4. Hon JIM ANDERTON (Leader—Progressive) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
How many jobs will be created for unemployed New Zealanders as a result of the reinstatement of the titles of Knight and Dame Grand Companion in the New Zealand honours system?
Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister) Link to this
None will be created and none will be lost. The member misunderstands the purpose of reinstating the titles.
When the Prime Minister promised to make jobs his most important priority when in Government, which of the only other Commonwealth countries to offer knighthoods does he think New Zealand should emulate: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, the Leeward Islands, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands, or Tuvalu?
This Government is focused on growing the economy, on growing jobs, and on lifting New Zealand up to the top half of the OECD; a Government he was in managed to do quite the opposite.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. There was a very direct question, which asked which of particular countries—
Mr SPEAKERThe member will resume his seat. The Prime Minister answered the question in a manner appropriate to the question.
What items on the list of things the Government has made its higher priorities in Government will do the most to reduce the impact of global recession: bringing back knighthoods, a national cycleway, or privatising prisons?
All three can play a part in helping our economy to grow. I am surprised, I have to say, that Mr Anderton has come down to the House today with this primary question. Funnily enough, I took a moment out of my busy schedule to have a look through the archives, and I noticed that in 1997 the Hon Jim Anderton introduced the Exceptional Service Honour (Posthumous Recognition) Bill. He sought to have that bill passed, and, lo and behold, the bill—which he waxed lyrical about, but I will not bore members with it—would have conferred an honour with the status of a knighthood. That was what the bill was trying to do. Jim Anderton not only tried to create his own new honour, with the status of a knighthood, in 1997; he actually had tried it once before, in 1991.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. As the bill that the Prime Minister referred to was a bill to honour posthumously Colonel William Malone, and as most New Zealanders would wish that he be remembered well, which of the knights who have been—
The member will resume his seat. I allowed the member to raise a point of order that clearly was not a point of order, because the Prime Minister did go on for too long in answering the previous question. That is why I allowed the honourable member to make a point of order that was not one. But he has made his point now, and he cannot abuse the process any further. He has used his allocation of supplementary questions.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. To assist the House, Labour is happy to make a supplementary question available to the Hon Jim Anderton so that he can expand on this very important point.
The Hon Jim Anderton. [ Interruption] The member needs to be heard when asking his supplementary question.
Which knight has been a great example of the economic success that New Zealand needs more of: Sir Michael Fay, Sir Allen Stanford, Sir Bob Jones, or Sir Roger Douglas?
Firstly, let me say that he is quite right in relation to the bill he tried to have passed, which would have conferred a knighthood on Colonel Malone. I happen to join with him in wanting to celebrate Colonel Malone; that is the purpose of knighthoods—to celebrate success. In relation to the four gentlemen whose names the member raised, I think all of them have made a contribution to New Zealand.
David GarrettHas the Prime Minister received any indication of which prominent Labour supporters who were in favour of abolishing knighthoods have now indicated that they might like to accept one, and who is the current front runner among those hypocrites?
H V Ross RobertsonI think I can anticipate what issue the honourable member will raise. To use the word “hypocrites” is out of order in this House. I ask David Garrett to stand, withdraw, and apologise for his use of that word.
Hon Rodney HideI have just ruled on a point of order, I say to the honourable Minister. I ask David Garrett to stand, withdraw, and apologise.
Has the Prime Minister received any indication of which Labour supporters who were in favour of abolishing knighthoods have now indicated that they might like to accept one, and who is the current front runner on the list presently circulating around Parliament?
I have not received a list, but I am hopeful that many people who are eligible to become knights or dames will take up that opportunity, so that all 4.2 million New Zealanders can celebrate their success.
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I want just to make a point. It is quite right that members cannot call across the House that another member is a hypocrite, but in this House we are quite entitled to reach outside Parliament and to suggest that an organisation is hypocritical, or, indeed, that a citizen is hypocritical. It might not be the wisest thing to do, but there is nothing in the Standing Orders or the Speakers’ rulings that rules against it.
I appreciate the point raised by the honourable member. If I was too hasty in making that ruling, I will seek further advice. I recognise that when the Speaker rules on something like that, it can create a precedent. If I have been too hasty in making that ruling, I will advise members, because I do not want to restrict freedom of speech—if that was the case.
I seek leave to table a copy of the A R D Fairburn poem “On the Awarding of Knighthoods”, to be sung to the tune of “Waltzing Matilda”.
Leave is sought to table a poem to be sung to the tune of “Waltzing Matilda”. [ Interruption] I accept that members might find it amusing, but it is a point of order and therefore it should be heard in silence. Is there any objection to that poem being tabled? There is.
Hon Gerry Brownlee Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I want to indicate that the Government would have no objection to the member who was seeking leave performing the poem for the House.