Oral Questions

1. to the Associate Minister of Health: Tokohia ngā tāngata i inu wai nā te E. coli i paihana, i ngā rā atu i te tahi o Hōngongoi, tau rua mano tekau mā rima, ki te toru tekau o Pipiri, tau rua mano tekau mā ono?

[How many people’s drinking water was contaminated with E. coli between 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016?]

The annual report on drinking-water quality for 2015-16 says that approximately 45,000 people in that time received drinking water with excessive measures of E. coli transgressions. I would note that that amounted to 503 cases of gastroenteritis in 2015 and 512 cases in 2016, of which a small portion may have been attributable to E. coli.

💬 Metiria Turei: Does the Minister believe that a system in which 45,000 people have poo in their drinking water at least once a year is good enough for New Zealand?

💬 Hon PETER DUNNE: Obviously, one aims for perfection, but I would note that what the report also shows is that around 98 percent of people in that time received drinking water that was of acceptable quality. While there will always be incidents—there have been a number, over a period of time—the number of people who are adversely affected is very low. Clearly, we need to work with local councils to reduce that even further.

💬 Metiria Turei: How can New Zealanders be sure that the water coming from their taps is not going to make them sick, when the same number of people as the population of Nelson have faecal contamination in their drinking water at least once a year?

💬 Hon PETER DUNNE: The reticulation of water supplies is, of course, a matter for local authorities. Where central government has a role is in the enforcement of, if you like, overall standards. One of the ways we do that is through the annual monitor of drinking-water standards, to which I have referred in the primary answer, and, obviously, ongoing discussions with local government about incidents that occur that are having an adverse effect on the population.

💬 Metiria Turei: How can he be confident that people living in small rural communities and at marae have the resources they need to make sure the water coming from their taps is safe to drink, when his Government cut funding for the drinking-water subsidy programme?

💬 Hon PETER DUNNE: During the life of that subsidy programme, a huge number of small communities seeking to upgrade their water-supply systems were assisted. The number outstanding is comparatively small. I have had ongoing discussion with the Minister of Local Government about ways in which this might be addressed in the future.

💬 Metiria Turei: How is it a good look for Punakaiki, a top tourist destination, to have contaminated drinking water, when tourists expect better from a clean, green New Zealand, which is supposed to be a wealthy country?

💬 Hon PETER DUNNE: It is not a good look for anywhere to have contaminated water supplies for any period of time. But I make the point again that I made in response to an earlier supplementary question: in the specific case that the member refers to, the reticulation of those water supplies is a matter for the local authority.

💬 Richard Prosser: Would it surprise the Minister that the New Zealand Public Health Surveillance Report, covering the first 3 months of 2017—otherwise known as summer—reveals two E. coli outbreaks involving four cases, which were all in Auckland and all in private homes?

💬 Hon PETER DUNNE: In short, no. In fact, the advice I had indicated that there were two such specific outbreaks and that there is not clear evidence as to whether E. coli was involved in those instances.

💬 Metiria Turei: Does the Minister think it is fair that 45,000 New Zealanders have poo in their drinking water at least once a year, while pristine artesian water is taken from underneath their feet, bottled, and sold back to those communities, as happened in Waimārama last year?

💬 Hon PETER DUNNE: I think the issue of the provision of clean water supplies for communities is an important one. Ideally, it would be coming through the source of reticulation in the first instance, but in situations where that is not able to be achieved because of temporary problems, then it is desirable that people get their clean, fresh water from elsewhere.

Economy—Government Financial Position, Taxes, and Fuel and Electricity Markets

2. to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he received on the Crown’s financial performance?

The Government accounts out this morning for the 11 months to 31 May show a surplus of $4.5 billion, which is $1.5 billion ahead of forecast. The good shape of the Government’s books reflects a strong economy that is responding well to the Government’s consistent economic plan. This result, following on from the buoyant confidence numbers released last week and early this week, indicate that the economy is growing well despite the best efforts of some commentators to talk New Zealand down.

💬 Melissa Lee: Why are the Government’s accounts performing well?

💬 Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Driving this rising operating balance before gains and losses surplus is stronger than forecast tax revenues, particularly company tax, which was $688 million above forecast. These results reflect strong consumer confidence and businesses getting ahead and growing jobs for New Zealanders. Our diversified economy is delivering across the country. While our surpluses are growing, they will be needed to meet the cost of the significant investments we have committed to, including the Government’s $32.5 billion infrastructure programme over the next 4 years.

💬 Melissa Lee: What impact has the improving nature of the Government’s accounts had on core Crown net debt?

💬 Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The core Crown net debt stands at $59.3 billion, or 22.4 percent of GDP, and is $1.2 billion lower than forecast. As we announced in April, our new target for reducing net debt is to between 10 and 15 percent of GDP by 2025. The good news about the Government’s strong fiscal position is that it gives us the ability to invest in growing social services, deliver a strong infrastructure programme, and lift family incomes from 1 April next year with the Family Incomes Package, as well as reducing net debt as a percentage of GDP.

💬 Ron Mark: How much of this strong fiscal position is derived by his Government creaming off taxpayers on each litre of petrol, from the excise tax, the emissions trading scheme tax, and GST, which is a tax on a tax?

💬 Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well, leaving aside the inaccuracy of the last part of that statement, in terms of excise tax, of course, that is hypothecated to the roading system. So the investments that we see—for example, in the Waterview tunnel, which is helping Aucklanders get about; the Kapiti Expressway, north of Wellington here; the motorway around Christchurch Airport; the bridge on the West Coast; and the Waikato Expressway—are all funded from that tax. I think that most New Zealanders would appreciate the fact—particularly those who use their vehicles—that the Government is making a massive investment in New Zealand’s roading system.

💬 Melissa Lee: How does this country’s fiscal performance compare internationally?

💬 Hon STEVEN JOYCE: New Zealand is in a strong position compared with our international peers. We have balanced the Government’s books, and surpluses are now growing. Our net debt position has peaked and is tracking downwards as a percentage of our economy. This is a better performance than our friends in Australia, the UK, the US, and Canada, for example. We have achieved this by making responsible spending decisions over the last several years while supporting New Zealanders through the global financial crisis and the Canterbury earthquakes. Unfortunately, there are those, of course, who want to spend lots more money, with no willingness to think of the taxpayers of New Zealand.

💬 Ron Mark: Given the very strong position of the New Zealand economy, what is it that the Government intends to do to reduce power prices in rural, provincial New Zealand and to get petrol prices down to a level that the Government itself thinks should be more appropriate given its attacks on the oil industry, which it—

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Order! Bring the question to a conclusion.

💬 Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well, I am pleased to report to the member that the Government’s electricity reforms led by the former Minister of Energy and Resources my colleague Mr Brownlee have made a very positive outcome in terms of making sure that electricity prices stay down for all New Zealanders. In fact, it has been an excellent result in that respect. In terms of petrol prices, the current Minister of Energy and Resources, Minister Collins, is very focused on that and, in fact, just by speaking and organising a report she has managed to get petrol prices down.

Question time interrupted.