Transcript Released Of The First PQT Commentary Session From Parliament’s Debating Chamber

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 1:59 pm
Welcome David Cunliffe:, our guest MP live from the debating chamber

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:00 pm
Li note there is a few secs posting delay on the posts – that’s so they get them first?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:00 pm
PQT is starting, here comes the Speaker

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:01 pm
he’s had a mixed season

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:01 pm
Not our worst Speaker eh David, but certainly not our best either

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:01 pm
some shocker calls

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:01 pm
That’s prayers over, now into the fray….

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:01 pm
Making his call on Dunne

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:01 pm
at risk of censure – there is a learning curve still underway.

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:03 pm
Speaker about to make a big call on Peter Dunne

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:03 pm
Speaker is asking for an extension to his homework on Peter Dunne: guess he scores a “not done” so far…

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:05 pm
Pans now for the announcement- no recognition of UF and PD is an independent until re registration

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:05 pm
guess PD must have really annoyed somebody

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:05 pm
WOW – Huge call there – Dunne no longer a Party – surprise decision there Mr Cunliffe?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:06 pm
Perhaps PDs threat to reconsider his vote for the GCSB has made him redundant?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:06 pm
more work to do on SO 34 and 35. Shocked silence in the House, except Winston who wants to get it backdated per his own legal opinion ….. No reconstitution wanted ….

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:06 pm
Winston Peters now doing a victory dance

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:07 pm
these are deep and shark infested waters – high politics is at play here

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:08 pm
Speaker confirms he has read NZF barristers letter…

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:08 pm
and apologies for my spelling and punctuation in advance….

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:09 pm
petition tabled for mandatory labelling on GMO foods .. Referred to select committee

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:09 pm
Mike nolannz is on the money

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:10 pm
standardMike standard presentation of bills – no dramas there

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:10 pm
Pike River Health and SafetyBill introduced

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:10 pm
With Dunne down perhaps John Banks needs to turn down any invites to dine with Winston alone

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:11 pm
First question by Kevin Hague on behalf of Russell Norman – Russell has disappeared – search is on in Hong Kong and Ecuador

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:11 pm
Good question by Russel

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:11 pm
Ecuador has more environmental policy

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:12 pm
Key arguing that the GCSB is not about who is being spied on but he is nailed by the NZ Law Society Submission- but Key ignores it

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:12 pm
The GCSB seem to know the answers to these questions

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:12 pm
How many other PMs ignore the Law Commission?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:13 pm
Law society sub is powerful and should be widely read – see June 24 NZH article

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:13 pm
Key infers legislation allows spying by private agencies – really???

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:13 pm
I’m surprised this is now Labour’s fault

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:13 pm
NZLS: the GCSB BIll completely transforms the role of the agency

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:14 pm
“Everything bad is Labours fault”… Sign of a desperate PM

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:14 pm
We need to destroy privacy to defend privacy? How does that work?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:14 pm
destroy freedom to protect it?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:15 pm
I’m not sure glib one liners by Key is what the punters want to hear

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:15 pm
Where a the warrant protections in the Bill? key talks about enhancing oversight… By his school friends …. Shameful tripe

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:16 pm
I think punters want to hear that the GCSB isn’t spying on who you are flirting with on Facebook

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:16 pm
Since when did ‘oversight’ mean checking with your old school mate?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:17 pm
Key: “of course we’ll consider subs, but if the majority of parliament doesn’t agree with them… “. Is it just me or was that a hint he has the

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:17 pm
Question 2: CHRIS AUCHINVOLE to the Minister of Finance: What progress is the Government making in building a more competitive and productive economy and how is this helping New Zealand families?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:17 pm
votes in the bag…

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:17 pm
there is no game plan for the NZ economy – just tax cuts for the rich and service cuts for the weeping masses

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:18 pm
Lot of song and dance about how well the economy is going – but doesn’t the inequality in NZ suggest any good times are just going to those who are already wealthy?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:18 pm
I’m waiting for Mr Joyce to break into ‘we don’t know how lucky we are’

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:18 pm
… Worst economic record in 50 years … Just written into Hansard by Dufus Joyce

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:18 pm
or “Always look on the bright side of death…”

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:19 pm
Kiwiblog has the Dunne decision remarkably quickly – advance knowledge?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:19 pm
If you remove all the manufacturers who have fallen over out of the equations, doesn’t that make these numbers look very good?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:20 pm
Kia Ora Mickey

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:20 pm
David Parker asks for simple numbers but Steven Joyce can’t remember any

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:21 pm
and he’s Nationals’s numbers guy…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:21 pm
Doesn’t it mean the NZ families will get a lot less?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:21 pm
Trevor finds the irony in Mr Auchinvoles supplementary question….

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:22 pm
shout out to Rangitata LEC!

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:23 pm
Labour ran 9surpluses in 9 years – National yet to run a single one

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:23 pm
David Parker trying to get answers, National doing all they can to not give him answers

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:23 pm
DP: Manufacturing exports down 17% in the year. …..

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:24 pm
Mr Joyce doesn’t like numbers…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:24 pm
I also believe Labour managed to run those surpluses without gutting Public Services

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:24 pm
Big Dave in taking a swing now – DAVID SHEARER to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:24 pm
David Shearer on the GCSB BIll: is it really not expanding their powers… Over any govt agency.. PM dodges

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:25 pm
Shearer wanting to lock Key down on expansion of GCSB powers

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:25 pm
DS: Section 8 of GCSB Bill expands powers without parliamentary oversight.

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:25 pm
DS: Bill does not properly balance privacy and security

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:26 pm
Key: GCSB would be enabled to use “delegated” warrants from other agencies

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:26 pm
ACC, WINZ and EQC seem to have real difficulty keeping private information private, how can GCSB guarantee it?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:27 pm
DS: GCSB overrides “any other act” including crimes act? key: Yes

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:27 pm
PM can’t offer legal view, and not much of a political view either

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:27 pm
Govt IT leaks like a sieve even without foreign or local spying…

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:27 pm
Keyb

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:28 pm
Can not believe Key is calling Shearer ‘son’ – David is older than him

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:28 pm
Key running line opposition is not being responsible on GCSB. The reverse is true.

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:28 pm
Its a wonder Key is not calling people “boy” like in restaurants..

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:29 pm
Mickey: touché

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:29 pm
GCSB Bill is very clear – no spying on NZers – can’t be any more clear

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:29 pm
Frank I would expect changes to this stinker- which has yet to pass the House – but that is for caucus to decide in due course

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:30 pm
Question 4: KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What are the Government’s plans for providing more services online?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:31 pm
tremain on Better Public Services… So why won’t Govt release tracking info that shows most targets are not on track…

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:31 pm
GCIO – a new spy agency or a way of shir

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:31 pm
Not sure any claims that NZers information online will be safer are believable

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:31 pm
Or a way of shielding ministers from govt IT stuff ups …

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:32 pm
Govt ICT strategy is an oxymoron – as per Novopay or IRD billion dollar blunder

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:32 pm
Big Trev Mallard having a go

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:33 pm
Question 5: Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:33 pm
Did Key know about Mediaworks tax issues?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:33 pm
Good tweets on #nzqt – Key is the new Muldoon…

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:35 pm
Winston has a surprise attack on govt’s shabby media works spectrum deal (a company Steven Joyce used to partly own) despite a $20m tax bill. (I have asked the same question in NZH)

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:36 pm
@Pauldena there is a posting lag ….

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:37 pm
Key confirms he won’t intervene in media works tax issue but en says its “highly likely” IRD won’t recoup… Tautology – he is the PM FGS!

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:37 pm
Winston firing up

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:37 pm
Frank yes but with a little less saccharine…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:38 pm
Winston not happy

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:38 pm
Winston and Speaker warming up…it could blow…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:39 pm
Lot of bickering now

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:39 pm
Trev having a go now

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:39 pm
trevor helps out… Paula Bennet interjected but speaker lets the ball into touch

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:39 pm
Waiting for him to bust out his ‘bring back the biff’ T-shirt

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:39 pm
Winston making valid point about cutting tax deals for mates

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:41 pm
Winston: media works sign an agreement re the tax debt and has arguably voided it in receivership- Key leaps so neutrally to their defence – a ballerina on the head of that pin.

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:41 pm
David Parker notes ANZ says NZ external balances getting worse..

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:42 pm
Good question pointing out utter lack of economic direction by Government

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:43 pm
Supplementary question – 40% of NZers didn’t get a pay rise

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:43 pm
DP: 40% of working NZers didn’t get a pay rise in the last year while cost of living rises. Joyce proves he is out of touch with Kiwis – thinks their power prices are fine….

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:43 pm
I love how Joyce claims the incredibly low interest rates is somehow a brilliant masterstroke of genius on behalf of his Government rather than the economic life-support it actually is

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:44 pm
Goldie gets a sup- news flash – there is life in the National backbenches

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:45 pm
Question 7 JAN LOGIE to the Attorney-General: Does he agree with the New Zealand Law Society that “The rule of law lies at the very foundation of a free and democratic society and is essential for the protection of human rights”; if not, why not?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:45 pm
Q7 Jan Logie on NZLS and rule of law – Attorney General tries cheap personal attack on Greens.

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:45 pm
‘Rule of the mob’ – Finlayson is so droll

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:46 pm
AG embarrassed at his Govts legislative agenda – Jan reads the list of constitutional atrocities so far – take that!

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:46 pm
AG: NZLS has wrong end of stick – no more canapés for him…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:46 pm
Law Society doesn’t understand the law isn’t much of a come back

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:47 pm
The AG isn’t protecting our rights – he’s making them up as he goes along

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:47 pm
AG : his priorities are meeting with the PM – no wonder

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:47 pm
Question 8 DAVID BENNETT to the Minister of Immigration: How is the Government planning to further combat the exploitation of migrant workers?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:48 pm
David Bennett on immigration- meant to set up anti exploitation (good) that he says wasn’t happening the week before (crude u turn)

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:48 pm
Do these new laws aimed at unscrupulous bosses extend to National’s new rules aimed at attacking Unions?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:49 pm
David Bennet gets no supp- oops

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:49 pm
And the Govt’s imaginary bogey boat people bill last week was another civil liberties outrage

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:50 pm
Oh, you’re working with Simon Bridges against exploitation, the same Simon Bridges who writes exploitative law for oil companies?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:50 pm
Woodhouse disavows Labour issues on migrant workers – that is all Simon Bridges fault – classy side step( till gin and tonic hour in the Nat caucus).

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:51 pm
Clayton Cosgrove : ss

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:51 pm
Surely any immigrant who can sail the 7000 odd miles around Australia’s coastline to get here should be offered immediate citizenship and entry into Team NZ?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:51 pm
Question 8 Hon CLAYTON COSGROVE to the Minister for State Owned Enterprises: Does he stand by all his statements regarding Solid Energy?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:52 pm
Tony Ryall on the ropes over solid energy

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 2:52 pm
…supps on the $48k bios for Clayton and yours truly…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:53 pm
Using taxpayer dollars to avoid answering questions to the taxpayer is surely a shocker too far

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:56 pm
Question 11 STEFFAN BROWNING to the Minister for the Environment: Will she be changing the law to restrict councils’ ability to regulate the release of genetically modified organisms in their regions; if so, what are the proposed changes?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:57 pm
Amy Adams looks confused

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:57 pm
seeking to table a letter from Nick Smith – never a good idea

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:59 pm
Didn’t realize National had a GE agenda,

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:59 pm
surprised they could spell GE

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 2:59 pm
Question 11: MIKE SABIN to the Minister of Transport: How is the Government working with the Auckland Council to progress the Puhoi to Wellsford Road of National Significance?

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:00 pm
nice to see National wasting more money on holiday highways

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:00 pm
Mike Sabin has all the charm of a nosebleed

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:03 pm
Key in trouble over when he knew Dunne was done

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:05 pm
And hats the end of parliamentary question time – we will be joined by David Cunliffe: again tomorrow

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:07 pm
The computer had a brain fade and I am just back online now. Shane Jones is rubbing Flavell’s nose in his shameful backdown on the gambling bill via questions to the select committee chair. Expect multiple points of order on this series…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:07 pm
Hon SHANE JONES to the Member in charge of the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill: Is it his intention to proceed with the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill; if so, does he believe its effect will be a reduction in problem gambling?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:07 pm
There will be. A

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:08 pm
Difficult to see how this farce will reduce gambling

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:08 pm
looks like SkyCity wrote the Bill

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:08 pm
Ururoa answers in Te Reo- dismisses the question but actually should have refused to answer it – he is diggin himself a hole for Shane to bury him in

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:09 pm
Ururoa: excuses around being caught on both sides of the fence (rough translation) )

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:10 pm
Shane Jones making some very funny calls on how bad Flavell’s bill is ‘should it be the swallowing dead rodents bill’

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:10 pm
Not sure how Pita Sharples will support Flavell or this Bill

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:10 pm
Ururoa does not get that he does not have to answer these questions – instead suffering the disgrace of good intentions dashed on the rocks of realpolitik – emblematic of the conundrum facing the Maori Party

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:11 pm
Flavell: cheap shot on Sky City . Jones – why does he not explain to Ikaroa Rawhiti it is a useless Blll

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:12 pm
I don’t think sitting at the table when John Key has rented that table out to Sky City for a poker night is the best means of reducing the harm of gambling

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:12 pm
Question 5 Hon SHANE JONES to the Member in charge of the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill: Why did he agree to continue with the Gambling (Gambling Harm Reduction) Amendment Bill when at select committee all of its main provisions were either removed or weakened?

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:13 pm
Flavell: (struggling) ..no real answer. Jones: why did he continue with the Bill when all main provisions gutted…Flavell complains it is a repeat question. Trevor asks if that is an answer..Speaker throws Flavell a life buoy

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:13 pm
Jones continues the ritual humiliation of the complicit …

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:14 pm
Flavell: tries the poverty card but gets nowhere…Jones flagellates on with Salvation Army criticism that the Bill now does nothing h

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:14 pm
tohot help

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:15 pm
to help minimise gambling harm … Flavell says the fight does not end with his bill… Trouble is it doesn’t start with it either…

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:15 pm
You have to feel a certain amount of Pity for Mr Flavell, it’s a terribly sad exit from credibility

Martyn Bradbury:
June 25, 2013 – 3:16 pm
I think that’s it for today – Thank you David Cunliffe: – we will see you tomorrow

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:16 pm
Jones: Is the Bill a Bitter Pill or a dead rat? speaker finally realises he can rule Jones out of order. Flavell remembers to breathe again…

David Cunliffe:
June 25, 2013 – 3:17 pm
Thats it from me today folks. Site ya tmro…

ENDS