Privilege — Contempt of House—Apology from Hon Matt Robson

I have received the following letter from the Hon Matt Robson:

26 February 2007

The Hon Margaret Wilson

Speaker

Parliament

Wellington

Dear Margaret Re: Report of the Privileges Committee

I have received your letter dated 15 February 2007 with the enclosed Report of the Privileges Committee.

💬 Rodney Hide: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I do not think anyone can hear.

Perhaps members would like to be quiet. I am trying to do the best I can, but members do tend to chat amongst themselves while they get themselves settled in the House.

In your letter you invited me to send … an unqualified apology to the House and to make an unqualified apology to Mr Dunne through [my] email newsletter or a similar vehicle.

The apologies were in relation to comments about Peter Dunne’s voting record on tobacco and alcohol issues in my newsletter Robson-On-Politics in the 1 November 2006 issue.

I have issued such an apology to Peter Dunne in my Robson-On-Politics in the last issue dated 19 February 2007.

I now send an unqualified apology to the House of Representatives, through you as Speaker, for the remarks about Peter Dunne and his voting record that were made in my Robson-On-Politics of 1 November 2006.

Yours sincerely,

Matt Robson

I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I just say in response to that letter that I appreciate the response from Mr Robson. I appreciate the apology and the tenor in which it has been offered, and now regard the matter as closed.