2. Dr DON BRASH (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
What expectations, if any, has she conveyed to her Ministers regarding the accountability of Crown company directors to select committees, and what is her response to revelations that the former chairman of Television New Zealand Ltd referred to select committee members as “bastards”, describing them as the “enemy”, and urged the withholding of politically damaging information from the committee?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) Link to this
The Government expects all State-owned enterprises, Crown entities, agencies, and departments to respect the public accountability processes, and that is why I have described the emails as inappropriate.
Does the Prime Minister accept that anyone who describes select committee members as “bastards” and the “enemy” is unfit to serve on the board of a Crown entity; if so, why does Mr Boyce continue to sit on the board of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
The answer to the first part of the question is no. Mr Boyce, of course, was responding after several years of being chair of Television New Zealand, during which time not a single constructive thing about the corporation was said by the National Party Opposition.
Does the Prime Minister accept the fundamental proposition that Crown companies like TVNZ have an absolute obligation to account to this Parliament and its select committees; if so, why has her Government retained as a member of a Government-appointed board a man as contemptuous of this Parliament as Mr Boyce?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
Mr Boyce has indeed clarified today that he is not contemptuous of the parliamentary process but, rather, of Mr McCully.
Does the Prime Minister believe that it is acceptable for directors appointed by her Government to seek to suppress politically damaging information regarding Dame Ann Hercus because, to use Mr Boyce’s phrase, it “would be a disaster for everyone” for the truth to emerge, and can she tell the House just what was the disastrous information that Mr Boyce was so keen to suppress?
Was the Prime Minister aware that Television New Zealand director Dame Ann Hercus, a former Labour Cabinet Minister, who kept her office and her Minister’s office closely informed about issues in the TVNZ board, was involved in something that Mr Boyce described as “a disaster for everyone”; if so, does she accept that both Parliament and the select committee have a right to know just what Dame Ann Hercus was up to?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
In my experience select committees generally have a way of getting to the truth of the issue, but I have to say that Dame Ann Hercus did not keep me apprised of what happened on that board.
Does the Prime Minister know about what Mr Boyce described to Mr Fraser as “the mid year stuff between yourself and Ann”, the release of which would be “a disaster for everyone”; if so, why will she not tell the House about it?
Rodney Hide
Madam SPEAKERWhy would anyone in New Zealand be surprised that a Government-appointed chairperson would seek to dodge parliamentary accountability and withhold sensitive information from the public, when that is exactly what the Government has been doing, from the Prime Minister down, ever since it was elected to office?
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK Link to this
I know that the member has been taking dancing lessons, but dancing on the point of that particular pin will only prick his balloon.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. That was not even witty. The point is that the Prime Minister has to address the question, and I ask you to reflect on how, in any way, she attempted to address that question. It actually goes to prove the point of my question.
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. What you have just said is that Helen Clark as Prime Minister does try to duck accountability in Parliament and does try to withhold information. That is what you have confirmed. What annoys me is that you do not uphold the Standing Orders of this Parliament and require the Prime Minister to address the question.