4. Todd Barclay—Southland Electorate Office Allegations Prime Ministerial ConductRt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Prime MinisterTodd Barclay—Southland Electorate Office Allegations Prime Ministerial Conduct4. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements even if facts known to him make doing so extraordinarily difficult; if so how?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH (Prime Minister): Yes I do stand by all my statements in the context they were given with the information that was available at the time.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well if that is remotely true when he was asked by the media about Todd McClay MP's actions—Hon Members: Todd McClay?Rt Hon Winston Peters: Sorry Todd Barclay. [Interruption] What a terrible relief!Mr SPEAKER: Order! All members make the occasional mistake. I will allow the question to start again.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I have no doubt Todd McClay knew as well but anyway. Ha ha! When he was asked by the media about Todd Barclay MP's actions and against the now Prime Minister's statement to the police in April 2016 why yesterday when he was first questioned by the media did he simply not tell the truth?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: As I explained just before—and actually yesterday at the time I was asked that question yesterday morning—I was asked about a statement that was made I think some 12 or 15 months ago. I had not checked that statement and as soon as I did check it to see what I had said I made it public. Hon Amy Adams: He can't even remember yesterday.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well I can remember you. Ha ha! Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is a level of interjection coming from all quarters that must cease so that I can hear the question from the Rt Hon Winston Peters. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does it not make sense to sack someone who has breached professional standards and broken the law as soon as that is known to the leadership of a party; if so why did it take him so long to get some guts and do just that? Mr SPEAKER: Order! That question is not in order. There is no prime ministerial responsibility as the leader of a party and I refer the member to Speakers' rulings 172 and 173  which I quoted yesterday.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is it not a fact that he deliberately did not tell the truth when first questioned yesterday because he himself was deeply complicit in trying to avoid legal action with taxpayers' hush money and he knew full well that a confidential agreement or contract to cover up a crime is an illegal contract? Mr SPEAKER: The right honourable Prime Minister in so far as there is prime ministerial responsibility. Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: No. The employment dispute is between the employer and the employee. I was absolutely no party to that and I do not know what the dispute was or how it was settled.Rt Hon Winston Peters: When the chronology of events and the communications have his DNA all over this story including the cover-up and the hush money how can anyone possibly trust him on these matters or for that matter on the economy about which he speaks so much spin?Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: I can only repeat what I have said to the member. There was an employment dispute that was settled between the employer and the employee. I was no party to that dispute or the settlement.Rt Hon Winston Peters: When it is clear to every independent commentator that this Prime Minister is complicit in a cover-up why does he not resign? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! The Prime Minister can proceed to answer that question. Rt Hon BILL ENGLISH: Oh I simply reject the member's assertions. The fact that he wants to keep on saying it does not make it true. I made—[Interruption] My statement to the police stated what I knew of the circumstances and I would have thought that making the statement to the police was not a cover-up.