Norman Russel: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNorman Russel: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 06 August 2013. Volume:692;Page:12306. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]6.Dr RUSSEL NORMAN (Co-Leader—Green)to thePrime Minister: Does he stand by his answer to one of my supplementary questions on 31 July 2013 that “the inquiry at no point asked for a journalist’s records either access records or phone records”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister):I stand by my corrected answer. If the member reads the full transcript of that question he will note that I later clarified my response to the member’s supplementary question. In relation to the building access records I stated that “he did request that.” meaning Mr Henry. I also stated that I thought it was wrong and that the inquiry should not have asked for that information.Grant Robertson: What about the phone records? Answer the question.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In relation to the phone records the Henry inquiry did not request Miss Vance’s records.Dr Russel Norman: Given that the Prime Minister has now told us that Mr Henry did request the journalist’s access records is he concerned about the email sent by his chief of staff on 9 May which asked Parliamentary Service to provide to the inquiry any relevant material requested given that those access records were requested by the inquiry and the inquiry had the authority of his chief of staff to ask for them?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I do not have the emails with me but from memory they state quite clearly “for Ministers and staff”.Dr Russel Norman: Given that the email on 20 May goes from the inquiry to Parliamentary Service and specifically asks for all emails between Andrea Vance and Peter Dunne is it not the case that the inquiry asked for the content not just the metadata of those emails and it did so on the authority of his chief of staff?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In relation to the second part of the question no it was not on the authority of my chief of staff.Dr Russel Norman: How can it not have been on the authority of his chief of staff when his chief of staff wrote to Parliamentary Service on 9 May and asked Parliamentary Service to provide any relevant material requested by the inquiry and then the inquiry requested the material?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Because the email on 9 May was in relation to Ministers and their staff not journalists.Dr Russel Norman: Then in reference to the email of 20 May from the inquiry to Parliamentary Service it was asking for emails between Andrea Vance and Peter Dunne. Hence does it not meet the criteria that he has just laid out? It was in relation to Ministers that the Henry inquiry sought the information and hence it was authorised by the email from MrEagleson on 9 May asking Parliamentary Service to provide any information requested from the inquiry.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No because what happened was the authorisation was in relation to metadata. When the actual contents of the emails were requested that was the very point that my chief of staff made—that in fact he was not authorised he believed to do that. He said he needed to ponder that for a day. He did so. He went back the next day and said: “No I don’t believe I have the authorisation to do that for a support party Minister.” He referred it to Mr Dunne’s office. Mr Dunne said that no he would not release the content of the emails but he was happy to “have a discussion with Mr Henry”.Dr Russel Norman: In relation to that point I seek leave to table the email trail that shows that it was a request for the content of the emails. This is the email of 20 May from the inquiry.Mr SPEAKER: Again I suspect that that email has been released but I will put the question. Is there objection to that email trail being tabled? There is objection.Grant Robertson: In light of the Prime Minister’s answer to Dr Norman’s first supplementary question I seek leave of the House to table an email from Monday 20 May timed at 5.53 p.m. where the inquiry seeks the phone logs between the listed extensions of Peter Dunne and the numbers of interest being Andrea Vance to and from those—Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that email. Is there any objection? Yes there is.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I seek leave to table the statement from David Henry in relation to the Henry inquiry where he quotes: “The inquiry I led never requested the phone records of journalist Ms Andrea Vance. The inquiry reported the fact immediately the information was received.”Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought—Hon Trevor Mallard: Can I seek an assurance from the Prime Minister that it has not been previously published?Mr SPEAKER: Well the member has the ability to deny leave if he so wants. The Prime Minister sought leave to table—Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You have I think on at least three occasions—Mr SPEAKER: And I will do the same on this occasion. I assume that if it is a media release it has probably been published but on the same basis as I have treated all the others I will put leave to the House. Is there any objection to that particular statement from David Henry being tabled? There is not.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption ]Mr SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon Winston Peters: Mr Robertson concluded his last submission to the House by talking about the Prime Minister lying. That usually is found to be an offence in this House by all manner of members including the person who is the subject of the allegation. Of course it does not happen when it is true.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I do not believe that we are getting a point of order on this occasion.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well he said it.Mr SPEAKER: Order! If the member also wants to stay for the balance of question time he is quite OK to raise legitimate points of order but raising points of order either to waste time or to make political statements will not be tolerated.