Sowry Roger: General Debates 
Sowry Roger: General Debates 
[Volume:609;Page:6348] 
Hon ROGER SOWRY (Deputy Leader—NZ National) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. Last week and again this week this Parliament and this nation have watched a Minister of Maori Affairs who is simply not up to the job. Day after day we see the spectacle of a Minister who is unable to do the task that he is paid for. We see the spectacle of a Minister who is not in control of his department. We see the spectacle of a Minister who has not done the basic reading and work that is required and that taxpayers expect of that Minister for the salary and the perks that they pay him. We see the spectacle in this House of a Minister who is constantly being babysat.  
In my experience I have not ever seen what occurred yesterday in this Chamber where the Minister of Maori Affairs had sitting beside him not his usual bench mate but the Hon Ruth Dyson who gave him the answers to every question but one. In stage whisper Ruth Dyson said to the Minister: “Just say this. Just answer that Wira Gardiner will review it. Just answer the following way.” Despite that that Minister still managed with one answer of his own to drop himself in it with another real clanger.  
His colleagues hang their heads. We see them shuffle around in their seats. The other day a bit of pass the parcel went on. As Mr Mallard was thinking of the answer he whispered it to Dr Cullen Dr Cullen relayed it back to Mr Benson-Pope he told the Hon Ruth Dyson and she whispered to the Minister—sorts of Chinese whispers to the Minister of Maori Affairs and the Minister got it wrong question after question day after day. The Labour Party might think it is clever and funny the Minister might think it is clever and funny but New Zealanders do not think it is clever and funny. New Zealanders expect the Minister to be on top of his game. They expect the Minister to be able to answer questions. They do not expect the Minister to be hiding behind the skirts of his officials.  
When something goes wrong he quickly falls back and blames the officials. I remind the Minister of the  
Cabinet Office Manual 
 paragraph 2.26. Has the Minister read that paragraph? I bet that he has not. It states: “Ministers are individually responsible to Parliament for their own activities and the activities of public servants in administering their ministerial portfolios.” The  
Cabinet Office Manual 
 makes it clear that the Minister is responsible. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Useless! 
Hon ROGER SOWRY 
: I accept that the Minister might be useless but he is also responsible. I say to this House and to this Government that it is time for the Prime Minister to stop trying to carry the Minister of Maori Affairs—it is not a pretty thought; but the Prime Minister has a whole series of Ministers who come down to this Chamber for question time after question time with the sole job of giving the Minister of Maori Affairs the answer to the question.  
At the beginning of the week I thought the Minister would be gone by the end of it but I do not think he will be now because his Associate Minister Mr Tamihere has gone out and fallen on his blunt sword for the Minister. The Associate Minister of Maori Affairs manages to go out there today insult Maori elders and then get pulled off a radio programme midway through an interview. I have never seen that happen before. We have a hopeless Government in total disarray.