11. 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 Process11. CHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South) to the Minister of Internal Affairs: Does she have confidence in the process that led to the appointment of Dr Pauline Kingi as chair of the Government inquiry into the appointment of Wally Haumaha as the Deputy Commissioner of Police?Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): Firstly the premise of the question is incorrect—there is no inquiry into Mr Haumaha. There is however a Government inquiry into the appointment process for a Deputy Commissioner of Police. Having said that I can confirm that the process used to establish the independent Government inquiry into the appointment process for a Deputy Commissioner of Police is the same as that used for the chair of any other inquiry. It is a process run by the Department of Internal Affairs and supported by other agencies. It is the same process established by the previous National Government in November 2009 and was updated by the National Government in 2013 and used by that Government to establish the whey protein concentrate contamination incident in 2013 the royal commission of inquiry on the Pike River coalmine tragedy in 2012 and the Government inquiry into the Havelock North drinking water.Chris Bishop: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That was an interesting traverse through the last few years of Government inquiries but it didn't really go to the question of whether or not the Minister has confidence in the process.SPEAKER: I think it did. Does the member have a supplementary?Chris Bishop: How can she have confidence in the process that appointed Dr Pauline Kingi when she has publicly endorsed Mr Wally Haumaha 23 times for a range of attributes including for leadership governance public safety crime prevention and stakeholder management?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Dr Kingi has declared that she knew Mr Haumaha in a professional capacity when she was a highly respected public servant. She has also declared that she attended a tangi either in 2015 or 2016—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. This is a very important answer that goes to the integrity of at least two people and will be heard in silence.Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Dr Kingi has declared that she knew of Mr Haumaha in a professional capacity when she was a highly respected public servant. She has also declared that she attended a tangi in either 2015 or 2016 that Mr Haumaha also attended. Dr Kingi has signed as is standard procedure a declaration confirming that she has no conflict of interest in relation to the appointment—which I remind the member is into the process by the State Services Commission around appointment processes. If the member if asking if LinkedIn is a usual port of call for Government departments to ascertain the suitability of an inquiry chair then I would have to say no. Rather than resort to social media this Government looks to the substantial CVs of candidates and the fullness of their service to their communities and their country and Dr Kingi is a New Zealander that has given great service to her country. I would suggest this is why the 1999 Shipley-led National Government awarded Dr Kingi the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.Chris Bishop: When Dr Pauline Kingi was appointed to lead the independent inquiry into the appointment process around Mr Wally Haumaha was she aware that Dr Kingi had publicly endorsed Mr Haumaha 23 times on LinkedIn for every skill Mr Haumaha has listed on that website—and in some cases being the only person to endorse him—and that Mr Haumaha has endorsed Dr Kingi on at least three occasions for her skills listed on the LinkedIn website?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: I was unaware of the LinkedIn endorsements until my office was contacted by media this morning. I requested that the chief executive contact Dr Kingi to clarify the suggested conflict. While Dr Kingi could not remember making these endorsements she did confirm—Hon Members: Ha ha!Hon TRACEY MARTIN: This is important. Would you like to listen? The integrity of a highly respected public servant is being questioned; it's important that her answers be placed on the record. She did confirm that she had like many New Zealanders set up a LinkedIn account when it was first launched and that at time it was—Hon Simon Bridges: Are you that useless?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: —common practice for Māori professionals to—SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. The Leader of the Opposition will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Simon Bridges: I withdraw and apologise.Hon TRACEY MARTIN: It was common practice at that time—16 years ago—for Māori professionals to support each other on this new medium through endorsement.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is it a fact that not only did Dr Pauline Kingi get a substantial honour from the National Party but so did Wallace Haumaha—not once but twice?SPEAKER: Order! This member has no responsibility for that.Chris Bishop: Further to that answer is the member aware that the endorsement function on LinkedIn was only invented and established in 2012 so references to LinkedIn profiles 15 years ago are an utter irrelevance?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: My understanding is that LinkedIn was developed in 2002—16 years ago. It may be that the member is more au fait with social media than I am because I spend most of my time working on things important to New Zealand not on Twitter.Chris Bishop: Can the Minister give a categorical assurance that Dr Pauline Kingi was not involved in recommending promotions or appointments of Mr Haumaha in her role as a member of the Auckland District advisory taumata and her role assisting the Auckland District police with police recruitment?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: I can give an assurance of the complete and proper process around the appointment of Dr Kingi as the chair of an independent inquiry into the process by which the State Services Commission provides information to Ministers for appointment. I can also direct the member to the Office of the Auditor-General's Managing conflicts of interest: Guidance for public entities if he would like to avail himself of that information with regard to how conflict of interest is managed in this country.