Little Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLittle Andrew: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 05 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3133. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]3.ANDREW LITTLE (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he enforce high standards of conduct on all his Ministers including himself?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes. However in respect of my actions at a Parnell cafe my conduct clearly upset the staff member in question. I sincerely apologised to her at the time that I became aware of that and I have continued to do so publicly.Andrew Little: Does he accept that repeatedly pulling a woman’s hair who was just trying to do her job despite her indicating to him to stop was unworthy of any grown man let alone the Prime Minister?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes I accept I misread the situation. I have apologised for that.Andrew Little: Does he accept that through his embarrassing and weird behaviour he has now made the office of the Prime Minister of New Zealand an international laughing stock?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No but I do accept I have to take responsibility for my own actions.Andrew Little: Has he read the section of the Cabinet Manual that states: “incumbent Ministers should ensure that any requests they make for advice or information from their officials is for the purposes of their portfolio responsibilities and not for party political purposes.”; if so was the advice and information Simon Bridges sought from the New Zealand Transport Agency used in National’s Northland bridges policy?Hon Simon Bridges: Information.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: My understanding is that information was asked for—I might need to check that—and that is appropriate.Andrew Little: Why is he allowing a Minister whose portfolio conflicts with the alleged actions of his own brother to remain as Minister and why does he not follow the high standard I set in temporarily standing down Carmel Sepuloni in similar circumstances?Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is a very marginal call. I am going to allow the Prime Minister to deal with it.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Firstly because I took advice on the day that I became aware of it. The advice was very clear that there had been no conflict up to that point and any potential conflict could be managed. I think all members of this House appreciate that there are potential conflicts as an electorate MP right through to a Cabinet Minister and they need to be managed. In relation to the actions that he took with Carmel Sepuloni I personally think he made the wrong call.Andrew Little: Does he stand by his statement made after Mike Sabin resigned that Mr Sabin could have been a Minister and what does that say about the standards he sets for ministerial office?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes I do stand by that statement. In the time that Mike Sabin was part of our caucus I actually found him to be a very thoughtful hard-working member of Parliament. He had good policy ideas and I think he could have made a very very good Minister.Andrew Little: Is it not true that he is allowing Ministers off the hook because he has lost his moral authority and that is why Judith Collins is sharpening her knives?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Supplementary question. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Just before I call the member I am waiting for a bit of assistance from my left.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does this mean that his subterranean standards are so low that Judith Collins despite the appalling Oravida scandal and numerous gaffes is soon to be welcomed back into Cabinet?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The great news on this side of the House is that we have a caucus full of talent and opportunity. Judith happens to be one of its members. There are many others and if one day an opportunity opens itself I am sure that Judith along with many others will be wanting to put her hand up. It is nice to have some fantastic people to choose from.