Peters WinstonRt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Minister of Foreign Affairs): The Labour leader's speech contained comment in the main that few could disagree with. Labour's call for a ceasefire last November is the view of nearly everyone in this Parliament. New Zealand must show leadership on this issue." he said. And then he became alas inferentially accusative in insinuating powers we simply—sadly—don't have and anyone that understood the international circumstance would know that.I have spoken to the Secretary-General of the United Nations someone I know and have entertained in my own home. I was able to call him and discuss the organisation he's leading and where they were going on this issue. I've spoken to Foreign Ministers all over the world. I've spoken to scores and scores of my counterparts on this issue on behalf of New Zealand. I've spoken to my counterpart in Indonesia in person when we visited Indonesia just recently—the biggest Muslim country in the world. She understands New Zealand's position. How come in this House some don't? That's the point we're making here. We're going to be for the second time speaking to our counterpart in Egypt—this time in person—next week. And we've spoken to the Palestinian representative. We've spoken to everyone we can about what we can do.But at the end of the day what is being inferred here is that somehow something's happened in the United Nations last night and we don't agree with it. Nothing could be further from the truth. New Zealand has long—this Government—advocated for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza leading to a lasting sustainable peace. We welcome the UN Security Council's resolution overnight demanding an immediate ceasefire. We have called on all parties to immediately comply with this resolution. This information and these requests are all in the public domain. How come some people don't understand that?There must be an immediate cessation of armed conflict. Hamas must release all hostages. But we were saying that on 8 October not when something happened later by way of retaliation. And Israel must play its part in enabling a rapid massive and sustained increase in aid into Gaza. There is nothing in terms of the geography or the condition that Mr Hipkins laid out we could disagree with. But the point is: what can we do about it? And I want to set out what we have done.The reality is we've got 1.1 million people—half of the population—experiencing catastrophic food insecurity. A famine is imminent in Gaza. This is appalling and it cannot be allowed to continue. This is why we continue to strongly urge Israel to do everything in its power to facilitate rapid safe and unimpeded humanitarian access into Gaza including lifesaving food medicine and other aid. Failure to do so is clearly risking civilian lives and risks Israel not meeting its obligations under international humanitarian law as is required by the International Court of Justice provisional measures a judgment on which there is still progress to be made.We remain gravely concerned by the repeated indications from senior Israel officials that it may soon launch a military offensive into Rafah where 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering in already dire humanitarian conditions. New Zealand has been clear from the outset that the protection of civilians is paramount in a requirement of international law. Israel must not undertake this offensive which would have catastrophic consequences and Israel must listen to the international community and meet its obligations under international law.There is an urgent need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire together with the release of all hostages and a significantly increased flow of humanitarian assistance to civilians in need. New Zealand supports critical efforts by regional partners to achieve this as soon as possible. On the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) investigation well New Zealand did not suspend its aid. No. What we did was ensure that we funded the World Food Programme the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Children's Fund UNICEF and kept the funding going until the next tranche is due on 1 June.Many of the statements that are being made by all sorts of people are simply not correct in this matter and it's sad looking offshore at a tragedy that it could be politicised by some. This is not what's happening and I would beg to ask them this one question: what would you do more than we've tried to do? What would you actually do more than we've tried to do?Chlöe Swarbrick: Fund UNRWA.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Oh no chanting like that. I never saw that member after that vicious atrocity on 7 October say a word last year.Chlöe Swarbrick: How dare you!Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Unbelievable. How dare I? Because it's the truth. I dare because I'm not politicising a tragedy. I dare because I am concerned for innocent Palestinian citizens and I want something to be done to solve it. That's why I dare—not to politicise them not to be one sided about it—because there are terrorists on both sides and this is the Government that deputed as terrorists Israeli settlers because of their behaviour not just Hamas but Israeli settlers as well. Did those people not notice that? So please please in the interests of humanity and in the interests of our concern for the Palestinian people stop playing politics.It is far more serious than that [Interruption]. No you can sigh and groan but the reality is we are a country that has a marvellous humanitarian record. And we'll go on helping out here and we'll go on supporting what happened last night at the UN. That is precisely the present Government's policy and it always has been. And there was a time when across the political divide we all had that feeling. As two States—Chlöe Swarbrick: This is the man who invoked Nazi Germany.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I beg your pardon?Chlöe Swarbrick: This is the man who invoked Nazi Germany with regards to co-governance.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: No we know who invoked Nazi Germany. The person was in the shop with her at a clothing outlet at the time. She wasn't the one that invoked Nazi Germany and I did not hear that member call her out back then. I want to let you know Chlöe Swarbrick you're not getting away with this high-handed "I am more worthy than thou" attitude because in this business you're required to put up the efforts and put up the time and indeed put up the money. And why does this Government want to be a successful Government?Steve Abel: Point of order Mr Speaker.Chlöe Swarbrick: Just keep going.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well I'll keep going because the Speaker allows me to not because you're running the show. With the greatest of respect—SPEAKER: Sorry just a minute. Has there been a call for a point of order?Steve Abel: Yes Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: Stay on your feet when you make it so I can see what's happening.Steve Abel: Thank you. The Minister asserted the presence of the member at the occurrence of an event which is a conspiracy that's going around presently and I just want to correct that there is no suggestion that that is correct.SPEAKER: You can't use the point of order for that sort of purpose.Steve Abel: Speaking to the point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No no. Let's establish it. There is no point of order because that's not a correct use of the point of order process. If there is offence taken by a member then they may take a point of order for the matter to be withdrawn. It's not an opportunity to make a political point.Chlöe Swarbrick: The Minister just now has outlined a conspiracy theory widely circulated online with regard to my alleged presence at allegations that are currently before the courts and I take deep offence at that. Given that the Minister knows that what he is saying is untrue I request him to withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: Well the member has made the point. The member the Rt Hon Winston Peters may choose to withdraw and apologise for that part of his speech.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Point of order. A conspiracy is when two or more agree to break the law. I never ever made that statement did I? So if we're going to use language get to understand it. Therefore Mr Speaker I say that point of order is worthless.SPEAKER: Yep that's the member's response and that's the way that it is. The member can continue with his speech.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Thank you Mr Speaker. I just want to conclude by saying that sadly this was an issue across the political divide over decades. We have always been united for a two-State solution—a permanent two-State solution—and we're asking now for a ceasefire to be a permanent ceasefire and again for a two-State solution. That is still the Government's view and in the meantime we've worked hard to ensure that we play our humanitarian role which is respected I might say all around the Muslim community to whom I have spoken worldwide. We continue playing our role because that is the New Zealand way and we intend to continue it."