Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 27 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8974. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
2. 
DAVID SHEARER (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does he stand by all his statements? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) 
: 
 I do. 
David Shearer 
: Can—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has a right to have his supplementary question heard. 
David Shearer 
: Can he clarify his statement: “Mondayisation I know I don’t agree with that. I mean I think in the end this is an issue which you know fair enough I don’t think you know our—we’re opposed but we’re not vehemently opposed.”? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I must admit it does not sound that fluent and I have got to be honest I was attempting to be a ventriloquist and pretending that I had David Shearer’s little puppet on my hand. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
David Shearer 
: Why is his Government opposing the Mondayisation of Waitangi Day and Anzac Day? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I think for good longstanding reasons. If it was so blindingly obvious and something that was absolutely top of mind and something that New Zealanders absolutely wanted there was a 9-year period when the Labour Party was in Government and it did not do it. It has become an issue today but it was not an issue in the 9 years when previously Labour was in office. The very good reason is this: the Government takes the view that Anzac Day in particular if it falls on a weekend is a day when New Zealanders will more often than not want to actually go and attend those ceremonies and remember those who have fallen and who fought for our country. The fact that that may now be Mondayised may lead to a view where more New Zealanders treat that as a 3-day weekend rather than specific recognition of that very important day. 
David Shearer 
: In the light of that is he saying that people will not go and commemorate Anzac Day in a weekend because there is a Monday following that weekend? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: Clearly many many people will go out and commemorate Anzac Day and we would encourage them to do that to pay their respects. But the view that we have taken has been that if there is a situation where there is a 3-day holiday it may encourage others to just treat that as a normal 3-day weekend. We think that is a disservice to those two particular days. 
David Shearer 
: Do you think this might start a trend that people will not celebrate Christmas or New Year if they happen to fall on a weekend as well? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: New Zealanders choose on Christmas Day to spend that day in a variety of ways. Some New Zealanders choose on Christmas Day to attend a religious service. Many do not. But that is actually quite different. We do not assemble as a nation on Christmas Day to remember those who have given their lives in the pursuit of liberty and freedom in New Zealand. It is quite different. 
David Shearer 
: Is he aware that the Tourism Industry Association has called for cross-party support for the bill; if so why is he refusing to back his own industry? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: Yes I am aware of that and that is exactly the point is it not? The tourism ministry represents people who want to have a holiday and the member is standing up telling us they will not have a holiday—they will still go to the ceremonies. But then he is arguing that the very people who promote holidays want the thing. No wonder Helen Clark did not do it— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! That is quite a sufficient answer. 
David Shearer 
: So why will he not—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! Order! The level of noise and barraging is unacceptable. We have some very distinguished guests within our gallery. At least show them— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Do something about it. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member asks me to do something about it. I am not the one barracking. It is from both sides of the House. I ask for a bit of respect for the Leader of the Opposition to ask his supplementary question. 
David Shearer 
: Why will he not vote for a bill that most hard-working New Zealanders want that most businesses want that his own tourism industry for which he is the tourism Minister wants and that he himself says is “fair enough”? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: For the very simple reasons that were given consistently through this bill which are that we believe that those two particular days should be marked on the day that they fall and it makes logical sense. All I can say to Opposition members is that if they really think this is the issue of the day— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! That is quite a sufficient answer.