[Sitting date: 26 November 2014. Volume:702;Page:4. Text is subject to correction.]

4. Dr MEGAN WOODS (Labour - Wigram) to the Prime Minister : Does he agree with Judith Collins that Cameron Slater “manufactured a story and he wanted to believe it” and the findings of the Chisholm Inquiry that Cameron Slater is “prone to exaggeration”?

Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): I am not in a position to give the member a yes or no answer because I was not a party to the discussions between Cameron Slater and Judith Collins. My role as Prime Minister was to establish the Chisholm inquiry, which Ms Collins had requested that I set up. I accept the findings of the inquiry and I am delighted that it has cleared Ms Collins.

Dr Megan Woods : Why does he believe Cameron Slater’s recollection of events regarding the Gwyn inquiry but does not believe Cameron Slater regarding the Chisholm inquiry?

Rt Hon JOHN KEY : I do not believe all of them, but what I do know is that where Mr Slater has said that it was his idea to put in an Official Information Act request in relation to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security’s report, one of the reasons why I think it is highly likely that he made that call was that a lot of other media decided to do exactly the same thing. It was based on the public comments that Mr Goff and I had made.

Dr Megan Woods : Which findings, if any, of the Chisholm inquiry does he contest?

Rt Hon JOHN KEY : The document is 110 pages long, so I do not have it with me. I am sure there would be things that would be contested by others, but I would say this, though: I do not contest—

Iain Lees-Galloway : Haven’t you read it?

Rt Hon JOHN KEY : I actually read the whole thing. I do not contest paragraph 3, where it says there is no probative evidence that Ms Collins undermined or attempted to undermine Mr Feeley, and that the implication that she was so involved is untenable.

Dr Megan Woods : Did his office have communications with Cameron Slater between 23 and 25 November regarding the Chisholm inquiry or the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security’s inquiry?

Rt Hon JOHN KEY : I do not think so. I am not aware of that, no.

Dr Megan Woods : Did he have communications with Cameron Slater between 23 and 25 November regarding the Chisholm inquiry or the inspector-general’s inquiry?

Rt Hon JOHN KEY : No.

Mr SPEAKER : Would the Prime Minister please repeat his answer? [Interruption] Order! I was calling the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister actually gave the answer, so I did not hear it. I am calling the Rt Hon Prime Minister.

Rt Hon JOHN KEY : No.

ENDS

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