2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his Government's statements policies and actions?Hon Grant Robertson: He?SPEAKER: The Hon Grant Robertson—and that is exactly right.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes.Hon Simon Bridges: Is it his Government's policy to uphold private property rights in relation to Ihumātao?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As the member I'm sure will be well aware the situation at Ihumātao is complex. We certainly are committed to ensuring that we support mana whenua the relationships that they have built with for example Fletcher's but also to make sure that we come forward as a Government to play the role that a responsible Government does in helping to broker a solution.Hon Simon Bridges: Is the Government considering buying land off Fletcher's?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No such decision has been made.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he agree with then Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters who said this morning that many of the protesters at Ihumātao are imposters"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The views of the Acting Prime Minister Mr Peters are his. What he was saying is that there are many people who are at Ihumātao who are not mana whenua. Equally there are people at Ihumātao who are mana whenua. On this side of the House we take our responsibilities as a Government seriously. That's why the Prime Minister on Friday asked for a pause so that there could be discussions to find a way through. That's what a constructive Government does.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he agree with his confidence and supply partner Marama Davidson who said "colonisation is actually continuing with this land confiscation" in relation to Ihumātao?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Marama Davidson is perfectly entitled to her view. What the Government is doing is playing a responsible and constructive role in making sure that in part we clean up the mess Nick Smith left us.Hon Phil Twyford: Why has she undertaken a visit to—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member should listen to the earlier questions. The Acting Prime Minister is Mr Davis—certainly not a she.Hon Phil Twyford: Why has the Prime Minister undertaken a visit to Tokelau?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Prime Minister the Prime Minister believes that all New Zealanders deserve to see their Prime Minister once in a while. Unlike the previous Government we're not going to ignore the people of Tokelau nor are we going to behave in such a disrespectful way as the Leader of the Opposition has by suggesting that Tokelauans are not everyday New Zealanders—what did you mean by that Mr Bridges?SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. Mr Robertson knew that that last comment was out of order. He will withdraw and apologise.Hon Grant Robertson: I withdraw and apologise.Hon Simon Bridges: When is the Prime Minister going to visit say the suburb of Te Atatū or Mātua in Tauranga where she hasn't been I think as Prime Minister and is she disrespecting them too as everyday New Zealanders?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Prime Minister as I think that member will know is extremely busy and visits many parts of New Zealand. But one thing I can guarantee that she would never ever do is seek to divide New Zealanders against each other by suggesting that some people are everyday New Zealanders and other people are not everyday New Zealanders.Hon Chris Hipkins: Does the Prime Minister agree with the reported comments of the Leader of the Opposition that she shouldn't be visiting the other Pacific Islands either?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No. The Prime Minister believes that we have a responsibility to the Pacific region but a particular one to the Realm countries of New Zealand: Niue the Cook Islands and Tokelau. Just because the previous National Government couldn't be bothered going to Tokelau doesn't mean we'll give up on our responsibilities.Hon Simon Bridges: Why didn't the Prime Minister go to Tokelau during the one- two- three-week recess we just had?SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition will ask that question in order. He doesn't need to count in that way and he knows that.Hon Simon Bridges: Why didn't the Prime Minister go to Tokelau during the three-week recess?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Prime Minister was busy through the three-week recess working—Hon Simon Bridges: On holiday!Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well the member can't have it both ways. The Prime Minister was visiting Christchurch and Hamilton. She was in Melbourne meeting Scott—Hon Gerry Brownlee: Photo shoot.SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume his seat. Mr Brownlee turn the volume down.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Prime Minister was busy in the recess. She was visiting Christchurch and Hamilton she was in Australia meeting with Scott Morrison and yes she took a one-week break I think not unlike the Opposition leader did. Every Prime Minister in New Zealand's history has been a full-time Prime Minister. All Prime Ministers work hard. The Leader of the Opposition is showing himself to be both desperate and disrespectful.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he agree with the former Treaty negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson who said Ihumātao was fully and finally settled in 2014; if so what effect does Jacinda Ardern's intervention have on that settlement?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: There are a number of cross-cutting claims in this particular area. Yes there were settled Treaty settlements that covered this particular area as well but on this side of the House we don't wash our hands of relationships between Māori and the Crown the moment that a Treaty settlement is signed. We are doing the right thing here to try to broker a deal.David Seymour: What exactly is the Government's strategy to uphold the legitimate property rights of those who have settlements over Ihumātao?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Along with the mana whenua Fletcher's was involved in meetings on Friday that led to the conclusion that there should be a pause. This is about dialogue. This is about taking a constructive approach one which Fletcher's are part of.David Seymour: How does it help and how is it constructive to reward those who have illegally occupied the land with a seat at the table?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I reject the premise of that question.Hon Simon Bridges: Whose voice is more important in relation to Ihumātao: the private property owners or the Labour Māori caucus?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: That kind of question betrays the divisive disrespectful and desperate way that the Opposition leader is approaching this. What Mr Bridges needs to do is apologise to the Prime Minister.Hon Simon Bridges: Is he going to adopt a different approach to discussing Ihumātao openly with the media than Jacinda Ardern who according to Newshub "personally [prevented] media from asking about the Ihumātao dispute while on a charm offensive in the Pacific."?SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will ask the question again in a straight way without unnecessary comment.Hon Simon Bridges: Is he going to adopt a different approach to discussing Ihumātao openly with media than Jacinda Ardern who according to Newshub "personally [prevented] media" from asking about the Ihumātao dispute while in the Pacific?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I'm finding it difficult to follow the Opposition's line here. Do they want the Government to be involved at Ihumātao or don't they want the Government to be involved at Ihumātao? He's taken both positions today. What I can say is that we continue to be involved in constructive dialogue because that's what leadership looks like. The member might want to learn something from that."