McKelvie Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
McKelvie Ian: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 14 June 2012. Volume:680;Page:2994. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
11. 
IAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitikei) 
 to the  
Minister for Communications and Information Technology 
: What action has the Government taken to raise awareness of cyber security risks? 
Hon AMY ADAMS (Minister for Communications and Information Technology) 
: 
 This week I launched New Zealand’s first ever Cyber Security Awareness Week which was developed by NetSafe in partnership with the Government. More than 2000 New Zealanders are affected by cyber-crime every day in the form of computer viruses and malware credit card fraud online scams phishing and identity theft. It is estimated that cyber-crime costs this country around $625 million a year. The week is designed to raise awareness amongst New Zealanders and small businesses of the simple steps they can take to protect their personal financial and business information online.  
Ian McKelvie 
: What are some of the steps that New Zealanders can take to improve their cybersecurity? 
Hon AMY ADAMS 
: Well actually there are some basic things that everyone can do to greatly improve their cybersecurity and these are the messages that are being highlighted through Cyber Security Awareness Week. These include having good anti-virus programs and updating them regularly having proper password protection ensuring important data is regularly backed up and securing wireless connections. It is important that we make sure that New Zealanders are aware of the dangers but equally important that they know about the simple precautions that will allow them to connect with confidence and enjoy the full potential of the digital world.  
Clare Curran 
: Is she aware of concerns raised by members of the United States House of Representatives Intelligence Committee this week regarding the possible national security threat posed by the potential expansion of Huawei into the US telecommunications infrastructure; if so has she received any reports about the national security implications of the all-of-Government mobile phone procurement contract recently signed by Steven Joyce which includes services provided by Huawei? 
Hon AMY ADAMS 
: As that member is well aware we do not comment on matters of national security but I can assure her that we take network security very seriously. 
Clare Curran 
: I seek leave to table an article published on 13 June in  
Computerworld 
 titled “US lawmakers quiz ZTE Huawei over spying concerns”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection. 
Clare Curran 
: I seek leave to table a media release by representatives from the US intelligence committee about concerns about the investigation of Huawei and ZTE.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.  
Clare Curran 
: I seek leave to table the correspondence between the US House of Representatives select committee on intelligence and the chairman and senior vice-president of Huawei Technologies. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.  
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You would have heard the Minister’s answer. She said: “we do not comment on issues of national security”. However the very point that the member is asking about is that given Steven Joyce has signed a document that says it is not a matter of national security why then can the Minister not answer the question? Mr Joyce and National have assured us that Huawei’s involvement is not a matter of national security. Therefore why can the Minister not answer the question she has been asked? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I have got to think back now to the answer given by the Minister and the question that was asked but if I recollect correctly—and I do not claim to have this absolutely right—the member first referred to whether the Minister had seen a report from the US committee and whether she had concerns about this security matter. That is why in answering she said she does not comment on security matters. I cannot second-guess a Minister on an issue like that. If a Minister says that it is not their practice to comment on matters of national security and she sees this as being in that category as Speaker I cannot second-guess that and say that I disagree with the Minister and I think she should answer. I cannot do that; it would be most unreasonable.  
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. But you see our quandary here. We have had a series of questions on this before and we have been assured by the Prime Minister and Mr Joyce that there is no issue of national security involved here. So our quandary is that when any of us raise questions we are stopped by a statement that she will not comment on issues of national security. That is the issue. We are assured that there are no such issues in the involvement of this Chinese company and that is why the question is being asked of that Minister.  
Hon AMY ADAMS 
: Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will hear the Hon Amy Adams briefly. 
Hon AMY ADAMS 
: If the members wish to ask questions of the responsible Ministers around that particular contract they are welcome to do so. They have directed it to me in my capacity as the Minister for Communications and Information Technology and I am responding in that capacity—that I do not comment on matters of national security. That has been the longstanding practice of this and many previous Governments.  
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will hear the Hon Trevor Mallard briefly. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I think that generally we defer to you on memory of questions but I think on this particular one it was not a matter of whether the member asked whether the Minister had concerns but only whether she had received reports on it. That I think is different. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will check it out because that is not my memory. I fully accept I may have it wrong but I will check that out. I think we cannot take this matter any further today because I think the Minister’s contribution to the discussion on that point of order was a reasonable point the Minister made. We cannot take it further today but I will check to see whether I got that wrong because I suspect that it went beyond just whether or not she had received reports. It certainly started that way. 
Clare Curran 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was whether she was aware of concerns and then asked whether she had received—if so had she received any reports. I am happy to table— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member acknowledges that she asked whether the Minister was aware of concerns around security issues and she said—[ 
Interruption 
] Order! I think we cannot take that one further today.