Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRobertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 22 August 2013. Volume:692;Page:12745. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Leader—Labour)to thePrime Minister: Does he have confidence in all his Ministers?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House)on behalf of thePrime Minister: Knowing how important confidence is to the member yes.Grant Robertson: Does he agree with the statement from Judith Collins regarding the Henry inquiry: “I felt it was a chilling experience to realise that ministers and staff emails and their right to privacy was treated with what I would say was frankly a contemptuous attitude”; if not why not?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The member should not get too carried away by the dramatics of a Privileges Committee hearing.Grant Robertson: Would he like to expand on that answer and inform the House whose dramatics he was referring to?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: I do not think this side of the House has anything to explain around dramatics on a day like today.Grant Robertson: Does the Prime Minister agree with his Minister Gerry Brownlee when talking about the Henry inquiry who said: “It’s difficult on a number of fronts to see that natural justice was served here in any way.”; if not why not?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: It would be good if the member quoted Mr Brownlee’s entire statement which was also in the nature—[Interruption ] Oh I see. So that is why David Shearer lost today—Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister did not address the question that I asked.Mr SPEAKER: I think he certainly did address the question.Grant Robertson: Does the Prime Minister agree with Gerry Brownlee’s comment as printed on page 2 of theDominion Posttoday talking about the Henry inquiry: “It’s difficult on a number of fronts to see that natural justice was served here in any way.”?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The member should be aware that when at those Privileges Committee hearings members often taken a devil’s advocate position in order to try to get to the truth.Grant Robertson: How can the Prime Minister have confidence in Ministers like Judith Collins and Gerry Brownlee who are directly challenging his decision to release the metadata to the Henry inquiry?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Precisely because he has confidence in his Ministers and no confidence in the interpretation of the Labour leader aspirant Grant Robertson.Grant Robertson: Does the Prime Minister have confidence in the Attorney-General given his statements yesterday disparaging the New Zealander of the Year Dame Anne Salmond Sir Geoffrey Palmer Dr Rodney Harrison QC and Sir Bruce Ferguson?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Yes because many New Zealanders find such warm remarks from the Attorney-General to be delivered in the most affectionate terms.Grant Robertson: Supplementary question—[Interruption ]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is this a supplementary question?Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well it was last time and it is now.Mr SPEAKER: The member needs to stand and call for a supplementary question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I did last time. You did not respond.Mr SPEAKER: He needs to do it on every occasion.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I got to my feet after someone had already had four or five supplementary questions. Your duty then is to pass the supplementary question to me not now make it look like—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member should read the Standing Orders. The taking of a supplementary question is entirely at the discretion of the Speaker. Whenever the member wants a supplementary question he is required to get to his feet and call for a supplementary question.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Which I did.Mr SPEAKER: No the member did not do it on the last occasion. If the member wants a supplementary question—Rt Hon Winston Peters: Of course I want a supplementary question. That’s why I’m standing on my feet.Mr SPEAKER: Supplementary question the Rt Hon Winston Peters.Rt Hon Winston Peters: How can the Prime Minister have confidence in a Minister of Finance who offers a Meridian Energy float offering three guaranteed dividends before the share buyer has to pay up in full when company law requires any dividend to be from profits or has the Government guaranteed now the profits of Meridian Energy?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Because he is an excellent Minister of Finance.Rt Hon Winston Peters: How can the Minister of Finance offer three dividends before the full pay up of the shares when company law does not allow that unless there is a guaranteed profit? The Minister is being asked to answer that question.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: There is nothing being done in this float that is unusual.Grant Robertson: Will the Prime Minister apologise to New Zealander of the Year Dame Anne Salmond Sir Geoffrey Palmer Rodney Harrison QC and Sir Bruce Ferguson after the disgraceful comments that the Attorney-General made last night?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: It is a bit rich for that member to ask the Prime Minister to apologise to anyone after standing up his former leader who was holding two fish in this Chamber a few days before he guts him.Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Minister Brownlee did not address the question I asked whether the Prime Minister would apologise.Mr SPEAKER: On this occasion I agree. The Minister on behalf of the Prime Minister did not answer the question. Would he please address the question.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The Prime Minister does not believe that is necessary.