Brash Don: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Brash Don: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:621;Page:16433] 
1. Dr DON BRASH (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does she have confidence in Hon John Tamihere; if not why not? 
Opposition Members 
: She’s back! 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) 
: 
 It is nice to be welcomed back. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Not one word has yet been uttered in answer. These interjections are out of order. I do not mind the odd interjection during an answer but if one word has not yet been said it is out of order and not very good for Parliament. 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: An inquiry has been set up to look at allegations made about Mr Tamihere. I am suspending judgment on those matters and on confidence until that inquiry is completed. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Does the Prime Minister accept that Mr Tamihere in stating that he would not accept a golden handshake and then accepting one misled the New Zealand public; if so why is he still a Minister in Cabinet? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Prima facie I have a concern about that as the member does which is why I am making further inquiries. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Why would the Prime Minister take the word of Mr Tamihere when she knew as early as 28 July 1999 that this was a central allegation being made about Mr Tamihere and why do we have to wait 5 years for some action? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The Government is going through a very due process of consideration of this which is why we have an inquiry looking at the facts. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Has the Prime Minister seen John Tamihere’s statement that he received koha not a golden handshake and can we assume from the fact that he is still a Minister in Cabinet that she has accepted that explanation? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: No the member cannot assume that. As I told him in the answer to the primary question I have suspended judgment on the issue of confidence. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: If it was alleged in July 1999 that there was an issue of a golden handshake and if Mr Tamihere has clearly misled the Prime Minister on that issue up until as recently as a few months ago why do we need an inquiry when he should have been sacked for that alone? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: As I said in response to an earlier supplementary question prima facie I share that member’s concern. I am endeavouring to gather all relevant information before coming to a final judgment. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: If the Prime Minister has suspended judgment on Mr Tamihere why has he been advised not to speak to the media or to attend Parliament and is the reason for putting him into Coventry the  
Sunday Star-Times  
story of 17 October—which reporter Helen Bain is standing by as accurate—which states: “Tamihere told the  
Sunday Star-Times  
the day before the Waipareira allegations broke that he no longer supported the bill”—that is the Foreshore and Seabed Bill—“ ‘It doesn’t have my support …’ he said”; and does the Prime Minister not agree that it is constitutionally outrageous that a Maori member of Parliament has been prevented from coming to this House and speaking on an issue that is vital to his constituents? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: If I could disentangle at least a couple of the questions there. Firstly the member is not here because he has stood aside and there are acting Ministers in the portfolios. Secondly the member has issued a statement saying that there was no substance in that particular report. I can advise Mr Prebble that Mr Tamihere is participating fully in phone conferences with other members on that bill. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Has the Prime Minister asked John Tamihere for an explanation as to why he accepted a golden handshake from the Waipareira Trust having said he would not do so; if so what was that explanation? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: I am having a number of conversations with Mr Tamihere and when a decision is made about his future I will be happy to enlighten the member. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Does the Prime Minister remember her very superior behaviour on the question of an $89 pair of underpants for Tuku Morgan compared with her behaviour now when the fingerprints DNA and blood are all over the floor and why is she looking around for some sort of guilty party? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The Government is taking the allegations very seriously. That is why a Queen’s Counsel is doing an inquiry.