Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Hide Rodney: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:621;Page:16314] 
10.  
RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: When did she first learn that the Hon John Tamihere had received a “golden handshake” from the Waipareira Trust and when would she have expected him to have informed her of the $195000 payment? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Acting Prime Minister) 
: 
 As far as I am aware the first the Prime Minister heard of this payment was when allegations were reported last week. It is for Ministers to determine what information they pass on about matters outside their direct portfolio responsibilities. 
Rodney Hide 
: In light of the Minister’s responsibility to decide what to inform the Prime Minister about in terms of the register of Ministers’ interests and assets which all Cabinet Ministers fill out listing directorships payments gifts and assets does Mr Tamihere’s statement in this year’s register—a nil return—mean that he had no outside income assets or gifts or that he failed to provide a return? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I have no information to hand on that but for the relevant period in relation to the vehicle that would certainly be a matter to be looked at in terms of the inquiry. I am sure that if that matter wants to extend further that can be done. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Did John Tamihere give the Prime Minister an assurance after 27 July 1999 that he had not taken and would not take a golden handshake; and bearing in mind her campaign theme of 1999 about golden handshakes how does she feel about all of that now? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The campaign around golden handshakes concerned the vast amounts of money paid to people whom other people wanted to get rid of because they were not doing their jobs properly. Nobody has yet demonstrated in any shape or form that any of the payments to Mr Tamihere fell into that category. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Just so that the Minister is focused on what the question really was I will repeat what I asked him: did John Tamihere give the Prime Minister an assurance after 27 July 1999 that he had not taken and would not take a golden handshake—yes or no? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: What is the point of order? 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: That is my point of order; he never answered the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Well I thought he addressed the question. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: No. I asked him: did the Prime Minister receive an assurance from John Tamihere that he had not and would not take a golden handshake after the first time that it was raised in Parliament in 1999? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I questioned the definition of a golden handshake. That is addressing the question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: If as the Acting Prime Minister suggests John Tamihere was not paid a golden handshake to get rid of him does he now believe that Mr EynonDelamare was right when he said that the Waipareira Trust paid him $195000-plus to come to Parliament to do some things for it? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Certainly I do not agree with Mr Delamare’s statement because he retracted it himself on 18 October. 
Rodney Hide 
: Did the Prime Minister and her Deputy Prime Minister not find it odd that in terms of the  
Cabinet Manuel 
 requirement that all Ministers fill out a declaration of interests outside payments and gifts Mr John Tamihere filed a nil return—put in nothing—when in fact the year before he had filled out a return declaring some assets; were they not concerned that those assets had just seemed to evaporate while he was working away as a Minister? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The fact that people’s asset position changes is neither here nor there. If the member cares to look at the Minister of Finance’s returns for 2 years in that period he will find that for 1 year there was a declaration of an investment in a BNZ managed fund. The Minister of Finance was subsequently advised that it was not necessary to declare that asset. 
Rodney Hide 
: I seek leave to table the declaration of Ministers’ interests and assets for 15 September 2002 which includes declaration of a directorship and two ownership interests— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that. Is there any objection? There is. 
Rodney Hide 
: I seek leave to table the declaration of Ministers’ interests and assets which covers gifts and suchlike for the period ended 31 December 2003 for which Mr John Tamihere put in a nil return. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that declaration. Is there any objection? There is.