1. JOHN KEY (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Does she have confidence in all her Ministers, and are they all hard-working and conscientious?
Did the Prime Minister refuse Damien O’Connor’s resignation “at this time” because she has full confidence in his performance as a Minister, or for reasons of pure political expediency—that removing him prior to her reshuffle just did not quite suit her at the moment?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
The Prime Minister indicated that she thought Mr O’Connor had shown poor judgment over the matter but that it was not a hanging offence.
Does the Prime Minister believe that Mr O’Connor was fully briefed and therefore had an opportunity to consider the merits or otherwise of Mr Morgan travelling with the parliamentary rugby team?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I do not understand the purport of the question. In relation to Mr Morgan’s position in terms of being suspended, those matters have been delegated to Mr Cosgrove.
Does the Prime Minister believe that Mr O’Connor was fully briefed about the issues, merits, or otherwise of Mr Morgan—a suspended Department of Corrections officer—travelling with the parliamentary team, of which Mr O’Connor was the co-captain, on a rugby trip, when Mr O’Connor is the Minister of Corrections?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
Mr O’Connor was not fully briefed in relation to Mr Morgan. All matters in relation to those suspensions were delegated to Mr Cosgrove because of Mr O’Connor’s connection to Mr Morgan’s wife.
Is the Prime Minister aware that Mr O’Connor was briefed in his office by Marie Morgan, Mr Morgan’s wife, that during that discussion and briefing the full ramifications of Mr Morgan’s inclusion in the team were discussed, and that, despite this, Mr O’Connor continued with the proposed trip without seeking to exclude either himself or Mr Morgan?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
My understanding is that Mrs Morgan asked Mr O’Connor whether he thought it was appropriate for Mr Morgan to go on the trip. Mrs Morgan was the manager of the team, of which Mr McCully was the co-captain. I further understand that the National MPs, when they became fully aware of the facts while overseas, discussed them and resolved to come back home and tell Mr Key to shut up about them.
Heather RoyIs the Prime Minister aware of the nature of the allegations against Rimutaka Prison manager, Jim Morgan, that have seen him suspended, and was it the seriousness of these allegations that led her to conclude that it was “a bad call” for the Minister of Corrections to take him on a parliamentary rugby trip?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
My understanding is that there has been only the most general of briefings in regard to that particular matter. The issue, of course, was that Mr Morgan was suspended because of inquiries being made, and therefore it was the judgment of the Prime Minister that it was a bad call that he was taken at all, whatever the nature of the investigations.
What does it say about the judgment of Mr O’Connor that having received a briefing, and with time to consider the issues, he still went ahead and included Mr Morgan in the team or took no action to exclude himself?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
The member continues to make an assertion in that question; I am not quite sure what he means by a briefing. My understanding is that Mrs Morgan asked Mr O’Connor whether he thought it was appropriate for Mr Morgan to go on the trip in light of the fact that he was suspended. As far as I am aware, no other person was present in the room, so it is difficult to understand what the basis of Mr Key’s assertion is.
Nandor TanczosDoes the Prime Minister find it bizarre that the Leader of the Opposition is gunning for the head of Damien O’Connor over whom he selected for a rugby team?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
My understanding is that Mr Morgan had been a member of the rugby team for 3 years, and Mr O’Connor held the view that as anybody is innocent until proven guilty, unless of course he or she is associated with a Labour Government as far as the National Party is concerned, there was nothing wrong. That clearly was not a good call, given the fact that the person was suspended and because of the close connection to Mr O’Connor.
Why was her Government prepared to act by sacking Madeleine Setchell for a perceived conflict of interest, yet tolerated the inclusion of a suspended corrections officer who is under investigation and when there is an actual conflict of interest?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I know that the member has repeated this many, many times, but the Government did not sack Madeleine Setchell.