1. Dr DON BRASH (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Does she stand by the statement in the Speech from the Throne in 1999 that her Government would “restore public confidence in the political integrity of Parliament and the electoral process”?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) Link to this
Yes, by keeping our promises, as we have—unlike National in the 1990s.
Can she explain to the House how she expects the public to have confidence in the integrity of Parliament and the electoral process, when her Government has conveniently ignored and dismissed the rulings of the Auditor-General, the Solicitor-General, the Chief Electoral Officer, and the Electoral Commission by unlawfully spending taxpayers’ money and knowingly breaching the election campaign spending cap in the Electoral Act?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
The assertions in that question cannot be accepted. Of course, unlike the National Party, the Labour Party did not accept money from exclusive religious cults, which enabled National to free up its own parliamentary spending.
Is it the case that the Auditor-General wrote to her on 28 April last year, seeking a meeting to discuss his concerns about processes for the expenditure of taxpayers’ money through the parliamentary leader’s budget, and can she tell the House how it assisted public confidence in the integrity of Parliament and the electoral process when she refused to meet him?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I seem to recall questions from the member on precisely this point, before. I was written to as leader of the parliamentary Labour Party, and representatives of the party met the Auditor-General.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. The Prime Minister has not remotely attempted to respond to either of my last two supplementary questions. She made an irrelevant comment, which was totally without foundation, about the Exclusive Brethren. There is no foundation for it, at all. Could you ask her, please, to address the two questions I have asked.
Madam SPEAKERThe Prime Minister certainly addressed the questions. It may not have been to the satisfaction of the member. Also, may I say it would be a little easier for the Speaker to hear the full answers if there were a little less barracking.
Is it the case that she declined the request from the Auditor-General to meet with her to discuss the use of public money on political advertising because she already had plans, at that stage, to use nearly half a million dollars of taxpayers’ funding for the Labour Party pledge card; and can she tell the House how those actions helped to encourage public confidence in Parliament and the political integrity of the electoral process?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I repeat that representatives of the parliamentary Labour Party met with the Auditor-General. Of course, unlike the National Party, we were not holding money back so that after the election we could put out ads like the one from Bob Clarkson, which invites people to a public meeting around the theme “Good Jokers Unite!” at the RAZZA in Upper Hutt. If that is not an abuse, I do not know what is.
Rodney HideThank you. I agree with you. Would the Prime Minister please repeat her answer, for the benefit of those who were unable to hear a word she said.
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I repeat that representatives of the parliamentary party met with the Auditor-General as invited. I further note that unlike the National Party, so loaded with cash from big corporates and the Exclusive Brethren, the Labour Party did not receive money from them. The National Party held money back so it could use it for ridiculous branding advertising, websites, fake questionnaires, and, of course, advertising this extraordinary meeting with Bob Clarkson—“Good Jokers Unite!”.
Hon Brian Donnelly Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I believe that members in this House all have the right to hear the responses that are made to questions. We—myself, and the colleague beside me from United Future—are sitting fairly close to the Prime Minister. We were unable to hear the answer to that question, and we would like to have the answer repeated.
Bob ClarksonWould the member please be seated. We are trying to be consistent with the Standing Orders, so would the member please just make his point of order without any other comment.
If I am getting accusations chucked at me, I would like to hear them. I am not hearing them. I am getting a bit pissed off.
Maybe the member would like to have a word with some of his colleagues, and then we would all have the benefit of hearing the answers.
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
You invited me to summarise my answer, and, for the benefit of Bob Clarkson, can I summarise his advertisement with the parliamentary crest on it that calls on people “Good jokers unite”. I do not know whether women were invited. It states: “Enjoy an after work yarn with MP Bob ‘the Builder’ Clarkson”—all asked for at parliamentary expense.
Is the Prime Minister aware that members of her Government have used their majority on the Justice and Electoral Committee to block an invitation to the former Chief Electoral Officer, Mr David Henry, to appear and explain the steps he took to warn the Labour Party about the consequences of spending half a million dollars of taxpayers’ money on the Labour Party pledge card; can she explain how that will contribute to public confidence in Parliament and the integrity of the political process?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
Clearly, the National Party is still smarting about not having a majority in the select committee. I want to point out the Labour Party does not have a majority in the select committee, either.
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I am very happy to elaborate and point out that just as the National Party does not have a majority on that committee, and is clearly very sore about that, neither does the Labour Party.