4. 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
How does he reconcile his comment that “I didn’t have a pecuniary interest in the trust, I never have had, I don’t now and I don’t have any other interests in it.”, with the finding of the Auditor-General that “In our view, Mr English has an indirect interest in his family trust, because of his relationship with the likely beneficiaries.”?
The Auditor-General looked at all the documents and information on that issue, and actually concluded that the test that was put to me was one that I dealt with correctly. The Auditor-General took the view that a different test should have been used.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
Does he agree with Massey University’s political marketing specialist, Claire Robinson, who thought his TVNZ 7 ad promoting TVNZ 7’s “in plain English” programme so “strongly favoured National and was so unbalanced it should not air”?
No, but I have made a public comment that if Television New Zealand wants people to watch the programme, then using a politician to promote it may not work very well. I notice that it is now going to use a clip of that member to promote it, which means that no one is going to watch it.
Mr SPEAKERI call the Hon David Cunliffe. [ Interruption] I say to the Government backbenchers, on this occasion, that I have called the Hon David Cunliffe.
Forgive me; I apologise to the honourable member. I was serious about that; I expect a little courtesy to a member when he is called to ask a question.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
Does he stand by his statement that his “integrity was intact after the saga”, when polling showed that 54 percent of New Zealanders do not believe he acted with integrity, and 62 percent said his actions have damaged his credibility?
H V Ross Robertson Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I am sorry to interrupt the Minister, but from my position on the backbench I was not able to hear what the Hon David Cunliffe asked. I would like it to be repeated. We are under a constant barrage, and it is very difficult on this side of the House to hear the questions. [ Interruption]
I am on my feet, and a point of order is being heard. There will not be any interjections. I am not sure I can totally accept that last point that the member made, because during question time, apart from that last occasion, most of the noise is not normally coming from there. I believe that where a question is very provocative it is unreasonable for me to expect members to be silent. I expected courtesy and silence when the member started asking his question, and we finally got that. I insisted on it. But if a question is provocative, I cannot insist that members do not react to it.
Hon Rodney HideI raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Just to be helpful to the House, and to ensure that there is quiet, maybe the member could explain whether that was a Rick Barker poll—
The member will resume his seat forthwith. [ Interruption] I am on my feet, and there will be no further interjection. We will not have points of order like that, thank you.
No, and I am not quite sure why they blame Rick for the poll. I mean, Phil Goff signed it off, Darren Hughes stuck up for it—
I can well—[ Interruption] I apologise to the member. A point of order has been called, and it will be heard in silence, or a Government member will be taking an early shower.
Hon David Cunliffe Link to this
You had, as I recall, already reprimanded the vertically-challenged Minister over there—
That is the end of that point of order. Members may not have liked the question that the Hon Bill English was asked, but it came within the Standing Orders, and the answer that was given bore no relationship to it. I ask the honourable member to please answer the question.
Hon Gerry Brownlee Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Hon Bill English answered the question with the word “no”.
H V Ross Robertson Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Under Speakers’ ruling 27/7 members are to use the full names of members of the House, and are not to refer to them by a single name or a nickname. In the case of Mr English, he referred to the Hon Rick Barker only as “Rick”, and he knows that that is incorrect. [ Interruption]
There will be silence. This is a tense issue, I accept. I think the point is well made, and I would ask all members to respect it. I sit here day after day and hear a certain member continually being called by their first name across the House by way of interjection, and that should stop, too—not looking at any one in particular. I think the House should settle down. It has been pointed out to me that the Minister did in fact answer, however brief the answer may have been. But he should not have gone on to add that totally irrelevant material. Does the Hon David Cunliffe have a further supplementary question?