Goff Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Goff Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:669;Page:15821] 
2. 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does he believe that all persons who have served as Ministers in his Government have met the requirement of the  
Cabinet Manual  
to behave in a way that upholds and is seen to uphold the highest ethical standards in their ministerial capacity their political capacity and their personal capacity; if so why? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) 
: 
 Yes with the exception of Dr Richard Worth; because they are talented people who are working hard for New Zealand. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: What ethical standards did his Minister Pansy Wong and her husband breach in their publicly funded travel to China in December 2008 which required her resignation? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: The former Minister has accepted that she made an unplanned and inadvertent mistake and I have accepted that. As we all know from time to time we all make mistakes. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Is he fully satisfied that the misuse of public funds to travel to China to carry out private commercial business the signing as a Minister of a business agreement in which her husband had financial interests and promoting that business in China on a website were the only breaches of the highest ethical standards by his Minister? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I do not accept the second part of the question. The advice I have had is that the signing of a document is not in breach of the  
Cabinet Manual 
. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Will he in the interests of transparency and the highest ethical standards ask the Auditor-General to investigate any misuse of ministerial travel or authority relating to Pansy Wong given her proven misuse of parliamentary travel funding and given the precedent of his referring Phil Heatley’s case to the Auditor-General; if not why not? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I think it is worthy to note a few things. Firstly in the case of Mr Heatley I was the responsible Minister as Minister responsible for Ministerial Services. In the case of Pansy Wong it was a matter for Parliamentary Service and therefore the report was sanctioned by the Speaker. But I say to the member that if he has any information that he feels is relevant he is welcome to refer it to the Auditor-General himself. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That was an elongated way of refusing to answer a question. The Minister was saying he was not responsible for your expenditure. The question was directly about Ministerial Services expenditure and Pansy Wong’s air travel. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I hear the point the member is making but he would note that the Prime Minister in the last part of his answer answered it by saying if the member asking the question had any relevant information in respect of that matter then he was welcome to take up the matter with the Auditor-General. I believe that was an answer to the question. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: If the issue is about ministerial travel and misuse of ministerial authority why is it not his responsibility? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: I have no advice on that matter. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I ask you to reflect on the Prime Minister’s answer. He said it was not his responsibility. What advice does he need that he cannot answer that question in a straightforward way? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Prime Minister has answered the question. Members may not like the answer and the public can judge the answer but I believe it was an answer. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That could be an answer to any question. Any ignorant Minister could stand up and say “I have not had advice on that matter.” He is— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: —clearly responsible and he knows it. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have heard the member’s point but the public will judge the quality of an answer. It was an answer and members do not have to like it but I cannot insist on a more precise answer to a question exactly like that. I will listen very carefully to the member’s next supplementary question—I am sure he will have one. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Why will this Prime Minister not accept his responsibility for any misuse of ministerial travel and ministerial authority? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: Because none has been brought to my attention. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Is the Prime Minister telling this House that he is not aware of the fact that his Minister misused her authority to expend public funds for a business trip and misused her position to promote a private business interest on a website in China? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: No I am telling the member that she travelled as a member not as a Minister. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is actually a proven fact that— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is now debating the issue; that is not a matter of order. The member will resume his seat. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Did Pansy Wong sign that document as a Minister of the Crown? 
Rt Hon JOHN KEY 
: No she signed that document saying her occupation was a Minister of the Crown.