Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:611;Page:8252] 
2.  
DAVID PARKER (NZ Labour—Otago) 
 to the  
Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee 
: When will the committee next meet to discuss the inquiry into the alleged accidental release of genetically engineered sweetcorn plants in 2000 and the subsequent actions taken? 
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS (Chairperson of the Local Government and Environment Committee): 
 While a committee schedule is always subject to change I am anticipating that the next meeting on the inquiry will be on 18 September after the committee has had the opportunity to make further progress on the dogs legislation. 
David Parker 
: Did the Hon Dr Nick Smith disclose to the select committee his conflict of interest as a trustee of the Cawthron Institute when he nominated the expert adviser from Cawthron to independently advise the select committee on the sweetcorn inquiry? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The obligation on members to declare pecuniary interests falls on the member concerned not on the Speaker or on the chairperson of a select committee. If members feel that the obligation has not been complied with there is a procedure for raising it with the Speaker. That question is not in order. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I wish to make a personal explanation with regard to the issue that has been raised. The Cawthron legislation provides that the member of Parliament for Nelson will be a trustee. When the Local Government and Environment Committee sought an independent adviser I told the committee of my involvement. I said that the Cawthron Institute of which I had some knowledge was completely independent of Government. The final decision on the selection of the adviser was made by the Clerk of the House because the committee had a tied vote and could not come to a conclusion. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I ask you now to consider your ruling. The question asked of the chair was not around the question of pecuniary interest but about whether a declaration of conflict of interest had been made at the committee. There is clearly disagreement as to those facts and the matter could be easily cleared up by the chair of the committee. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is nothing to do with the House or the Speaker. That question is out of order. 
Hon Roger Sowry 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. What concerned me during that supplementary question from Mr Parker—which was in no way connected to his original question which was about when the committee was next to meet—was that you immediately rose to your feet and read your ruling from a piece of paper. That leads me to believe that you or the Clerk had been given advance notice of the second question that Mr Parker was to ask and therefore have in some way bought into the stunt that the Government has pulled in the House. I want an assurance that you were not given notice of the content of the supplementary question. If the Clerk was given it and then went to you we can deal with the issue in a different way but I want an assurance from you that you were not being used by the Government in this matter. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Absolutely. I want to say that as far as I am concerned the Clerk saw the question we talked about it at our meeting and I said that we had better have a ruling ready in case something was asked that was out of order. [ 
Interruption 
] I also say to the House that the Clerk knew because the words were in the original question. That is how we knew. I had no knowledge of the question being asked until I saw it on the Order Paper. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek leave to table in the House the minutes associated with the appointment of the technical adviser to the Local Government and Environment Committee so the record can be absolutely clear to the House as to how that appointment was made. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: In elaboration of subsequent actions that the Local Government and Environment Committee will take will the chairperson be taking into account that this committee of inquiry was set up at the suggestion of the Prime Minister as stated in her press release; and given that does she not think it would be a good idea if the Prime Minister were to front up and tell the House the truth? 
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS 
: I can confirm that when the committee first discussed the suggestion that there be an inquiry into this matter we had reference to the statement the Prime Minister made that she would be happy for a select committee to inquire into it. I have no further comment to make about the Prime Minister’s appearance. That matter was resolved by resolution of the committee. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: If she asserts as she did that she was not under any pressure from the Prime Minister what did she think that attack yesterday was all about or does she still think she is on the Prime Minister’s Christmas card list? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member can answer the question if she wishes. 
JEANETTE FITZSIMONS 
: I would just point out to the member that the vote on whether to request the Prime Minister to attend took place last week. The Prime Minister’s statements about me took place yesterday. I do not think that one could have affected the other.