1. Prime Minister—StatementsHon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSPrime Minister—Statements1. Hon PAULA BENNETT (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her statements? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister): on behalf of the Prime Minister: Could I just say kia ora tēnā koutou katoa to the people of Parihaka and also could I say on behalf of the Prime Minister yes in their context.Hon Paula Bennett: Wonderful. Which statement best describes her Government's position on oil and gas exploration: is it her statement that We're considering everything." when receiving a Greenpeace petition to ban exploration or is it her deputy's statement that "we know exactly where this is going. We will not compromise on what we've agreed."?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Those are two brilliant statements—both correct. First of all only an idiot wouldn't consider everything or as the British say "Only a fool tests the water with both feet." The second thing is we know what our policy was and what we agreed on and we are working our way through the fulfilment of it and you will know in a few months' time.Hon Paula Bennett: Is it her usual practice to say one thing to a group like Greenpeace and then backtrack a few hours later when she's in a post-Cabinet press conference?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: What is the normal practice for the Prime Minister—and invariably so—is to know what words mean and to be very careful about them. Nothing she said in front of Greenpeace or later is contradictory if interpreted the way it was said—honestly and carefully and not maliciously. Then the member will see and so will her colleagues and those shouting fools at the back who are down the back because they are useless—had every chance of being promoted but they're back there never going any further. In fact the back is no longer back; it's gone. Could I just say the Prime Minister very carefully chose her words and she has been very accurate and correct about them.Hon Paula Bennett: So if the Prime Minister chooses her words so carefully which statement then best reflects her Government's position on the Air New Zealand board: is it Shane Jones' statement calling for the sacking of the chair her statement that Shane Jones shouldn't have called for the sacking of the chair Shane Jones' later statement that he will not be muzzled or Winston Peters who said that Shane Jones was right?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Can I just say that the Prime Minister is correct in the sense that it is for one member of Cabinet in particular surrounded by his 19 very wise colleagues to make this decision. In that sense the Prime Minister is utterly correct. But as for criticising or questioning a State-owned enterprise or a company of that nature that is entirely proper. In the same way I'm certain that the Blues rugby supporters in Auckland are questioning his chairmanship of the Blues board after three years of dismal failure celebrated by all the rest of the provinces but not Aucklanders. And last of all—this is a very difficult refuge for me to take—it is the Dominion Post editorial today saying Jones has again inspired worthy debate. And debate inspires and invigorates a robust democracy. So in that sense I agree with all three comments.Hon Paula Bennett: That's great. Does she stand by her statement made on Morning Report that she is committed to a 100000 reduction in the number of children living in poverty under the 50 percent of median income measure by 2020?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I could say that—I didn't hear the Prime Minister's comments this morning but I would think that what she was accurately setting out was the Government's plan because it is a most ambitious one and one that already is achieving enormous results. Not like for example the statement which disputed the number of a target for child poverty which is what John Key did when she was in her portfolio as Minister.Hon Paula Bennett: Which statement is correct: her deputy's statement that there is no evidence Russia was involved in the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 or her statement correcting him less than a week later?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Again that is false as to the correction. The reality right now is there is full-scale inquiry going on in Holland as to the perpetrator of that missile being triggered off. That's a fact. Hon Member: They've tabled the report.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: We're not going to listen to amateur backbenchers of the National Party making up the law as they go along. If we are not right about that why is there a full-scale inquiry being conducted in Holland as we speak on that matter?Hon Paula Bennett: Why was her statement on the Salisbury attacks changed on the Beehive website or is this just another secret document that was shortened by changing the font?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I believe that a staff member made a mistake and corrected it. Hon Members: Oh!SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well look members can jeer and scoff but honesty is our main feature. I went to find out whether there was any truth in that matter and that's what the Prime Minister told me and I believe her. But it got as far as Theresa May the Prime Minister of the UK who contacted us to thank us profusely for it."