Amended answers to Oral Questions — Question No. 9 to Minister, 3 August

I seek leave to correct part of an answer that the Hon Phil Goff gave when answering a question in the House on my behalf on Tuesday, 3 August, relating to the number of young people who had completed the Specialist Youth Service Corps programme. The wrong answer was given with regard to numbers. The answer given that 86 young people had completed the programme related to the 2002-03 year, not the 2003-04 year. In addition, a further 146 young people completed the programme in 2003-04.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. This issue was raised during question time today—that the inaccurate answers we are consistently getting from Ministers—

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): Is the member speaking to the point of order?

I am speaking to the point of order.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): What point of order?

The one raised by Mr Tamihere.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): That has been dealt with.

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. This is a new point of order. We have already had discussion today about members’ concerns over Ministers giving false information, inadvertently perhaps, then coming down to the House to correct it. The expectation of members is that it is corrected at the first opportunity. My point is that, in this instance, Mr Goff was in the House during question time. He could have corrected it himself at that time, over an hour ago. But here we have the Minister coming down to the House much later, when there is not the same interest or attendance, and trying to slip it in on the quiet, as it were. I think that does need to be watched. Mr Goff should have corrected that answer during question time earlier this afternoon.

Mr Goff was answering on behalf of Mr Tamihere, so the answer was Mr Tamihere’s responsibility; and the Minister has just assured me that when the information came to his attention he immediately came down to the House and corrected the answer. It is quite within the Standing Orders.

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Clem Simich): Yes, that is the correct position. I do not intend for this to be pursued any further.