Dean Jacqui: General Debate 
Dean Jacqui: General Debate 
[Volume:633;Page:5226] 
JACQUI DEAN (National—Otago) 
: 
 An interesting question was just raised by the member Sue Moroney about putting money into campaigns. I think we must remember that this issue is not about the Exclusive Brethren this issue is not about National this issue is not about pamphlets—signed or otherwise—this issue is about the Labour Party using taxpayer money illegally to fund its election campaign. That is all this argument is about. 
All this flailing around by Labour members is like fish dying in a pond with the tide running out and their life-giving water ebbing away from them. The more desperate they get the more they lash out. Is it working? No it is not working because nothing they can say or their supporters can say can detract from the facts. The facts are—for the benefit of members sitting opposite—very very clear. The Labour Party spent—and I will say this slowly so it sinks in—$440000 of taxpayer money on its pledge card. It was not its own money; it was not money donated to it; it was taxpayer money—end of story. Labour is being investigated by the Auditor-General—full stop. The Auditor-General has written a draft report saying that the Labour Party spent taxpayer money on electioneering which is against the electoral rules—full stop. It is about the Labour Government and the Labour Party spending taxpayer money. 
If the final report of the Auditor-General shows that Labour acted unlawfully what should it do? Well it is very simple: Labour should pay it back. All the games in the House—and we have seen them today—all the sniping by Labour and all the attempts to divert attention from the facts are just a desperate attempt to divert attention away from its dodgy dodgy decision to spend $440000 of taxpayer money on its election campaign. And these are the people who govern our country! What is at question here is the political integrity of the Government. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I simply wish to ask that member a question: how much did National pay 5 months out from the election— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: No. Frivolous interjections are out of order and they can lead to disorder. The member will stand and apologise. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: I apologise. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: Point of order— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I have dealt with the situation. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is another point of order. I note that the three members who are sitting over there are not in their correct seats. They are continuing to barrage and interject when we have a very fine speech being given by my colleague here. The Standing Orders are very clear that a member cannot interject from a seat at which that member has an advantage over the position where the member normally sits. We have three members over there who are incessantly carrying on with those interjections against my colleague. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Thank you Mr Tisch. I remind members that under Speakers’ rulings 58/4 and 59/1 they cannot move to facilitate interjection. 
JACQUI DEAN 
: Just for my own information in relation to the last couple of points of order you have awarded that the member might start from the beginning. I wonder whether you will be according me the same courtesy. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I will consider it. 
JACQUI DEAN 
: Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. In the meantime I thank members opposite for illustrating the very point I have been making in the House today. Try as they might to distract attention from what essentially we are talking about they cannot. There is no getting away from the fact that it does not work and that what is at issue here is that the Labour Party spent $440000 of taxpayer money on its election campaign. 
From where I sit on the back benches the behaviour during question time today from the Government benches was nasty and disgraceful and I have to say that that is typical of the Labour Government. Well I have news for this Government. The public will not accept a Government that believes it is above the law. The Government must acknowledge that it has misspent taxpayer money and apologise. What must it do next? Pay it back. All the Government’s personal threats—and I am referring to Mr Mallard—and unpleasant innuendoes and shouting will not change the facts. 
The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.