Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6690] 
12.  
RODNEY HIDE (ACT NZ) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Transport 
: Does he have full confidence in the Civil Aviation Authority; if not why not? 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN (Associate Minister of Transport) 
: 
 Yes. 
Rodney Hide 
: Could the Minister then please explain why the flying public should have confidence in the Civil Aviation Authority when he as Minister says he has to await the results of a State Services Commission inquiry before answering such straightforward parliamentary questions as to whom does flight inspector Mr Richard Cox report and what were his expenses for the year—or does he expect the public to fly blind while he is not prepared to? 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: My confidence is based on the fact that when the issue was raised first a full internal review took place and as a result of that review the chair asked the State Services Commissioner to conduct a full independent review. I have answered many questions on the issue and am very pleased with what has taken place to date. 
Mark Peck 
: What reports has the Minister seen on the performance of the Civil Aviation Authority? 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: In May of this year Colmar Brunton surveyed a range of customers of the Civil Aviation Authority including pilots maintenance organisations doctors and airline operators and owners—a total of 302 respondents. Thirty-one percent rated the performance of the Civil Aviation Authority as excellent and a further 56 percent rated its performance as between five and seven out of 10. 
John Key 
: Why is it that he as Minister refused to answer parliamentary written question No. 5776—as to whether flight inspector Richard Cox was working privately for the company he was inspecting—when the State Services Commissioner disclosed that very fact in his terms of reference only a few days later; and does the Minister no longer think he is accountable to Parliament? 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: I did not refuse to answer the question. I simply said that that was a matter being investigated by the State Services Commissioner. The member cannot have it both ways. We cannot actually have an independent inquiry then have the Minister coming over the top of it and answering questions. It seems to me that we leave the inquiry to do its job properly then report on that. 
Rodney Hide 
: In the light of the Minister’s confidence in the Civil Aviation Authority does he believe it appropriate that the Civil Aviation Authority director Mr John Jones approved his “top flight inspector Mr Richard Cox” to tout for business as a safety consultant from an airline operator that he had through the Civil Aviation Authority just grounded and had under inspection; or is misusing the Civil Aviation Authority safety rules to profit privately par for the course and something he says we should have confidence in? 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: Those are exactly the sorts of matters that are being investigated by the inquiry. Mr Hide has made many allegations such as that just now and I have asked him on several occasions that if he has evidence to back up his claims to please provide it. Action will be taken very quickly when he does so. 
Rodney Hide 
: To help the Minister I seek the leave of the House to table the very answers to the question he has given me that confirm everything I have just said. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that. Is there any objection? There is. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: I seek to table the terms of reference for the review by the State Services Commissioner of the Civil Aviation Authority matters raised. 
Document not tabled. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. As the Minister has now been given leave to table the terms of reference is he prepared now to answer all the written questions he turned down? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order; it is a point of debate. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not want to carry this on. 
Rodney Hide 
: I have got myself in a difficult situation and so has the Minister because he said that I had made allegations yet he has just tabled the terms of reference which state precisely what I asked him about. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Yes and that is a debating point. It may well be made in debate but it is not a point of order.