1. Hon PHIL GOFF (Leader of the Opposition) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Does he have confidence in all his Ministers; if so, why?
Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) Link to this
Yes; because they are talented people who are working hard for New Zealand.
Why should the country have confidence in him as Prime Minister when his first actions in respect of Kiwi jobs was to lose $400 million of investment in the forestry industry, and hundreds of jobs; to remove from newly employed workers the right of protection against unfair dismissal; and in respect to wider jobs, when confronted with potential job losses, to sit like a possum caught in the headlights, with no plan for growth or to protect Kiwi jobs?
I am sure the country can have enormous confidence in my leadership as we look to deliver productivity growth in a stronger economy—something that his Government failed to do.
On what does the Prime Minister base his confidence in the Minister of Labour, Kate Wilkinson, who repeatedly told this House last week that the Employment Relations Amendment Bill would not remove any rights from workers, when he knows that the opposite is the truth, and that most workers starting new jobs can now be unfairly dismissed without the protection of personal grievance procedures or access to the Employment Court?
The Minister of Labour knows what hundreds of thousands of small businesses in New Zealand also know: that the changes that the Government made last week are a “right to hire” provision. They will see that hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders have an opportunity to get a job—something they would otherwise be excluded from.
Keith LockeDoes the Prime Minister have confidence in his Minister of Police, given her statement on television last night that “the special investigation group is not actually targeting groups but individuals who may be involved in criminal activities,” when on 4 July 2007 the special investigation group sent its paid agent Rob Gilchrist an email asking: “What is happening with climate change groups in Auckland? Who is involved? What actions might they be considering for the future?”, and also asking similar questions in relation to anti-war groups; how does the Prime Minister justify that broad-spectrum spying by covert agents on protest groups?
I have complete confidence in the Minister of Police, who yesterday quite rightly called in the Commissioner of Police to seek his assurance that the special investigation group was carrying out its activities properly. The Minister received that assurance. Might I add that if the member somehow wants to come to the support or aid of Mr Gilchrist, maybe Mr Gilchrist might like to give back the $600 a week that he has been receiving from the New Zealand Police.
What confidence can the Prime Minister have in the Minister of Finance, Bill English, who told the country before the election that New Zealanders would be better off under National’s tax package, but who, when it came to an amendment that would have given credits to anyone who was worse off under the legislation, sought to stop that amendment with a financial veto because it showed that National’s tax package ripped $730 million out of the pockets of low-income earners; and does he accept Mr English’s explanation that families do not need any help—that they have had enough already?
Mr SPEAKERI have complete and utter confidence in the Minister of Finance, and the reason for that is that his first action as Minister of Finance under my Government was to ensure that the taxes of New Zealanders would be lowered. The first action of the previous Minister of Finance, who sits behind the Leader of the Opposition, was to raise taxes.
How can the Prime Minister have confidence in the Minister of Police when the paid agent Rob Gilchrist was forwarding emails from the Greens parliamentary office to the special investigation group, and does he think that police spying on MPs and their staff is appropriate in a democratic society?
I think the member needs to accept that the police should act to protect the security of New Zealanders and our communities, and that they may engage in a wide range of methods in order to achieve that, provided that they are legal. As I said earlier, the Minister sought an assurance from the Commissioner of Police that the activities were legal and had foundation. I accept the commissioner’s perspective on that matter.
What confidence can the Prime Minister have in the Minister of Housing, Phil Heatley, who spent the whole year telling this House that the Housing New Zealand Corporation needed to do more for people on the waiting list, but whose first statement as Minister of Housing was to say that he was going to stop acquiring any new houses, and who did a flip-flop after that, leaving the country in total confusion as to what he actually intends to do?
I have complete confidence in the Minister of Housing, and the country is in no confusion about what his job will be.
Amongst other things, it will be to fix up the fact that the Government is currently a slum landlord of far too many State houses. I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition has actually noticed, but the thousands of people who are living in garages in south Auckland did not just appear there on 9 November; they were there for years, and the Labour Government failed to address the issue.
I seek leave to table a statement made yesterday by Rochelle Rees that lists questions asked of the police agent Rob Gilchrist by the police special investigation group.
I seek leave to table a sample of the emails that Rob Gilchrist forwarded to the special investigation group. These three emails were from the Greens parliamentary office.
The member will sit down while the Speaker is on his feet. I want to clarify whether the member is seeking a point of order in respect of the leave being sought. She is—my apologies.
Hon Judith Collins Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I want Mr Locke to clarify whether the emails reveal any details of any police officers, including their email addresses or names.
I am seeking some advice on that request. Would the member please indicate whether there is any such identification that the member has sought clarification on.
There is no identification of any police officer. There is an email address, chuat@paradise.net.nz, which is the special investigation group’s email.
The House granting the member leave to table those documents, I wish to clarify for all members the change in the Standing Orders that has occurred since the last parliamentary term, and that is that documents now have to be tabled. There was concern that some members had been seeking to table documents that did not even exist. Under the new Standing Orders the Speaker determines when documents will be tabled. I have determined that documents will be tabled on the same day on which leave is granted by the House.