there any objection? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Kris Faafoi: Why did his department or his office black out the fact that National HQ was working with his office to organise those meetings; or were those meetings just a front for National Party campaigning on the taxpayer dollar?Mr SPEAKER: The first part of the question is OK.Hon PAULA BENNETT: Let us get clear on what these meetings actually are about. They are about a HomeStart that offers $435 million over 5 years to help around 90000 New Zealanders into their first home. Launched on 1 April this HomeStart grant offers up to $20K for new builds and up to $10K for existing properties—a fantastic policy and a lot of people want to come to meetings. Anyone else who wants to promote it we would love to hear from you.Kris Faafoi: I seek leave to table three letters sent from me to the Chief Ombudsman to the State Services Commission and to the Office of the Auditor-General asking for them to investigate the nature of those Official Information Act requests and the content of them. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The purpose of tabling documents is to better inform the House. On this occasion such information may be informative to members. I will put the leave. Leave is sought to table those particular three letters. Is there any objection? There is objection.