8. Police—Deputy Commissioner of Police Inquiry into the Appointment ProcessCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister of Internal AffairsPolice—Deputy Commissioner of Police Inquiry into the Appointment Process8. CHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister of Internal Affairs: Does she have confidence in Pauline Kingi leading the independent enquiry into the process around the appointment of Mr Wally Haumaha as Deputy Commissioner of Police?Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): In light of Dr Kingi's credentials the information provided to me by the Department of Internal Affairs her work history and her signed declaration that she had no conflict or perceived conflict then yes. However it is with regret that I have to inform the House that Dr Pauline Kingi advised the Government just before I came to the House that she is going to stand down from the inquiry into the appointment process for a Deputy Commissioner of Police. Ever since she was appointed to the role she has been the subject of political attack. Those have been attacks on her integrity attacks on her reputation and even attacks on her legal qualification. Dr Kingi has a 28-year career in public service as both a community member and senior public servant and as a lawyer. She was asked to perform a public duty and yet became the subject of an undue and unwarranted criticism. The Government has accepted her resignation and will commence the process to find a replacement.Chris Bishop: Will she now assure the House that the Government will run a credible and independent inquiry that is not run by someone who has endorsed the subject of the inquiry 23 times on LinkedIn?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Can I draw the member's attention to the Auditor-General's description of conflict: 2.38 Questions of judgement and degree also arise when considering friends and other associates. However in our view it is unrealistic to expect the member or official to have absolutely no connection with or knowledge of the person concerned. New Zealand is a small and interconnected society. So for example we consider that simply being acquainted with [a person] or having worked with them or having had official dealings with them will not usually create any problem." Can I also remind the member that the process by which Dr Kingi was selected as the chair of the inquiry is the process that was created by the National Government in 2009 and amended by the National Government in 2013.Chris Bishop: How has she let herself and the Government get into a position where they appointed to lead an independent inquiry someone who has close connections to the subject of the inquiry and who has endorsed him 23 times on LinkedIn?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: I actually take issue with the member around "close connections" and I would actually ask the member to prove that.Hon Simon Bridges: Then why's she gone?SPEAKER: Order!Hon TRACEY MARTIN: I ask the member to prove it—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order!Hon TRACEY MARTIN: —and I also draw the member's attention to the fact that LinkedIn—Hon Simon Bridges: Why did you sack her?SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. I've I think three times asked—by calling order—the Leader of the Opposition to effectively tone down the volume and now we have an out-of-order interjection as well. This is an important matter. It's someone's reputation—or two people's reputations at least are involved and I think the House owes it in these circumstances to be able to hear the Minister and with that sort of yelling people won't. I just remind—I think for the fourth time in the last two days—the Leader of the Opposition to cease interjecting involving me.Hon TRACEY MARTIN: So just with regard to LinkedIn again advice has been received from the Cabinet Office and from—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Why did the Government sack her?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Ms Kingi resigned because of disgusting accusations by the Opposition that impinged on her integrity based on a LinkedIn profile which is a social media account that has been shown and advice has been received does not—[Interruption] SPEAKER: Order! I cannot—I'm very close to the member and I cannot hear her mainly I think because Opposition members barracking is coming through my mikes.Hon Gerry Brownlee: We're doing you a favour.SPEAKER: No no—I'm first of all going to have the shadow Leader of the House—Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: Right. Tracey Martin—she was partway through the answer and I didn't hear the end of it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Should people who have offered to fill a public office be the subject of vituperation defamatory statements and comments and have their integrity challenged purely for a venal political purpose?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: In my opinion no.Chris Bishop: Did the Minister ask Pauline Kingi to resign as chair of the inquiry or did she resign voluntarily?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: I have not had any opportunity to have any conversations with Ms Kingi. All interactions with Ms Kingi have been dealt with by the Department of Internal Affairs.Chris Bishop: Will she now order an inquiry into the appointment process around the chair of the independent inquiry leading an independent inquiry into the appointment of Mr Wally Haumaha as Deputy Commissioner of Police?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: As the member might know no single member can make a decision about an inquiry. That would be something that would have to be taken to Cabinet and all of Cabinet would have to make a decision."