2. Prime Minister—Industrial Action and Te Ārai DevelopmentHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterPrime Minister—Industrial Action and Te Ārai Development2. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of the Prime Minister's statements and policies?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Acting Prime Minister): In their context yes.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he accept that more than 32000 people have either gone on strike or have signalled they will go on strike this year and that this figure exceeds the number of people that went on strike in the last nine years?SPEAKER: Order! Order! I'm going to ask the Leader of the Opposition to rephrase it so that it in some way relates to a statement or policy of the Government.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he disagree as he said this morning with the statement that more than 32000 people have either gone on strike or have signalled they'll go on strike this year and that this figure exceeds the number of people that went on strike in the last nine years?SPEAKER: No. Again I want an assurance that—[Interruption] The Hon Paula Bennett—I'm very tempted to repeat a comment that she's made earlier. I'm going to ask the Leader of the Opposition for an assurance that that statement was one that was made by the Prime Minister.Hon Simon Bridges: Yes this morning.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Can I say that when the Leader of the Opposition made the 32000 statement he did not distinguish between those who have gone on strike and those who might go on strike. He added them all up together and as a consequence he was talking unadulterated drivel.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he dispute that any of the nurses midwives Public Service Association Premier Bacon port workers in Lyttelton Auckland bus drivers Hastings Pak 'N Save Hawkes Bay Silver Fern Farms Burger King Nelmac workers bottled-water workers or Event Cinema are going on strike?Hon Grant Robertson: We're not responsible for Premier Bacon—I know that.Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Ha ha! Apart from bringing home the bacon we're not responsible for bacon. And the other ones that he has set out are really a gloom list of where an Opposition is trying to run down the economy and the humanity of a very stable sound Government.Hon Simon Bridges: So does he now for the record at question time accept that more than 32000 people have either gone on strike or signalled they'll go on strike this year?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Can I say that there are a number of negotiations going on because this Government does not have a tin ear. We understand the conditions under which they have suffered after nine years of neglect where the whole intent of the Government was to govern for the few against the interests of the mass and the many. We intend to turn that around and we expect no such hopeless prospect at all.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he stand by the Prime Minister's commitment when asked whether her Government's industrial relations policy could mean we see nationwide strike action: No we will not."?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Yes.Hon Simon Bridges: Does he believe his Government is delivering on that commitment given more people have indicated that they'll go on strike this year than over the last nine years added together including a nationwide nurses strike?Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: The reality is that if for example—to use an analogy—there is a so-called bus stop where no bus bothers to turn up then it's quite likely no one actually goes to the bus stop. But we run transport services and we listen. And so a whole lot of people out there say "Maybe we should approach the new Government and get a fairer deal." and we are saying to them "You will get a fair deal but we can't turn around nine years of neglect in the space of one Budget." But my colleague the Minister of Finance's message to them is "Hang on because help's on its way."Hon Simon Bridges: Well is it the reality of bus stops and buses that this Government with the way it's talking down business confidence the way vulnerable workers are going to find it harder to get a job and all of the uncertainty is taking New Zealanders for a ride? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: I can say personally we had a meeting with the business community in Wellington the other night that got the biggest attendance in their history. Hon Simon Bridges: Will critical public services be put on hold if the nurses go through with their signalled strike action next week? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Can I say that we don't approach negotiations with an intention to fail. We think that logic and reasonableness will be the order of the day in these negotiations and we are hopeful that they will see the massive task this Government's got and how they can help us achieve all of our targets altogether over time. Hon Simon Bridges: How will the bus turn up at the bus stop when all the drivers are on strike? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well the first thing that you've got to have of course is a bus for there to be drivers and that's where we're different. Hon Simon Bridges: Will the impending strike action including 27000 nurses and midwives and 4000 IRD and Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment staff be good for business confidence? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Again the member is reciting pessimistic prognostications which will not happen and I have to tell that member that I'm getting sick and tired of having a duel of wits with an unarmed opponent. Hon Simon Bridges: If it came to light that David Parker has at any time provided legal advice to John Darby would he expect Mr Parker to have sought Cabinet Office advice on managing the appearance of a conflict of interest over the proposal to exempt the Te Ārai development from the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Could I tell that member I know David Parker. I saw him lose his job when there were false allegations and because the Companies Office after nine years had not destroyed the critical document he got his job back but he never got one apology from his opponents or dare I say it sadly from the press gallery. I know Mr Parker. He's a man of integrity and a man of honour. What he says is the truth. Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked the Acting Prime Minister effectively whether he would expect if he had given legal advice to a certain person that he would given the situation with this Overseas Investment Amendment Bill—an exemption—advise—SPEAKER: I'm going to ask the member to repeat his question and I think what we'll find is that it's already been answered. But I will ask him to repeat the question as he asked it. Hon Simon Bridges: If it came to light that David Parker has at any time provided legal advice to John Darby would he expect Mr Parker to have sought Cabinet Office advice on managing the appearance of a conflict of interest over the proposal to exempt the Te Ārai development from the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill?SPEAKER: No no. The member will resume his seat. I have listened to the question again. It was very clearly covered by Speaker's ruling 165/1 and was answered much more fully than the Prime Minister had to. Hon Simon Bridges: Has he been told whether David Parker threatened to sue the New Zealand Herald if it didn't remove a column published last week highlighting the close links David Parker has with John Darby and doesn't this show why the perceived conflict of interest is of critical importance? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Mr Parker has no close links with Mr Darby—end of story. And by the manner of his questions which are by impugning the character of Mr Parker defamatory—and if he walked outside the House he would deserve to be sued and he will not—Hon Simon Bridges: Oh more threats. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: No no. Go outside and repeat your malicious slander and you're going to be in trouble. SPEAKER: I'm taking it that the Prime Minister was referring to the Leader of the Opposition. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Oh of course."