1. Chiefs Rugby Team—Prime Minister and Minister for Women's StatementsHon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSChiefs Rugby Team—Prime Minister and Minister for Women's Statements1. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Prime Minister: Does he have confidence in all his Ministers?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes.Hon Annette King: If he has confidence in his Minister for Women why did he tell the media in relation to the Chiefs scandal that he speaks for the Government and so [Louise Upston] may have thought that's good enough."?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Because firstly I think it is a well-accepted convention that the Prime Minister does speak for the Government across a range of portfolios. That is why journalists ask me questions across a range of portfolios and actually it is why the Opposition asks me questions every day across a range of portfolios. Secondly I made that statement when I was overseas—I think in either Pohnpei or Laos—and the point I was making was that I was not entirely sure what statements Louise had made on her behalf but she would have seen my comments and if she had seen my comments she would accept that I would be speaking for the Government.Hon Annette King: Does he think he has got credibility to speak for women in light of his own behaviour—repeatedly pulling the ponytail of a woman—rather than the Minister whose job he said is to advocate for women?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes I do and I did not see the member making a comment yesterday when I gave what I thought was a pretty hard-hitting speech actually on domestic violence. The member criticised me for making that speech.Hon Annette King: Has he subsequently asked the Minister for Women to make an effort to speak out for women on the behaviour of some rugby officials and players having refused to speak up on the grounds that it is entirely a matter for the rugby organisation or is he happy for it to be left to those who have got the guts to confront attitudes in our national sport?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No I think the Minister is being quite correct. The Government is still a party to the particular inquiry. Actually I looked at the Minister's statements. The Minister's statements were quite hard-hitting in a generic sense but she did not have the exact information about this particular case.Hon Annette King: In light of that answer having decided himself to speak out on behalf of the Government does he think his comments such as "disappointing" and "unacceptable" are strong enough when compared with those of the Minister of Police Judith Collins who said "it's time they stopped that stupid behaviour grew up" and apologised?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes. I think members opposite will know that I am always a very measured person.Hon Annette King: Will he give an assurance that he will pass his displeasure at the activities on to the Chiefs players who are currently All Blacks when he next meets them; if not why not?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I do not have all of the details so I cannot tell you exactly the individual players' names. But in terms of discussions with the New Zealand Rugby Union I think the rugby union itself—let alone me—has been making the very point that it thinks that this behaviour and the events of the Monday sort of "leer-up" are not a good idea. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! I am trying to call a supplementary question from the end of the House and I do not want the continued interjection.Jan Logie: How can the Prime Minister value the role of the Minister for Women when he has placed it outside Cabinet given it the least funding of any ministry and is now propping up a Minister unwilling to support women challenging our culture of violence?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well there is a range of portfolios that from time to time are outside Cabinet. It just depends on who we think has the best skills actually to conduct those. But let us be honest. That member has been outside Government for the entire time she has been in this Parliament and maybe that does explain why she has done nothing since she has been here.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You will have heard the last two sentences of the Prime Minister's answer. Demonstrably they are not allowed in this House by any past ruling by you so why do you condone it from him?Mr SPEAKER: The last two parts to the answer were certainly not helpful to the order of the House I accept that. But there was no word in there that I would have said was unparliamentary at the time. [Interruption] Order! Mr Mark if you continue to interject and criticise my rulings you will get the same treatment as I gave Mr Peters yesterday.Hon Annette King: Can he guarantee that the Minister for Women was not told to keep quiet on the Chiefs scandal by any of his Ministers?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No the Minister is free to discuss the matter but she makes the correct point that she does not have the details. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! You can repeat the question.Hon Annette King: Can he guarantee that the Minister for Women was not told to keep quiet on the Chiefs scandal by any of his Ministers?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well I am not aware of any Minister who has told the Minister for Women not to comment on this matter."