3. Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Labour—New Lynn) Link to this
to the Minister of Finance
Does he stand by all his recent statements?
Hon BILL ENGLISHHon David Cunliffe Link to this
In which capacity did he make the statements on the TVNZ 7 “in plain English” promotional video—as Minister of Finance or as Bill English in his private capacity?
I am a bit more modest than that member, and I have to say that if I were not the Minister of Finance, I would not have been on the programme.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
Can he confirm that he or his office corrected inaccuracies in the script; if so, what were those inaccuracies, what was corrected, and by whom?
My understanding is that the journalists involved were taking what they regarded as abstract economic concepts and trying to turn them into plain English. I am advised that they got some of it wrong, so the scripts were checked for economic accuracy.
Hon Gerry Brownlee
Mr SPEAKERIf the House would just settle down, I ask the Hon David Cunliffe to ask his supplementary question.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
Does the real Minister of Finance stand by his statement that the advertisement looked “quite good”, or will he concede that it was not a good look for a shareholding Minister to take hundreds of thousands of dollars of free advertising from a State broadcaster?
All decisions about putting together the promotion and the use of it are being made by Television New Zealand (TVNZ), as I understand it. That is the normal relationship that politicians have with TVNZ. It could, of course, have chosen that member to front it, but it did not. It could have chosen Mr Goff to front it, but it did not. I think the reasons are pretty obvious.
The Hon David Cunliffe—[ Interruption] I have called the Hon David Cunliffe. [ Interruption] Would the members please show some courtesy to their own front-bench colleague.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
Is he satisfied that he avoided any perception of a conflict of interest, as required by the Cabinet Manual, after previously abusing TVNZ management over unfavourable double-dipping coverage, only to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free advertising shortly after?
I looked around the Chamber and I could see no one seeking the call, so I called question No. 4. Maybe the member thought I was going on too fast, so I will come back to him. But I make the point that if members wish to ask supplementary questions, they must seek the call. I cannot read their minds, and I had gone on to question No. 4. But I will come back to a supplementary question from the Hon David Cunliffe. [ Interruption] Please, I have called the honourable member.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
Does he think it is a good look that he is continually embroiled in controversies over his personal judgment, when he should be focused on making life better for ordinary New Zealanders?
I reassure that member that the amount of time I spend on the controversies generated by the Labour Party would be about 0.5 percent of my time, and the rest of the time I am focused on serious issues, like the 45 people who lost their jobs in my electorate today. Those people are getting my full attention; that party is not getting my full attention.