Shearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeShearer David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 26 June 2013. Volume:691;Page:11265. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.DAVID SHEARER (Leader of the Opposition)to thePrime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister):Yes. I particularly stand by my statement that was what a ripper of a front page theNew Zealand Herald had this morning.David Shearer: Does he stand by his statement: “They might have to ask themselves if one day there was an equivalent of the Boston bombings in New Zealand would they be the very same members who would stand up and say they prevented New Zealanders from being kept as safe as they otherwise could be.”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes and I think I can recall also the Rt Hon Winston Peters making very similar comments on television last night.David Shearer: Has he seen evidence or intelligence that New Zealanders have been at risk of physical or terrorist attack over the last 12 months; if so what action has he taken?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is not in the public interest for me to outline—[Interruption ] It is not in the public interest for me to outline all the threats that New Zealand might face or the intelligence that we gather but I think I can say at a broad level as the Minister responsible and as Prime Minister that the agencies do collectively actively collect information to protect New Zealand. I think New Zealanders would expect that. That is why when Helen Clark was Prime Minister she did exactly what this law is proposing to do.David Shearer: In quoting the Boston bombings is he talking about a real or urgent threat based on evidence or is he merely scaremongering to get his legislation across the line?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The legislation that is being proposed under the Government Communications Security Bureau as the member knows is for the bureau to be able to continue to provide agency support with better supervision to our other agencies like the police the SIS and the Defence Force. It does so because from time to time it has concerns about individuals or groups who might pose a threat to New Zealand. If that member seriously wants to get up in this House and try to make himself feel better for taking the position that Grant Robertson has forced down his throat—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption ] Order! That is a sufficient answer to that question.David Shearer: At least the polling is not going down as fast as—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption ] Order! Would the Hon Tau Henare cease from displaying that particular piece of paper. [Interruption ] Order! I say to the Hon Tau Henare that if this continues I will ask him to leave the Chamber.David Shearer: Given his citing of the Boston bombings and the perceived possible threat to the physical well-being of New Zealanders why did he not therefore move as soon as he could last year to bring in urgent legislation to keep New Zealanders safe?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: As the member knows we did act as quickly as we could to have a thorough review of the Government Communications Security Bureau so that we could understand completely all of the issues and could propose legislation that wouldfully reflect what was required. We have now actually determined what is required and actually the member is looking for a way to get out of his position. I would just say one thing to him and it is this—and this is rather spooky: Mighty River Power is up 5.5 percent today and that is the same number that Labour has lost in the polls.David Shearer: Why is he performing such a spectacular U-turn on the Auckland City Rail Link when he has previously said that “the advice that we’ve had is that it doesn’t stack up.”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: What the Government is going to be announcing on Friday is that it will be supporting the construction of the central business district rail loop and on a slower start date than the one proposed by the council. That will be 2020. The Government will make a contribution and that is because as a Government we will also be announcing integrated projects that support the infrastructure of Auckland and again maybe that is why we are polling 49 percent and Labour is polling 30 percent. We are thinking about what is important to New Zealand and Labour is constantly in the gutter with nothing decent to talk about.David Shearer: Is he therefore confirming that he and his Government have changed their position on the Auckland City Rail Link in line with Labour Party long-held policy?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well it is not for me to understand Labour’s policies although I showed in the last campaign that I understood them better than Phil Goff did but putting that all to one side no I do not think it is on the same time frame. We are suggesting a start date of 2020. I do not think that is what Labour is proposing.