22955 (2024). Rt Hon Chris Hipkins to the Prime Minister

22955 (2024). Rt Hon Chris Hipkins to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement regarding Todd Stephenson “Yeah. Yeah I hear you, but I, I'm sure there'll be some checks and balances around managed real and perceived conflicts”, if so, will his Office be monitoring whether those checks and balances are effective?

Rt Hon Christopher Luxon: The Cabinet Manual is clear that Parliamentary Private Secretaries are not part of the Executive and have no executive responsibilities and no policy, financial, statutory, or operational authority. All Members of Parliament declare their personal interests in a number of specific categories, including financial interests, through the Register of Pecuniary Interests. I note that Mr Stephenson has confirmed that he has sold all of his shares – this is an appropriate course of action.