Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:611;Page:8323] 
6.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: In her answers to yesterday’s oral question No 3 why did she say “As I understand it there is a screening for a disease like tuberculosis.” and “Whether the rules are different for refugees I do not know.” in response to the matter raised about the number of tuberculosis and other Third World diseases within hospitals in the North Shore and Auckland region and how does she justify her confidence in her Minister of Health and Minister of Immigration? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) 
: 
 The member asked a question without notice on this yesterday and he cannot expect detailed answers. I have confidence in both Ministers because they are both hard-working and conscientious. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Why after 24 hours can this House not expect detailed answers to information already partially released in this House and available to her Minister of Health; how is it that the Minister of Immigration has let thousands of immigrants into this country every year since she has been there without first checking them abroad but having the checks later done here when it is far too late; why does the Minister of Health not know about this and how can she tolerate— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is four questions. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I am getting to the finish of it. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Only two will be required to be answered. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: How can she tolerate—without laughing irresponsibly—a fact that has New Zealand now subject to significant Third World disease in our hospitals? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: When members ask questions I allow them to ask two. But when there are four—and the last one was by far the longest—that is not really on. I am allowing it this time Mr Peters but those are the rules and members cannot ask questions in that way. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I accept that but when we have Ministers’ responsibilities— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No please be seated. I have made a ruling and I have been generous to the member although I need not have been. Any comment about answers and what have you is not my job. My job is to make sure that questions and answers are in order. This question can be asked and the Prime Minister can comment and I will ask her to do so. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Tuberculosis screening was introduced for quota refugees in the 2002-03 year. It did not exist when the member was Deputy Prime Minister. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Why would the Prime Minister make a statement that is totally refutable and untrue when she knows full well that hundreds of thousands of immigrants came here with full certification from their countries of origin including X-rays and evidence like that having regard to the fact that her own Minister of Immigration admitted during the last campaign that during her time people were coming in without the required clearances in respect of disease and without the correct TB X-rays and evidence of their state of health; why would she just make it up as she goes along? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The first two questions can be answered. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I am advised that offshore screening for quota refugees was introduced for the first time during 2002-03. There has been health screening for all other residence applicants for a long time. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am not asking her about refugees alone; I am asking her about immigration which last year was 72500. Why is she seeking sanctuary in a small category? Even that has expanded four times. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That was a direct answer to one of the questions the member asked. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I seek to table a document that shows that a poor woman—a New Zealander of course—went to a hospital on the North Shore and was told that she would have to have her baby and be out of there within 2 hours. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? 
Hon Annette King 
: What has that to do with it? 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am seeking leave to table a document from the  
North Shore Times Advertiser 
 and she shouts out: “What has that to do with it?”. She is so dumb that she does not understand why that woman was kicked out of hospital early. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister did interject and I ask her to leave the Chamber. Objection has been taken to the tabling of that document. 
Ron Mark 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. No it is all right I am asking the Prime Minister today not her. Sorry my mistake. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Would the member please just concentrate. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If we are to concentrate on the facts how about asking the Minister to leave right now. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister is— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: She is still here. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will please be seated. He should not overdo it or he will leave too. I am not having that sort of nonsense. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You asked her to leave. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: She has. 
Annette King withdrew from the Chamber. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: She has now but not when you asked her to. Usually in this House people leave when you ask them to. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I judged that the Minister was gathering her papers. She was doing that satisfactorily and I judged that she was doing as she was asked to.