Brown Peter: Intelligence and Security Committee — Membership 
Brown Peter: Intelligence and Security Committee — Membership 
[Volume:630;Page:2084] 
PETER BROWN (Deputy Leader—NZ First) 
: 
 I compliment the Green member who has just resumed his seat. At least he spoke about the composition of the committee because I did not hear one word from the National Party that referred to it. 
For those who might be listening we are debating a Government motion in the name of the Prime Minister the Rt Hon Helen Clark whereby we are requested to endorse members nominated to be on the Intelligence and Security Committee. The Prime Minister is automatically on that committee and as I understand so is the Leader of the Opposition Dr Don Brash. The three members we are asked to endorse are Dr Michael Cullen the Rt Hon Winston Peters and Rodney Hide MP. New Zealand First has absolutely no problem at all in supporting the nomination of Dr Michael Cullen nor indeed that of the Rt Hon Winston Peters. They are both long-serving MPs they have both had ministerial experience and they both know how to address security issues and keep confidences. 
But we have some significant concerns with Rodney Hide. I am not a person who likes to make personal attacks and that is one of the things I deplore about Rodney Hide. Speaking absolutely frankly I consider that he operates in the political gutter more often than not. He is prepared to make major personal attacks on individuals without having supporting information. I say that because I believe he would be the MP who has been asked to withdraw and apologise or who has been thrown out of the House the most times. New Zealand First asks whether that is the sort of person we want to represent Parliament on the Intelligence and Security Committee. The answer to that in the minds of New Zealand First members is no. I recall that Rodney Hide went to Fiji and supported a pyramid selling scheme. If that had taken off millions of dollars of people’s savings would have been at risk and could have been lost. I know that several hundreds of thousands of dollars were. That is a concern to members of New Zealand First. We recall that he supported an American who classified himself as a friend of paedophilia. I would not go so far as to say that the American was a paedophile but many people thought he was. But Rodney Hide came out and supported him and said he was his friend. We say that Rodney Hide is not the sort of person who should be serving this country on the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament. Further we say that for the National Party to nominate such a person does not really do it credit. If members look at the history of this committee they will see that some very fine upright MPs have been nominated in the past and to pick Rodney Hide as National’s representative— 
Hon Brian Donnelly 
: Scraping the bottom of the barrel. 
PETER BROWN 
: I would like to be a little more kindly than my colleague and say that the National Party could have done a great deal better. 
What about the Hon Peter Dunne who has served Parliament pretty darn well in his time here? He is a very experienced MP. What about a member of the Maori Party? 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: Too new. 
PETER BROWN 
: “Too new” the member says? Whether or not we agree with the Maori Party’s political views its members have come into this House this term—they were represented briefly in the last term—and have taken a positive attitude towards security and issues of concern. I think that Maori Party members could serve on that committee exceedingly well. 
Mr Assistant Speaker may I ask whether this motion can be split into two so that New Zealand First can vote for the first bullet point that supports the nominations of Dr Cullen and the Rt Hon Winston Peters? 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I say to the member that New Zealand First can so move by leave and I suggest that the member look at Speaker’s ruling 179/2. I suggest that the honourable member Keith Locke also look at that ruling. 
Keith Locke 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Perhaps it would make it easier if I seek leave now. I indicated that I would seek leave for each nomination to be voted on individually so that if we voted any nomination down we could put up another nomination. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Can I just respond to that and read to the member Speaker’s ruling 179/2: “As appointments to the Intelligence and Security Committee are made on the nomination of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and are submitted to the House for endorsement only the House cannot amend the nominations. The motion could be severed so as to allow members to vote on each nomination separately.” So Mr Locke can seek leave to vote on each nomination separately but he cannot renominate. 
Keith Locke 
: I seek leave for that to happen. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Is there any objection to that course of action being taken? There is. 
PETER BROWN 
: I have just about come to the end of my contribution. However if we cannot have a split vote on that then New Zealand First will vote for the motion. But we give notice now that we will be taking a close interest in Mr Hide’s activities and approach to that committee. Indeed we will be watching the National Party with close interest because we believe that it could have picked a person more appropriate to this issue. We do not believe that Mr Hide fills the bill at all. So we give notice now that we are watching the situation but we will give Mr Hide the benefit of the doubt at this point in time.