Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members Question No. 7 to Minister  
Peters Winston: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members Question No. 7 to Minister  
[Volume:620;Page:15383] 
2.  
Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Leader—NZ First) 
 to the  
Chairperson of the Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee 
: What steps has he taken to ensure the security of committee members hearing submissions on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill given that the police took 35 minutes to respond to the call for help on Wednesday 25 August 2004? 
RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER (Chairperson of the Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee) 
: 
 The committee is responsible for its own security arrangements for meetings away from Wellington. The committee has met with the Clerk of the House to discuss security arrangements for members attending meetings outside Wellington. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Has the select committee chairman discussed this matter with the Minister of Police given that it is inside his portfolio and having regard to the fact that the Minister of Police said last week that he had ordered a report into those delays; if so what was the result of his discussions? 
RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER 
: I have had no discussions with the Minister of Police. I have advised him of the process on the first day in Auckland. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Am I expected to believe that the chairman of the committee advised the Minister of what happened in Auckland—and it was serious—and that there was no other communication between the two of them? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If that is the chairperson’s answer and it turns out to be incorrect there is a way that the member can approach me. But the chairperson gave that answer and the answer given was a specific answer. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think perhaps we should note that the chairperson is a relatively new member. I am sure he does not want to mislead the House but the whole House took from what he said that he has not had a discussion with the Minister at all so I guess this advice must have been in writing. If that is not what he meant I think he should clarify his answer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I am assuming that the member is sufficiently intelligent and knowledgable about this issue to give an answer consistent with the Standing Orders. If he wants to comment further he can but if he stands by that answer his word must be accepted at this stage. 
Hon Ken Shirley 
: Is he concerned that when the police arrived and he asked them on several occasions to remove identified persons who had been creating a disturbance the police failed to act on his request? 
RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER 
: No. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I said there are two supplementary questions on these questions and I have had the two. I tried to share them around the various parties. The National Party had one then New Zealand First then the ACT party. 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. We did not actually get a supplementary question on this particular question. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: If there are only two supplementary questions on each question it is not possible for everyone to have one on this question. On the previous question the National Party had both the principal question and a supplementary question.