Brownlee Gerry: Urgent Debates — Hon Maurice Williamson—Ministerial ResignationText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBrownlee Gerry: Urgent Debates — Hon Maurice Williamson—Ministerial Resignation[Sitting date: 06 May 2014. Volume:698;Page:17500. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery): Well I would have to say that the catchcry of Winston Peters’ political career has always been: “There is more to come.”Rt Hon Winston Peters: And there was.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: And there was—Hon Dr Nick Smith: What about those Russian subs?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: —but for one of those moments when the propeller hit the bottom of the Cook Strait the Russian subs came in the surveillance device was on theMikhail Lermontov there was not cash in the brown paper bag at the Kermadec restaurant and when he said no he did not know what he was saying. But there was always more to come.I want to begin my comments today by complimenting the work that the Hon Maurice Williamson has done as a Minister to express my regret that he has had to make the choice to resign and to further compliment him for recognising that he had put a foot over the line and that it was the only consequence that could occur as a result of that. These things are very hard for people’s families and so I want to acknowledge his family his wife and children who of course will be suffering with him as he is trying to come to terms with understanding just how he could have had that lapse of judgment that got him into this position. He is a good man. He has contributed a lot to New Zealand—his family should know that—and I am sure that he will continue to do so for some years to come.This debate is essentially Parliament setting aside time to discuss the circumstances under which Mr Williamson was forced to—well not forced to but decided to resign.Those circumstances have been well canvassed through all the outlets in the media that this country has. The member himself has made it very clear that he considers that he made a mistake. He said that he has had a lapse of judgment and that he was in a position where he could not continue as a Minister. The suggestion that Mr Williamson was at any time motivated by the particular wealth of an individual is completely fatuous. It is as fatuous as me saying that there is a Christchurch multimillionaire who funds New Zealand First for example. Everybody knows that that is the case but no one actually says it because it is not appropriate to do so.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Mr Brownlee said that there are certain things you cannot say. That is a demonstrable lie that he just engaged in. He knows full well that a party with the highest return rate for the lowest expenditure is not the beneficiary of one of his filthy mates.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): Can I just say to members—that is not actually a point of order—that this is a robust place.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Let us consider for just a moment some of the contributions to this debate today starting with Russel Norman. Russel Norman seems to think that somehow the decision by Maurice Williamson to resign was an indication that standards were falling inside the ministerial arrangements we have in this country. Far from it—it was confirmation that those arrangements are and continue to be upheld. The gentleman concerned went on further to suggest that there was almost an attitude that if you have got a lot of money you can get favours out of the Government. Well that is complete and utter nonsense. The National Party discloses all its donations—more so I would suggest than most other political parties because we have nothing particular to hide.Sue Moroney: What about the trusts?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: For example the member over there is talking about trusts. Well let us talk about DavidCunliffe’s trust. Let us talk about DavidCunliffe’s trust and ask why he cannot tell us who paid into his account. As the Hon Bill English said someone has bought David Cunliffe. There is no question about that. What about the arrangements between the Green Party and Phillip Mills? Phillip Mills is openly saying he wants a Green agenda for New Zealand. He wants his own type of Green growth agenda for New Zealand. He rejects what other mainstream parties are doing so he is off to put his money into the Green Party. That is policy for cash—nothing short. Russel Norman—the great and virtuous Russel Norman—walks up to the Dotcom mansion and tries to do a deal over Dotcom’s extradition for cash for the Green Party but apparently that is not any sort of misleading or inappropriate behaviour.What about the Electoral Finance Act that the Labour Party rorted upon the people of New Zealand supported by the Green Party? And if you want to start listing off Ministers who resign there were 11 of them under the previous Government. One of them interestingly was the Rt Hon Winston Peters. Maurice Williamson has done the right thing. He is an honourable man. He does have a political future and he has contributed an enormous amount to New Zealand at this point. He should be commended for recognising where the line is and for him to have made that choice is I think commendable.