Hon Dr Nick Smith: Noting the crude convenience of the timing and slant of this report, can the Minister assure the House that no Minister, nor any ministerial staff, had any communication with the two State-owned enterprises or with former Labour Minister Peter Neilson regarding the commissioning and publishing of this report?
Hon DAVID PARKER: Mr Mallard says I can give the assurance for him. I certainly did not tell them, or cause them to prepare that report.
But what about the PM, other Ministers or Ministerial staffers? This was clearly a well considered response and Parker was clearly expecting the question. If the answer was that no Minister or Ministerial staffers had spoken to those responsibe for the report would Parker have not said so? We see a smoking gun.........
