2. GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Police: Does she have confidence in the New Zealand Police?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) on behalf of the Minister of Police: Yes.

Grant Robertson: Does she have confidence in the police to be the best people to make an assessment in the first instance as to whether someone has complied with the law?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: That would be an operational matter for the police. The police are independent. The member knows that.

Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I do not think you could get a simpler or a straighter question: does he have confidence in the police in a particular matter?

Mr SPEAKER: Order! I think the question should be repeated. It did seek an opinion but I am not sure the opinion being sought was totally an operational matter.

Grant Robertson: Does she have confidence in the police to be the best people to make an assessment in the first instance as to whether someone has complied with the law?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Yes. Might I say that I was momentarily distracted there when I heard Grant Robertson refer to me as “she”.

Hon Member: You’ll be lucky.

Grant Robertson: Exactly. Do not push your luck, Gerry. See whether you can stay calm through this one. Does she have confidence in the integrity of Detective Inspector Mark Benefield’s investigation that concluded that John Banks’ election expense return did not comply with the law, as it was wrong in content, and that the donations from Skycity and Kim Dotcom should not have been recorded as anonymous?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Section 16 of the Policing Act makes it abundantly clear that the New Zealand Police is an independent organisation. It is completely inappropriate for a Minister to express a view about an operational matter of that type, but I do have confidence in the New Zealand Police.

Grant Robertson: Does she think that the Prime Minister should accept the police’s view that John Banks did not comply with the Local Electoral Act, as outlined in their investigation report, or should he rely on Mr Banks’ assurance that he did?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: It is beyond the portfolio brief to have an opinion about what the Prime Minister should think.

Grant Robertson: Does she think it is appropriate for the Prime Minister to make judgments on the police investigation and decisions about prosecution of John Banks without giving the police the courtesy of reading their report into the investigation?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: It is inappropriate for a Minister to second-guess the Prime Minister’s activities. What I would say is that he has a right to accept the police’s final conclusions. They are an independent body.

Grant Robertson: Was she or her office briefed by the police on when the public release of the file on the John Banks investigation would happen?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: I am unable to give a clear answer to that.

Grant Robertson: Given the answers to the supplementary questions, has the Minister now changed her position, when she used to say she always agreed with the Prime Minister?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Far from it. I am sure that she does always agree with the Prime Minister. But the question asked for an opinion about whether or not the Prime Minister’s position was correct. That is not a question that is within the portfolio bounds of the Minister of Police.

Grant Robertson: If the police’s independence is so important to the Minister, will she speak to the Prime Minister about the opinions he has been giving on police reports such as that on Bradley Ambrose and now that on John Banks?

Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: No. But I would note that when people do stray into these things, as the previous Government discovered, it never goes well.