Oral Questions

1. to the Minister of Finance: What reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy?

I’ve seen reports which indicate the New Zealand economy continues to outperform its international peers. In its latest Markets Outlook report, BNZ economists pointed out that although both the New Zealand and Australian economies are facing into a slowing global economy, “New Zealand has a stronger-looking labour market … with a lower unemployment rate, and much higher employment rate … firmer wage inflation, CPI inflation much closer to target, and a housing market that is robust, all told.” It is great to see the relevant strength of our economy recognised, but we are conscious of the impacts of a global slowdown, and we are getting on with implementing our plan for a more modern and resilient economy that is fit for purpose in an uncertain global environment.

💬 Dr Duncan Webb: What reports has he seen on the impact of the international economic outlook on New Zealand?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director, Christine Lagarde, recently signalled that IMF forecasts, to be released overnight, will show slower global growth for 2019. She also noted that there are clear downside risks to the global outlook, including Brexit and China trade tensions that have affected confidence. As an outward-facing export nation, New Zealand is not immune to this global uncertainty, and we have to bear that in mind as we transition to a more productive, sustainable, and inclusive economy.

💬 Dr Duncan Webb: What upcoming opportunities does he have to gauge how the international economic environment will affect New Zealand?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Today, I will travel to Washington, DC for the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank, as well as meeting with senior US Government officials and other finance Ministers from around the world—

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: Who’s going to run the Government?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: This will provide an opportunity to discuss current and potential challenges to the international economic outlook, including the member interjecting, and what this may mean for New Zealand. It is a timely trip to gauge thinking as these clouds gather on the international economic horizon, but also to reinforce the strong fundamentals of the New Zealand economy and our credentials as a place to do productive investment and business.

Question No. 2—Prime Minister

2. to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government’s statements, policies, and actions?

Yes.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Does she stand by her statements last week that there is a “slow-down happening everywhere” and any weakening in the New Zealand economy is due to global factors?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: If the member was listening to the last answer by the Minister of Finance, that is certainly a significant factor. I also pointed out, if I recall, in my answers the connection that at least you’ve seen from other economies and the slow-down there—for instance, Australia, 0.2 percent; Canada; also the euro area and Japan all experiencing growth at a lower rate per quarter than what New Zealand is.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept the Australian Treasury’s figures where last week they forecast global growth to be 3.5 percent for the next three years, and the New Zealand Treasury’s as well, who stated again recently that our trading partners will grow at an average of 3.6 percent over the next five years?

💬 SPEAKER: Well, it’s slightly marginal asking the Prime Minister—

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Happy to respond.

💬 SPEAKER: Well, part of it was in line.

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Of course, our trading partners include our largest trading partner, which is China, which has had significantly higher growth rates on average than some of the economies like Australia and others. Even then, China itself is experiencing some softening. At the same time, trade tensions with the United States does play into the commentary we’ve seen from the likes of Christine Lagarde over why there is a slowing rate of growth among economies that we liken ourselves to, like Australia.

💬 Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is it not a fact that global growth at 3.5 is actually down, not up?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again—and that’s also taking into account those Asian economies where there has been significantly higher growth rates, but on average when compared with—

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: You mean the ones we trade with?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —the likes of Canada and Australia, also a significant trading partner—

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: That’s the point; our trading partners.

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —we have good economic fundamentals, including our growth rates.

💬 SPEAKER: Before the member gets a supplementary, I’m going to give him his final warning about inappropriate interjections.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. In my clear submission, they weren’t inappropriate.

💬 SPEAKER: While, as Speaker, I have a lot of power in this House, I think it would be foolish to argue that I have power over the international economy.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Isn’t the chief economist of ANZ clearly correct when she said that, so far, negative implications of the global economy “Still belong in the risk camp”; “On the other hand, the recent slowing in New Zealand GDP growth is more concrete.”?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I’m happy to draw from, again, what I assume will be the ANZ Business Outlook that the member is quoting from, where they also said, yes, “GDP growth has moderated but it is still respectable” and “Sharply lower export intentions despite a well-behaved exchange rate suggests global factors are part of it.”

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept, in addition to global factors, that the weakening of New Zealand’s economy is due to domestic factors and her Government’s policies?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I, unlike the member, believe that, actually, the global environment plays a significant part in the outlook amongst our businesses and their investment decisions, and I think that’s playing out in some of the commentary you see from the likes of the ANZ. I acknowledge that Westpac have also stated in their employment confidence surveys that “the survey still indicates that jobs are more plentiful now than at any time since the … Global Financial Crisis in 2008.”

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept Treasury’s position in its March economic indicators report that businesses are telling them that factors such as weakened consumer sentiment, rent inflation, the rising cost of living, and uncertainty around the capital gains tax have all weighed on the economy?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Of course, what we do want to see is that when we have issues like the cost of living, you have a Government that is as responsive to those issues as possible, and when we have concern, for instance, around global growth rates, that we provide as much stimulus for our businesses as possible. That’s why things like the R & D tax incentive and things like dropping ACC levies for businesses and customers make a difference. That’s why doubling down on our trading base and pursuing trade agreements is important. That’s why things like skills in trade training, which is equally an issue raised by the business community, is important. The $100 million capital injection to New Zealand Green Investment Finance is important; even starting again contributions into the Superannuation Fund—all of this makes a difference and is the kind of investment and focus that a Government should be making and this Government is making.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Why has rent gone up $50 a week under her watch?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Because of the housing crisis that Government oversaw.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Does she think her policy changes, such as extending the brightline test, ring-fencing losses, imposing more regulations on landlords, or the prospect of a capital gains tax have had any effect on the rents?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member just asked me whether his, originally, brightline test was the cause of rental increase. That’s probably more a question for him. I refer to the Governor of the Reserve Bank, who has pointed out that the most significant thing that you can do to ease rental prices, of course, is increase supply—something that that Government never grasped and did absolutely nothing about. On this side, we’ve invested in transitional housing, public housing, Housing First, and affordable housing through KiwiBuild. All of that is about increasing supply and is a vastly different approach than the last Government’s.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Can she answer whether her extension of the brightline test, the ring-fencing of losses, the regulation on landlords, and the proposal of a capital gains tax have had any effect, in her view, on rents?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: You don’t have to rely on my opinion, which of course is no, when I can instead quote the Governor of the Reserve Bank, which is also pointing to the issue of supply.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: With economic growth slowing in New Zealand, how will her Government’s well-being indicators, announced today, help New Zealanders get ahead?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: If the member is referring to what is being released by Statistics New Zealand, the Indicators Aotearoa, then of course that is something that the chief statistician has determined is necessary to get a wider sense of well-being for New Zealanders. I actually do think it’s important that we understand the value of unpaid work, that we know about our domestic violence rates, that we clearly track suicide. I think these are all meaningful measures and, of course, yes, our economic position is important and we continue to have strong fundamentals but, at the same time, how well our people do matters as well.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: What use will the indicator on spiritual health be?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, these indicators—if the members wishes to call into question the independence of the chief statistician, that is a matter for him. I would acknowledge that in the past, when there’s even been a hint of that, his past Government jumped to the defence of the chief statistician and their independence. I point out that role again, but I also point out that having well-being measures more broadly is important for us to understand the well-being of New Zealanders—

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: They’re the Government’s measures.

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: That is actually incorrect, Mr Bridges.

💬 Rt Hon Winston Peters: Would not spiritual health be an important indicator if your whole political strategy is based on a wing and a prayer?

💬 SPEAKER: The Deputy Prime Minister knows that that question is out of order. He will stand, withdraw, and apologise.

💬 Rt Hon Winston Peters: Well, I withdraw and apologise. I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

💬 SPEAKER: I hope the member’s not going to argue with me.

💬 Rt Hon Winston Peters: No, no, I’m not going to argue with you, but I didn’t impute that question to anyone, unless you’re going to believe me that when the glove fits, you wear it. I don’t know quite why I—

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

💬 SPEAKER: No, I’m going to deal with this one first. It didn’t matter to whom the Minister was referring; the Prime Minister has no responsibility for that area. The member has been here about three times as long as Mr Bridges has been, and I expect him—well, he is now on his final warning for the day.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: What use will the locus of control indicator be?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, I point out that there is actually a significant range of indicators that Indicators Aotearoa includes. The chief statistician does have independence. These are indicators generated by Statistics New Zealand and therefore I will not be calling them into question. The member clearly doesn’t understand the difference between Statistics and Treasury and the fact that the living standards framework is a different thing. I’m sure the department would be happy to provide to the member a briefing if he is so interested.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: When the economy is slowing, how will measuring New Zealanders’ spiritual health and locus of control help Kiwis pay their rent?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member, unfortunately, does not understand that you can have a Government focused on strong economic fundamentals, with some of the lowest unemployment in the last 10 years, delivering surpluses, as we have, restarting investment in the Superannuation Fund, and actually caring about the well-being of New Zealanders. I’m sorry; even though these indicators are the chief statistician’s indicators, I have to say that I don’t think it’s quite fair for the member to make a mockery of people’s spirituality. That is a matter for them.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: If it’s so important, what will the indicator on spiritual health be?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, obviously, I’m not intricately involved in the development of them, because they are not the Government’s indicators. That member was part of a Government that dared not see the independence of the chief statistician questioned, and nor will this Government. These are indicators for the department. It is their prerogative, and I’ll leave it at that.

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: Will the indicators help when people are struggling to pay 50 bucks more a week in rent each week, under her watch?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: About as much as the last Government’s Better Public Services targets and indicators. It all comes down to the actions, not just what you have an indicator on. The member knows that.

💬 Hon Grant Robertson: In light of the earlier questions around the Australian economy, does the Prime Minister agree with the commentator who, in answer to the question, “Is it true that the New Zealand economy is growing faster than Australia, though?” answered, “Yeah, absolutely”—the Leader of the Opposition, that is?

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Order! No responsibility.

Question No. 3—Housing and Urban Development

3. to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Does he stand by his statements that KiwiBuild has a total Budget allocation of $6.2 million for full-time staff this year, of which $4.9 million is spent on officials’ salaries?

I’m advised that there is no specific Budget allocation for full-time KiwiBuild staff, as the member asked in her recent written question. The answer I gave to that written question refers to the total amount spent on full-time KiwiBuild staff currently planned to be filled this financial year. I thank the member for drawing my attention to the error and have corrected the answer to the written question with the Bills Office. The $4.9 million figure is the total annual salary spend for all full-time KiwiBuild staff employed at 5 April.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: Does he stand by his statement that KiwiBuild has 38 fulltime-equivalent staff, with a total salary of $4.9 million?

💬 Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Yes.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: Is he aware that those ratios result in an average total salary of $130,000 per KiwiBuild official?

💬 Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Yes, I am. The reason that we’re investing in staff at that level is that we are building the capability of the core Public Service to do something that no Government has tried to do in this country for 40 years, and that is to get affordable houses built. Our side of the House make no apologies for intervening in a failed market to get houses built for young Kiwi families.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: Why, with spending an average of $130,000 per official, did he also spend $5 million on consultants in just the first four months of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development?

💬 Hon PHIL TWYFORD: We have spent a sum on contractors in the first four months. The reason for that is that most of that spend is related to people who have been taken on on fixed-term contracts because the new Ministry of Housing and Urban Development does not yet have a Budget appropriation which would allow it to employ those people on permanent contracts. We’re also dealing with a Public Service that we inherited that had no capability to implement our housing reform agenda, in large part because the last National Government ran down the Public Service for nine years.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: Is it acceptable that he has spent over $11 million on KiwiBuild staff and ministry consultants, which is more than $300,000 per house that KiwiBuild has actually delivered?

💬 Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well, I think the House can see that the error of the member’s assumptions is that she’s comparing fixed costs right at the beginning of a 10-year Government house-building programme. Mark my words: as time goes on and we build thousands and thousands of extra houses, those fixed costs per unit built will go down. Our Government is committed to building affordable houses en masse.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: How many of the staff he has hired have any experience building houses?

💬 Hon PHIL TWYFORD: We’re recruiting staff right now and attracting staff from the private sector, because we’re building capability in this area that that Government had no interest in for its entire nine years. We’re doing something that no Government has tried to do for decades. It’s long overdue, and New Zealanders want us to do it.

Question No. 4—Agriculture

4. to the Minister of Agriculture: What actions, if any, did he and the Ministry for Primary Industries take in response to welfare concerns raised in January this year about the live export of 2,000 New Zealand cows to Sri Lanka?

on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture: There have been no exports of live animals to Sri Lanka for two years, and there are no exports planned. Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) officials have been instructed to conduct a review to ensure that proposed shipments of live animals from New Zealand to any location are compliant with various obligations around animal welfare.

💬 Gareth Hughes: Why did the Minister write in March to say that he was “comfortable” with the live export regime, when hundreds of animals exported from New Zealand and Australia have died in what’s been described as an unmitigated disaster from a human and animal welfare perspective?

On behalf of the Minister, the reference to the fact that the export regime for live cattle—I was referring to the fact that it’s a strict one. The animals that passed away in Sri Lanka, I am advised, passed away over in Sri Lanka. The point, however, that needs to be made is the director-general can impose conditions on any journey to ensure that animal welfare risks during the period of time that they are in transit are attended to. I’ve also asked officials to provide an analysis so we can be crystal clear about the benefit, or otherwise, to our trading partners and New Zealand.

💬 Gareth Hughes: How on earth could MPI have signed off on the live export to Sri Lanka when that country’s own Auditor-General says it was poorly planned, inhumane, and many were diseased, with around 10 percent dying so far?

I’m advised that the shipment the member refers to was well before the Auditor-General became seized of the matter, and also to remind the House that MPI does take its animal welfare responsibilities seriously and, as has already been noted, follows strict rules, and we are getting further analysis done as to whether or not things need to be improved in order for such trade to continue.

💬 Gareth Hughes: Given the limited control over the welfare of the animals once they arrive in these other countries and the incredibly long distances involved in shipping from New Zealand, does the Minister think there’s a reputational risk for New Zealand to continue with this practice?

As I’ve said, officials have been tasked with providing analysis of the export trade, and, also, we are anticipating such analysis will arrive with us soon. We do need to weigh up the benefits of other countries establishing their own farming and growing systems to feed their people against the animal welfare issues that the member is raising. But, once again, to reassure the House, as awful as that incident was in terms of perceptions of animal welfare, they did not die in transit.

💬 Gareth Hughes: Will the Minister ask officials to study the EU’s recent decision where they voted in February to end the live export of animals to countries with lower animal welfare standards, or, better yet, why don’t we just stop the practice?

Once again, the example that the member refers to goes back two years ago, and, on behalf of the Minister, there is an unwillingness to prejudge policy decisions in the House today that have implications for New Zealand and its partners. We will wait until the necessary streams of advice have been requested and Cabinet colleagues are seized of the issues.

Question No. 5—Regional Economic Development

5. to the Minister for Regional Economic Development: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?

Yes.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: How does he reconcile his statement on Radio New Zealand on Thursday morning in relation to the Semenoff logging case, “I don’t accept that I waded into any court case.”, with his statement to Newstalk ZB the same morning that he talked to the NZTA chief executive and “I wanted clarification as to why they have been offering immunity and amnesty for Filipino truck drivers to, arguably, spy on New Zealand - owned businesses.”?

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: When I was asked last week who I had spoken to, I pointed out that never once have I spoken about the prosecution decision. I also identified the fact that I had a brief discussion with the acting CEO, Mr Radcliffe of the transport authority, and that is the issue that I referred to as to where was the legal authority coming from for the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) to empower Meredith Connell to go ahead and do that with foreign workers.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: How is such a query or statement from a Cabinet Minister to an official responsible for an independent regulatory prosecution not wading in?

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: Well, I mean, I’m reminded of my grandmother’s saying that “Words once issued might be forgiven but are not forgotten.” The reality is that that question, because of the large number of foreign workers we now have in regional New Zealand, is a legitimate question of the most powerful executive running the NZTA. It has nothing to do with the matters pertaining to the court case—something which I’ve assured the Prime Minister I will don a cone of silence over.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: Is he really saying that him talking to the chief executive and saying something that he didn’t want him ever to forget about the way that the case was conducted was not influencing the way that he went about his independent regulatory authority?

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Order! I’ll give the member a chance to rephrase it, because I think he’s introduced an assertion as a fact.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: How is it that he thinks that talking to the chief executive of NZTA, who is in the middle of making an independent regulatory authority, and making such statements is not likely to be interpreted by that chief executive as pressure being put on him?

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: Well, the member is entitled to his version of events. The reality is this was already a public matter, and I have since been provided with a memo identifying where the NZTA do derive their power to encourage foreign workers to behave in such a way towards New Zealand - owned businesses.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: What conversations has he had with Mr Semenoff about the case?

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: Mr Semenoff is a well-known Northlander, and for the last two years, he has been raising with me and a host of other Northland MPs his desire to increase the number of workers from the Philippines. On the particular issue of the charges that he faces, that’s his business, not mine.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.

💬 SPEAKER: No, I don’t think I need the point of order. I do need an answer to the question.

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: Repeat the question, please.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: What conversations did he have with Mr Semenoff about the case?

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: The conversations that I’ve had over the last two years pertain to the necessity in the North, from his perspective, to draw on foreign workers. I am not involved. I have not shared any content that I have or may have as a Minister with the issue before the courts. That’s his business, not mine.

💬 SPEAKER: That’s—sorry, it still doesn’t quite answer the question. The member’s answered what he said, but what he hasn’t answered is what was said to him by Mr Semenoff.

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: Mr Speaker, if you want to know what Mr Semenoff says and what he—

💬 SPEAKER: About the case.

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: About—sorry, can you repeat that?

💬 SPEAKER: I think the essence of the question is that it was about the conversations between the Minister and Mr Semenoff about the case. The Minister’s made it clear to the House that he did not make comments about the case to Mr Semenoff, but there’s the other half of the conversation.

💬 Hon SHANE JONES: For the last two years, Mr Semenoff has raised with me and a host of other Northland MPs his views about NZTA. I have had no discussions that pertain to the content of whatever is in NZTA’s head as to why they have gone ahead in the course of action they’ve gone ahead with.

💬 Rt Hon Winston Peters: Is the Minister saying that there are some issues to do with a court case which are sub judice and there are some that don’t go to the core of the juror or judge’s decision, which are not sub judice?

💬 SPEAKER: Well, I’m pretty sure he didn’t say that at all.

Question No. 6—Education

6. to the Minister of Education: What recent data has he seen on the number of people entering the teaching profession?

The latest provisional figures from the Ministry of Education show that the number of beginning primary school teachers increased 13 percent last year, while the number of beginning secondary school teachers increased 6.6 percent during that same time period. This is a very welcome increase in the number of people training to be teachers after a 40 percent reduction in the number of teacher trainees between 2008 and 2017.

💬 Jan Tinetti: What other trends has he seen in beginner teachers?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Another very positive development is that we are seeing an increase in the number of primary and secondary school teachers employed into permanent full-time roles rather than fixed-term roles. The number of beginning teachers employed into fixed-term roles has been a significant challenge for many of those teachers in trying to complete their registration; so the fact that they are now moving into permanent roles, making it easier for them to finish their registration, is very welcome. Retention of beginning teachers is also very high: 90 percent in primary schools, and 82 percent of secondary school teachers had stayed on three years after starting. That’s for those who started in 2014.

💬 Jan Tinetti: What work has the Government done or has under way to attract people into the teaching profession?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: There are a number of initiatives under way to get more people into the teaching profession, including addressing the issues that our current teachers have been raising by removing national standards. We’ve identified over 45 opportunities to reduce red tape for teachers. We’re developing an education workforce strategy. That’s on top of the $40 million investment that we made in boosting teacher supply, which includes, among other things, free refresher training, more support for beginning teachers, and an expanded voluntary bonding scheme.

Question No. 7—Education

7. to the Minister of Education: Is he confident that the Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa will settle the primary teachers’ and principals’ collective agreements in the coming weeks to prevent further strikes and industrial action?

No. The most recent offer amounted to almost $700 million over four years, with an average increase of around $10,000 after 24 months for the vast majority of teachers. The Employment Relations Authority described the offer as “handsome and competitive” and the NZEI claims as “unrealistic”. The Government remains available to negotiate and to discuss other ways of doing things within the current financial envelope. We are committed to addressing the issues that the teaching profession has been raising for some time, but there is a limit to what we can do all at once.

💬 Hon Nikki Kaye: Is he completely ruling out increasing the Government’s funding envelope for primary teachers; and if not, how does he expect to break the stalemate?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Yes, $700 million is worth more than all of the settlements reached under the previous Government put together.

💬 Hon Nikki Kaye: Why won’t he reduce teacher ratios and provide the further additional learning support that he promised in Opposition; or is he just a lion in Opposition and a mouse in Government?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: This Government—

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Order! No—the member will resume his seat. That question’s ruled out.

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I should be allowed to answer the first part of the question, otherwise it becomes a very one-sided exchange.

💬 SPEAKER: OK.

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: This Government has already spent half a billion dollars extra on learning support; so I utterly reject the premise of the member’s question. This Government is delivering where the National Government chose many, many other things to prioritise well ahead of teachers and kids.

💬 Hon Nikki Kaye: Is he saying to parents and students who are facing a third round of strikes that the ministry won’t settle because he refuses to shift on further additional funding for learning needs, workload, and recruitment issues?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: No.

💬 Jo Luxton: What are the pay increases currently on offer as part of the negotiations?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: For around 30,000 primary school teachers, they would receive three lots of 3 percent pay increases, plus an additional higher salary step for those on the top of the salary scale, which is the vast majority of primary school teachers, which amounts to an additional 3 percent—so around 12 percent overall. The teachers have also been given the choice between bringing forward the timing of some of those pay increases and having additional classroom release time—an extra 10 hours of classroom release time.

💬 Hon Nikki Kaye: When the Prime Minister said there is no more money for primary teachers, does he agree this is because the Government has spent $2.8 billion on fees free, $45 million on education reviews, $3 billion on Shane Jones’ provincial fund, $1.5 million on a justice—

💬 SPEAKER: OK—OK. That’s enough.

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: No, I don’t. The Government spent about $1.3 billion on fees free, and the current offer to primary and secondary school teachers, to put that into context, is worth about $1.2 billion.

Question No. 8—Health

8. to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statements and actions around the meningococcal outbreak in Northland?

Yes, in their full context.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: What does he say to Shona Whitehead and the Hikurangi community north of Whangarei, who fundraised $20,000 to buy the meningitis vaccine for their ineligible five- to 12-year-old children?

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: The targeted vaccination campaign is designed to protect the whole community by containing the meningococcal W outbreak. There’s a strong demand for this vaccine internationally, and we’re targeting those most at risk from the disease and those most at risk of spreading it. That is what a responsible public health response looks like. I do want to put on record my thanks to the clinicians and staff across Northland for their concerted efforts in making this meningococcal W vaccine campaign roll out.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Does he encourage concerned Northland parents with five- to 12-year-old children to have the meningitis vaccine?

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I can understand why people might want to vaccinate their children. That’s fine. The advice that the Government received was clear—it’s clinical advice—that the targeted vaccination campaign was the right approach to contain the community outbreak. With respect, I do think the member needs to stop scaremongering on this issue. In his recent column in The Northern Advocate, he claims the community outbreak in Northland was declared for all under-10-year-olds. He knows full well that there was no such age reference. The outbreak was declared for a region, not an age group. As a doctor, I would’ve expected the MP for Whangarei to be more responsible in his public comments. Instead, he appears to be happy to play politics.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Given he said in this House last month “It is heartening that since the vaccination campaign began in December, there has not been a single case of meningococcal W in Northland.”, will he now fund the vaccine for five- to 12-year-old children, given that last week Northland had its first meningococcal W case?

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: We have acted on clinical advice. What I will say is that I do think it’s encouraging that there has been only one case of meningococcal W since the vaccination campaign started in December, although, as I previously said in the House, that is no guarantee that there won’t be any further cases. I would also note for the member and for the House that the most recent case was of a child who was too young to receive the vaccine, highlighting the importance of a targeted campaign aimed, like in the UK and like in Britain, at the young adults who are most likely to spread the disease.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Was Alexis Albert, who succumbed, ineligible for the meningococcal vaccine?

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Is the case the member is referring to that of the child under the age eligible for the vaccine—

💬 Dr Shane Reti: The seven-year-old.

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: —the seven-year-old who died before the campaign began, before the outbreak was declared?

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Would she have been ineligible?

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I would hope that given—I’m sorry; I’m responding to his questions as they arise—the campaign that’s rolled out, she would not have contracted the disease.

Question No. 9—Health

9. to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made implementing the policy of free primary care for 13-year-olds and cheaper doctors visits for community services card holders that came into force on 1 December?

Making it easier for families to get the care they need when they need it is a priority for this Government. I’m pleased to inform the House that more than 99 percent of enrolled 13-year-olds can now access zero-fees GP care. This policy was a feature of the coalition agreement between New Zealand First and Labour, and, as of 1 April, across New Zealand approximately 96 percent of community service card holders and their dependants who are enrolled with a general practice visit their doctor at low cost and won’t be charged more than $18.50 a visit.

💬 Angie Warren-Clark: What are the benefits of free and low-cost doctors visits?

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: We know that last year cost was a barrier for nearly 600,000 New Zealanders when they needed to go to the doctor. That means people have put off seeking the help they need, and, for many, that would have resulted in them getting sicker and sicker and ending up in hospital. I’m proud that this Government has stepped up and made it free or cheaper to go to the doctor for around 600,000 New Zealanders.

💬 Angie Warren-Clark: Are there any regions where all general practices have opted to provide lower visits to patients with a community services card?

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I think the member means lower-cost visits to patients with a community services card, and, if that’s true—

💬 Angie Warren-Clark: That is what I was asking.

💬 Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: —it is true—the answer is yes. All general practices in Northland, Lakes, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui, Hutt Valley, Wairarapa, West Coast, and South Canterbury district health board regions—all general practices in those regions—have opted to provide lower-cost visits to their eligible patients with a community services card—more good news.

Question No. 10—Small Business

10. to the Minister for Small Business: Does he stand by all his statements and actions?

Yes.

💬 Hon Jacqui Dean: Has he now asked for advice on the associated costs of valuation day on the 500,000 small businesses in New Zealand for which he has responsibility in Cabinet as small business Minister?

💬 Hon STUART NASH: No—for one reason: there’s no decision been made; and for a second reason: that the Tax Working Group didn’t recommend that.

💬 Hon Jacqui Dean: Is he concerned that the cost evaluation of a small business for capital gains tax purposes could be significant and running into the thousands?

💬 Hon STUART NASH: Purely hypothetical.

💬 Hon Jacqui Dean: If it is impossible, according to the Tax Working Group report, to provide a comprehensive list of intangible property for the calculation of goodwill for small business, how will it be possible to calculate the valuation of a small business with any sense of accuracy?

💬 Hon STUART NASH: The Tax Working Group provided about three methods, and they said a valuation over five years. I suggest the member read the report and understand it.

💬 Hon Jacqui Dean: How will he guarantee the integrity of the valuation of the 500,000 small businesses across the country in the face of so much uncertainty around liable tangible property?

💬 Hon STUART NASH: As I said last week, the integrity of the tax system is one of my utmost priorities.

💬 Hon Jacqui Dean: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The Minister gave his answer in the context of being Minister of Revenue. He was asked the question in the context being the Minister for Small Business.

💬 SPEAKER: That’s probably fair enough.

💬 Hon STUART NASH: As Minister for Small Business, the integrity of the Government in the way we deal with small business is my utmost priority.

Question No. 11—Statistics

11. to the Minister of Statistics: Does he have confidence in the Chief Statistician in relation to her decisions about releasing information regarding Census 2018 to the Governance and Administration Committee?

Yes.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: Does he stand by the chief statistician’s decisions to refuse to release the partial response rate for Census 2018, which is included in the overall 90 percent response rate released by Statistics New Zealand?

💬 SPEAKER: Order! I’m not sure that that question’s in order, given the fact that it’s been done.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: Sorry, Mr Speaker, I’m asking about the release of information—that the chief statistician declined to release information.

💬 SPEAKER: So, apparently, she declined in a public session, but my understanding is that she subsequently provided the information. Is that right? Is the chair of the Governance and Administration Committee here? That’s correct?

💬 Brett Hudson: That is correct.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: That’s correct, but this is about the previous actions.

💬 SPEAKER: OK. All right. Fine.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: Shall I repeat the question? I’ll repeat the question.

💬 SPEAKER: Yeah, if you want to.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: Does he stand by the chief statistician’s decisions to refuse to release the partial response rate for Census 2018, which is included in the overall 90 percent response rate released by Statistics New Zealand?

💬 Hon JAMES SHAW: Yes.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: Can he confirm that the partial responses to Census 2018 were more than double that of 2013, and that, in total, one in seven, or 700,000 New Zealanders, either did not fully complete or partially completed the census?

💬 Hon JAMES SHAW: That is a question for the Government Statistician, who, as he should be aware, has statutory independence about the management of statistics. The Government Statistician—[Interruption] Actually, for Opposition members who seem to be weighing in on this, I’d just like to refer them to responses to questions in the House by the Rt Hon Bill English, who said, “[this Government] refrains from attacking the impartiality of the Government Statistician.”, “we accept that the Government Statistician is statutorily independent.”, and “We have our own arguments with how numbers are put together, but, in the end, that is why they are independent.”

💬 Dr Jian Yang: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. My question’s very simple: can he confirm or not whether the partial response rate, or the number of partial responses—

💬 SPEAKER: Well, the member very clearly indicated that he wasn’t going to confirm that.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: Is he concerned that the quality of Census 2018 data may be compromised due to the extremely low overall response rate, which also includes a high percentage of people who did not fully complete the census?

💬 Hon JAMES SHAW: I am always concerned that the quality of Government data and statistics is of the highest possible quality, and that is why Statistics New Zealand have delayed the initial release of census information. It is to ensure that the quality of information that gets released as a result of Census 2018—

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: They’re making it up.

💬 Hon JAMES SHAW: —is at least as high as in previous censuses. In response to the interjection just now about making it up, may I refer Mr Brownlee, who, I think, was the interjector, to a 27 October 2015 Cabinet paper recommending that Statistics New Zealand “be directed to actively work towards a future census based primarily on government administrative data, supported by redevelopment of its household surveys.” This is precisely information that Mr Brownlee believes is now being made up, and if he believes that, then he should not have signed off that Cabinet paper in 2015.

💬 Dr Jian Yang: Does he still stand by his statement, in response to my concerns last year in April over the conduct of the census, that this census was more successful than previous censuses?

💬 Hon JAMES SHAW: Well, as I have said in answer to previous questions on exactly this in the House before, I was referring then to questions about the online component of the census. There was a target that 70 percent of responses would be completed online. That is also outlined in the previous Government’s business case for the census, signed off in 2014, and in this Cabinet paper, signed off in 2015. Actually, the response rate online was significantly above the 70 percent target. So the previous Government’s decision to switch to a primarily online census appears to have been very successful, and he should congratulate the former Cabinet Ministers who were members of that Government which made that decision.

Question No. 12—Employment

12. to the Minister of Employment: What recent He Poutama Rangatahi announcements has he made?

On 25 March, I announced $400,000 funding for Eco Toa—which means ecological warriors, for the Opposition—that will provide an intensive programme for rangatahi in the South Hokianga for our young people who aren’t earning or learning. They will learn skills in pest control, weed eradication, riparian planting, and forestry, and in turn, will secure long-term employment in the forestry industry. I also announced $880,000 in funding for the Whangarei Youth Space Start programme; this is a programme that will support Whangarei rangatahi into sustainable employment by providing intensive support both pre- and post-employment, and it is underpinned by pastoral care.

💬 Kiritapu Allan: What was significant about these two announcements?

💬 Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Thank you for that question. These are the first of the He Poutama Rangatahi (HPR) programmes funded in partnership with the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF). Earlier this year, alongside the Prime Minister and Minister Jones, $13.2 million in funding from the PGF was announced for HPR projects, which was much more than was announced from the previous Government. Working alongside Minister Jones, we were able to invest in our rangatahi in the region and support jobs in key areas such as forestry, tourism, roading—

💬 Hon Simon Bridges: And spiritual health.

💬 Hon WILLIE JACKSON: —and infrastructure as examples. Reinvigorating industry and regional communities is a key part of the PGF. At the same time, we’re able to provide our rangatahi who live there with a pathway to sustainable and rewarding futures without having to move away from home.

💬 Kiritapu Allan: Has the Minister received any feedback on how He Poutama Rangatahi programmes are going?

💬 Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Thank you for that question. I want to share with the House how incredibly proud I am with the results this Government and community initiatives are getting. We’re still in the early stages of He Poutama Rangatahi, and some of these programmes are over longer periods than others. As an example, in Northland, the Northland College Pine Project is now complete. We’ve got a great young man up there now, Jack Johnson, who’s running this, and 12 out of the 15 rangatahi are in full-time employment. In the East Coast, Tairāwhiti, the Eastland Wood Council Generation Programme—forestry related—10 out of the 12 rangatahi are in full-time employment, with 11 employers engaged in the programme. And Mr Speaker, for yourself and for Mr Goldsmith, in the Hawke’s Bay, the Hastings District Council youth employment connector programme has placed 45 rangatahi into full-time employment so far with 17 different employers—

💬 SPEAKER: Order! I think the House has got the message.

💬 Kiritapu Allan: If He Poutama Rangatahi is so successful, why doesn’t the Government just fund it instead of having to rely on it to help spend the PGF money?

💬 Hon WILLIE JACKSON: I’ve said all along that it doesn’t matter where the funding sits; what matters is that we’re investing into it, into these communities, and in the lives of these young people. That’s the sort of Government we are; we take questions from everywhere. It doesn’t matter where it comes from; we are up for the challenge and we’re not into patsies like the Opposition.

💬 SPEAKER: Order! I didn’t interrupt at the time, but I will say to the Leader of the Opposition that calling my spirituality into question in an out of order way just about gets me to ask for some sort of divine intervention to keep him in order.