Oral Questions

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

The underlying strength of the New Zealand economy continues to exceed expectations. Statistics New Zealand figures show that manufacturing sales volumes rose in the December 2020 quarter after falling earlier in the year due to COVID-19. Total manufacturing sales volumes rose to $26.8 billion, up 0.5 percent from the previous quarter. Volumes are also slightly above levels seen before COVID-19 hit in early 2020. The growth in sales was led by gains in electrical and machinery manufacturing, mainly in the electronic and electrical equipment subindustry. While particular sectors in regions in New Zealand will continue to suffer the effects from COVID-19, this is good news for our manufacturing sector, which has benefited in response to COVID-19 by a buoyant construction industry and other demands.

💬 Ingrid Leary: What further reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The latest ANZ Bank monthly Truckometer report indicates ongoing momentum for our transport sector—

💬 Chris Bishop: Truckometer!

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: —one of the most accurate, Mr Bishop, the Truckometer—with both the light traffic index and heavy traffic index up on a year earlier. The ANZ notes that the levels of activity are roughly back on trend after the interruption of the initial lockdown to successfully combat the escalating pandemic last year. While the vaccination roll-out continues both here in New Zealand and around the rest of the world and the rate of COVID-19 infections eases in many countries, the report also notes that there are still risks and uncertainties in the economy, but the good news is that ANZ says New Zealand’s economy is in much better shape than most.

💬 Ingrid Leary: What reports has he seen on support that is available to business to mitigate the risks to the economy from COVID-19?

💬 Hon Grant Robertson: I thought members may want a further update on the numbers that I gave at the start of the week. The Resurgence Support Payment, which kicked in for both the alert level changes on 14 February and 28 February, has received over 55,000 applications, and has so far paid out $128.06 million to businesses and traders. This payment, as we know, is intended to help businesses with their fixed costs, such as rent, and is still open for applications for both recent alert level changes. The wage subsidy scheme, which opened at the beginning of this week, has had 35,886 applications approved, with $107.55 million being paid out.

Question No. 2—Police

2. to the Minister of Police: Does she agree that the New Zealand Police are racially profiling Māori, given that police are photographing Māori youth and using tactical pain against Māori more than any other ethnicity?

on behalf of the Minister of Police: I do not support any form of racial profiling by any Government department or agency. I do have a clear expectation that police officers act within the parameters of the law and that in the application of the law, there are no biases or inconsistencies.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Given that Māori are overrepresented in the groups targeted in Operation Tauwhiro, does the Minister have concerns that Operation Tauwhiro is another example of the police targeting and racially profiling Māori?

On behalf of the Minister of Police, as I said in the answer to the first question, I have a clear expectation that officers act within the parameters of the law and that in the application of the law there are no biases or inconsistencies.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Can the Minister assure te ao Māori that racial bias, which is clearly evident within the police, will not influence the treatment of Māori who come to the attention of the police?

Yes, and that’s why—on behalf of the Minister—I am continuing to work with the police commissioner on tackling all forms of overrepresentation of Māori in the criminal justice system.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: What strategies do the police have in place to protect iwi Māori from racial profiling?

Well, as I’ve said, the Minister doesn’t agree with or support any form of racial profiling of any group of people in Aotearoa from any agency or department.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Point of order. I don’t think that particular question has been answered, Mr Speaker.

💬 SPEAKER: I think it’s been addressed, though, which is the requirement.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I don’t think it has.

💬 Teanau Tuiono: Is the Minister concerned that the police’s commitment to repair the relationship with Māori communities has been put at risk by the news that police officers are taking photos of rangatahi without appropriate permission?

Well, again, I refer everyone back to the first and second answers, that the Minister has a clear expectation that officers act within the parameters of the law and that in the application of the law there are no biases or inconsistencies. [Rawiri Waititi stands to seek call]

💬 SPEAKER: No, the member will resume his seat.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Supplementary question.

💬 SPEAKER: The member’s not going to have another supplementary question. While he did have one left, he chipped me after I made a previous ruling and he lost it.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: We get four, and then we’re not—

💬 SPEAKER: That’s right, because you don’t argue with the Speaker after he’s made a ruling. The member should know that by now.

Question No. 3—COVID-19 Response

3. to the Minister for COVID-19 Response: When will the coronavirus vaccine be available to everyone in New Zealand, and does he have confidence in the infrastructure required for the roll-out?

Yesterday, I released the Government’s sequencing framework that provides greater clarity to New Zealanders about the national immunisation programme for COVID-19, which will be the biggest in the country’s history. Within that strategy, we’ve got a targeted roll-out over the next three to four months focusing on those who are most at risk of harm if they get the virus and those who live and work in places where they are most likely to pick up COVID-19. Our plan is that the rest of the population will start to have access to the vaccine from July onwards. With regard to the second part of the question, there is an element of building the plane whilst we’re flying it, here. I do have confidence in the processes that have been put in place to ensure that the infrastructure required for the roll-out is there when it is needed, but some of that work is still continuing.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Is he concerned it has taken until March to produce a roll-out plan that will now collide with the flu vaccine, which is due in one month’s time in similar priority groups and can’t be given within two weeks of the Pfizer vaccine?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: No, the roll-out of the regular flu vaccine has been part of the planning around this to make sure that we allow for that and to make sure that there isn’t the conflict that the member has just alluded to. It is a different sort of vaccination programme, though. With the flu vaccine, for example, we do not centrally record who has had the flu vaccine and who hasn’t. It is a single dose vaccine, whereas the COVID19 vaccine requires two doses, three weeks apart, and we are recording exactly who has had it and when they have had it. That is quite an important distinction and, therefore, it requires a different degree of infrastructure for the roll-out.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Why is obesity not a relevant underlying health condition for prioritised coronavirus vaccination, given the Government’s answer to parliamentary question 4922 stating obesity to be one of the three most common disorders associated with poor outcomes?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Ultimately, wherever the Government drew the line in terms of the different groups in each sequence, there were going to be some who were in and some who were out. There is no absolute perfect exact way of doing this. The sequencing framework is, on balance, in our view, the fairest way of doing it, the most equitable way of doing it, but also the way that will provide the greatest protection, for New Zealanders, against risk.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Does he not think one of the top three conditions associated with poor outcomes should be prioritised?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I agree that the framework that we have released is the right sequence of priorities in terms of the vaccine roll-out.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Can GPs now download coronavirus vaccination information into patient files, given two weeks ago, the Government wrote in written questions that this capability would be available in two weeks, which is now?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I don’t have the latest information on that as of today. I do know that that is one of the capabilities that they are attempting to build into the system. One of the things that the member should bear in mind is that different GP practices use different patient-management systems. And so one of the challenges here is to make sure that whatever they do is interoperable with all of them.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: Hasn’t there been enough time to develop interoperability with GP practices and the coronavirus vaccination programme?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: That work is ongoing. I do want to note, though, that there is some complexity here. The different IT solutions—and there are several of them being developed—do different things. So there’s a different system for inventory management, there is a central record of who has been vaccinated, and there’s a booking system being developed. All three of those systems need to link to each other, and there’s also a need to link them to other systems, such as those operated by primary healthcare providers. That’s quite a complex system. It’s important that they get it right. We don’t want this to be—and to some extent, you know, adding to it as it is being used is one of the ways that we can avoid it becoming a Novopay-like situation where the perfect system was supposedly developed, switched on, and didn’t work.

💬 Dr Shane Reti: What proportion of the New Zealand population receiving the vaccine will be the threshold for relaxing New Zealand’s travel restrictions?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: To be clear, the Government has not set a target around that. Our goal is to ensure that as many New Zealanders as possible are vaccinated. As we get into the second part of the year, we will firm up a little bit more around what reopening might look like and what the prerequisites for that might be. I do want to be clear here, and I’ve said this all along, that’s likely to be a progressive process rather than something all happening at once.

Question No. 4—COVID-19 Response

4. to the Minister for COVID-19 Response: What progress has the Government made in securing a strong vaccine portfolio for all New Zealanders?

I am very happy to say that the Government has guaranteed that every New Zealander will have access the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine after securing an additional 8.5 million doses, on top of the 1.5 million doses that we had already purchased. This brings our total order to 10 million doses, enough for every New Zealander to get the two shots they need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It’s a significant addition to our COVID-19 vaccine portfolio, and it is a sign of our confidence in the vaccine and its effectiveness. It also reinforces our top priority of making sure that all New Zealanders get free, fair, and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

💬 Dr Tracey McLellan: How is the vaccination of our border workers progressing?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: More good news. As of this morning, I can report that 19,313 have received their first doses of the vaccine. We now have 989 health professionals—

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Order! I’m going to stop the Minister here now. I’ve reflected on the supplementary question and I’m ruling that it does not flow from the original one, which was the obtaining of the vaccines. The use and the obtaining are quite different. If the member wanted to ask that supplementary question, she would have better phrased the original one.

💬 Dr Tracey McLellan: What updates can he provide on when other people can expect to receive the vaccine from that strong vaccine portfolio?

💬 Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Yesterday, as I have already indicated, I released the Government’s sequencing framework that provides clarity to New Zealanders around when they can expect to receive the vaccine. Over 2 million New Zealanders are in line to start receiving the vaccine over the next four months, with a focus on protecting those most at risk of getting COVID-19, or being harmed by it.

Question No. 5—Tourism

5. to the Minister of Tourism: Does he view a trans-Tasman bubble as a priority for the tourism sector, and by what date does he expect a trans-Tasman bubble to be in place?

on behalf of the Minister of Tourism: Yes, but also for the reasons of reuniting friends and family. We’ve always maintained that we will commence safe travel with Australia when it is safe to do so. Cabinet has yet to agree a specific implementation date.

💬 Hon Todd McClay: What does he say to Scenic Hotel Group managing director, Brendan Taylor, who said on the radio this morning, and I quote, “The Minister of Tourism went down to the West Coast, saying until we get 70 percent herd immunity with the vaccine, then borders are not going to open, not even to Australia.”, and he predicted that wouldn’t happen until January of next year if we are lucky?

I’m not sure that that’s exactly what the Minister of Tourism said, and so I can’t comment on that. But we have always been clear that we will open a trans-Tasman bubble with Australia when we’re in a position to do that.

💬 Hon Todd McClay: Is he concerned that the comments he made recently in a public meeting at Franz Josef on the trans-Tasman bubble have led to the managing director of Scenic Circle hotels announcing they would close four of their hotels?

People will make business decisions based on a whole variety of different factors. I do want to acknowledge that the New Zealand tourism industry is experiencing quite a lot of difficulty as a result of the closure of the border at the moment. I do want to note, however, that a removal of restrictions on the New Zealand side without a corresponding removal of restrictions on the Australian side may result in an export of tourism dollars away from New Zealand to Australia, not necessarily tourism dollars flowing the other way.

💬 Hon Todd McClay: Is he aware that Tourism New Zealand have estimated a trans-Tasman bubble with Australia would allow tourism revenue to recover to 70 percent of pre-COVID levels; and, if so, doesn’t this mean that Scenic hotels and many other tourism businesses wouldn’t be closing?

I am sure that that estimate is based on a full reopening and removal of restrictions on both sides of the Tasman. It is important to note that, as of today, only two Australian states are allowing New Zealanders to arrive in Australia without there being any restrictions in place and, further, that any Australian wanting to travel to New Zealand for tourism purposes needs to get a visa from the Australian Government in order to do so.

💬 Hon Todd McClay: How many other hotels and tourism businesses will close before the Government opens the border to Australia, as Australia did for New Zealanders in October of last year?

Order! That’s not something the Minister has responsibility for.

💬 Hon Todd McClay: Point of order, Mr Speaker. So to the Minister of Tourism, how many tourism businesses will close—surely that’s within his ambit when the primary is—

Well, if he’d asked about reports that he had seen or information that he had received. He does not have responsibility for the closure.

Question No. 6—Arts, Culture and Heritage

6. to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage: What action is the Government taking to help inspire students in schools and kura to get creative and be involved in the arts?

Today, the Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins, and I announced the second round of Creatives in Schools. Today’s announcement will see 143 schools, including 10 kura and one New Zealand Sign Language school supported to utilise the skills and knowledge of local creatives to deliver creative projects and experiences. These learning experiences stimulate students’ creativity, enhance their wellbeing, and inspire young people to explore careers in the arts and creative sectors. This Government values the arts and is committed to supporting career pathways into creative industries.

💬 Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki: How will schools and the creative communities benefit from the programme?

💬 Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The Creatives in Schools programme enables schools to further build on their local arts programme and explore other art forms that they may not have tried before. The programme is just as valuable for the artists as it is for schools who participate, and it is a win-win for students and the creative people who work with them. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the cultural and creative sector. That is why this programme received a $4 million boost through the COVID-19 recovery funding alongside the wider $374 million investment to support the cultural and creative sector to survive, adapt, and thrive.

💬 Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki: How does the programme benefit disabled people?

💬 Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: In my capacity as Minister for Disability Issues, it’s particularly pleasing to see Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand receiving funding to support their youth theatre project included in the second round of Creatives in Schools. This project will encourage Deaf students to work collaboratively with their peers using New Zealand Sign Language. It will enable them to confidently express and celebrate their unique Deaf culture and strengthen their sense of identity and belonging in the arts and creative spaces. Round one of the programme also included projects at Wellington High School and Waitākere College’s Inclusion Support Centre for students with a range of abilities. Creatives in Schools has a wide reach within both the learning and creative spheres and supports everyone to participate in the arts.

Question No. 7—Housing (Public Housing)

7. to the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): Why has the State house waiting list increased from 5,844 in September 2017 to 22,521 in December 2020, and by what date will it reduce back to 2017 levels?

on behalf of the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing): The waiting list reflects the need for public housing in our community because this Government has placed a strong emphasis on people coming forward and telling us if they need housing support. This has not always been the case prior to September 2017. I will not be committing to a specific date; instead, the Government is ensuring that we bring on more supply through the largest public housing build programme in a generation. Eighteen thousand additional public and transitional homes will be delivered by 2024.

💬 Nicola Willis: Well, how does he reconcile that answer with his answer—

💬 SPEAKER: “She”.

💬 Nicola Willis: —with her answer to parliamentary written question No. 17664, which shows that nothing substantive has changed in the criteria the Ministry of Social Development used to assess whether someone is eligible for a State house or not?

On behalf of the Minister, we’ve made it clear that for people who need additional support for housing—and, in particular, in a time like we’ve seen over the past 12 months through COVID-19, the need for us to support people who have been homeless into transitional and temporary housing has actually seen us support more people, which is why we encourage them to come forward. That has had an impact on the list, and we accept that there’s a challenge in front of us, which is why we have announced that 18,000 homes by the year 2024 is our target.

💬 Nicola Willis: Does she think that escalating house prices, up $50,000 in one month alone, are having an impact on the State house waiting list?

On behalf of the Minister, we will all accept that such a steep increase in house prices has had a significant impact on the housing market.

💬 Nicola Willis: Does the Minister think that escalating rents, up $110 a week under Labour, has contributed to the State house waiting list?

On behalf of the Minister, we’ve made it clear that with particular reference to rents, we are making our best efforts to ensure that renters are supported in renting in houses. Unlike the last Government, who made it even harder for renters to get into houses, we’ve made sure we support them through a number of mechanisms such as legislation.

💬 Nicola Willis: Can she confirm the waiting list is now growing five times as fast as the Government is building houses, and is this as good as it gets under Labour?

On behalf of the Minister, it’s easy to get better given the low standard that the National-led Government had set for housing. We’ve already said, and I’ll repeat it: 18,000 homes by the year 2024.

💬 Nicola Willis: Can she confirm the Government is now spending $1 million a day putting people up in motels, and when will that Minister see that number reduced?

💬 SPEAKER: Order! That doesn’t relate to the primary question. Question No. 8, Mark Cameron.

💬 Nicola Willis: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The primary question was about the State house waiting list. People on the State house waiting list have to live somewhere and so the Associate Minister of Housing (Public Housing) has responsibility for that. They’re living in motels.

💬 SPEAKER: The member will resume her seat. It was a relatively easy question to relate to the primary question; the member didn’t.

Question No. 8—Land Information

8. to the Minister for Land Information: Does he stand by his statement on the Crown Pastoral Land Reform Bill, made before his appointment to the Land Information portfolio that “My primary focus has been to ensure the bill recognises that Crown pastoral lands supports a prosperous high country pastoral farming industry and I’m confident that this new regime proposed by the Minister will ensure that sustainable pastoral farming on Crown land will continue to thrive”?

on behalf of the Minister for Land Information: Yes.

💬 Mark Cameron: Will this bill impose higher costs on high country farmers?

On behalf of the Minister, what the bill seeks to do is to ensure a good, responsible partnership between the landowner, the Crown, and leaseholders to ensure good management of the land and good outcomes for all of New Zealand.

💬 Mark Cameron: Point of order, Mr Speaker. The question was “Will this bill impose higher costs on high country farmers?” I don’t believe that was answered.

💬 SPEAKER: I don’t think it was even addressed, so the Minister can have another go.

On behalf of the Minister, the purpose of the bill is not to impose costs on leaseholders, but it is to ensure a partnership between a responsible landowner, the Crown, and responsible leaseholders to ensure that land is managed in the best interests of all parties, including all of New Zealand.

💬 Mark Cameron: Does the Minister agree with the submission from Federated Farmers that states the bill “unnecessarily adds additional layers of consenting, with associated increases in costs and delays on both leaseholders and the taxpayer, for no greater environmental or pastoral outcomes.”; if not, why not?

On behalf of the Minister, no.

💬 Hon Jacqui Dean: Does he agree that developing environmental farm management plans would be a better management tool on Crown pastoral leases than doubling down on regulation, red tape, and infringement regimes?

On behalf of the Minister, the bill does not double down on regulation and red tape of management of Crown land.

💬 Hon Jacqui Dean: Supplementary.

💬 SPEAKER: Jacqui Dean. I’ve called the member. Well, that was a waste of a supplementary, wasn’t it?

💬 Mark Cameron: How does he respond to the statement from Federated Farmers that “proposals within the Bill threaten the future viability of high country farming for Crown Pastoral leaseholders.”?

On behalf of the Minister, my response is to invite Federated Farmers to work constructively with both their members who are high country farmers and the Government to ensure we have responsible management of Crown land.

Question No. 9—Health (Māori Health)

9. to the Associate Minister of Health (Māori Health): What recent announcement has he made about the sequencing of the COVID-19 vaccination programme for Māori?

Yesterday, alongside my colleague the Hon Chris Hipkins, the Minister for COVID-19 Response, we announced the timing and sequencing of the COVID vaccine programme and how the programme has a strong focus on protecting our Māori whānau. I also announced an initial funding package of approximately $39 million to ensure Māori communities and providers are prepared and ready for the roll-out of the programme; $24.5 million for the development of community-based vaccine support services that will support Māori health providers; $11 million to be provided directly to Māori health providers to help build provider infrastructure and workforce capability; $2 million for iwi to deliver dedicated and tailored communication campaigns to their whānau; and $1.5 million for workforce development. In addition to the funding, an additional 40,000 courses of the COVID-19 vaccine will be provided specifically for Māori and Pasifika health providers. Together with my colleague the Hon Aupito William Sio, we believe in giving our providers the flexibility to best meet the health needs of their whānau, aiga, and communities.

💬 Arena Williams: How is the Government ensuring that Māori are prioritised in the COVID-19 sequencing framework?

💬 Hon PEENI HENARE: Whānau Māori are more likely to be worse off from the effects of COVID-19, which is why the needs of Māori are at the forefront of this Government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme. Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity have been central, from planning to implementation of the programme. Māori have been involved in all levels of decision making, from Government to technical advisory groups, and right to on-the-ground working with our communities. As we know, older Māori and Pacific peoples are more likely to live with whānau rather than in an aged-care facility. That is why 40,000 vaccine courses will be allocated to Māori and Pacific health providers to target vaccinations within the communities they service in order to reach these older people. This is just the starting point. The initial funding of approximately $39 million will ensure Māori communities and providers are prepared for the roll-out of the COVID19 programme in their communities.

💬 Arena Williams: Is he confident that this COVID-19 vaccination programme will deliver for Māori?

💬 Hon PEENI HENARE: We take a by Māori, for Māori approach and putting our whānau in the centre of everything we do. Our communities expect leadership, and this is what leadership looks like. Leading from behind: ka tika a mua; ka tika a muri. [If things go well up front, things will go well out back.] It is about protecting our whānau, hapū, iwi, and our whakapapa, and we are ensuring that those most at risk of getting sick from the virus are getting the vaccine as early as possible. Over the last 24 hours, we have heard from providers who are pleased that their calls have been heard and that Government is listening—for example, Manukau Urban Māori Authority chairperson, Bernie O’Donnell, and I quote: “Light at the end of the tunnel. … Rangatira are applauding the Government and urging our South Auckland community to be proactive.” I’m pleased to say that the next phases of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is taking a strong stand for equity and has a focus on the protection of Māori whānau.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Supplementary question?

💬 SPEAKER: No, the member has none left.

Question No. 10—Immigration

10. to the Minister of Immigration: On what date did he first become aware of the anomaly between migrant nurses who arrived in New Zealand before our borders closed being unable to bring their families to New Zealand and nurses who arrived after our borders closed being able to do so, and what steps, if any, has he taken to address this disparity?

The Government has been aware of issues that were caused by our border closure since it happened on 19 March of last year. The Government closed the border to keep COVID-19 out and to keep New Zealanders safe. While unprecedented, it has been one of our most effective measures. We were, at the time, aware that this decision would impact and cause disruptions to many people, including temporary work visa holders such as the nurses that the member speaks of. Around the specific issue of split families, I’m advised that I first received a formal briefing on 14 December last year. I acknowledge the difficulties for families that have been affected by the border closure, and I have sought guidance on how many temporary visa holders would be eligible if we were to open a pathway for them to bring in family in the same way other critical workers can.

💬 Erica Stanford: Why has it taken eight months and three 6 o’clock news stories for him to finally request advice specifically on the migrant nurse anomaly?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Well, I would disagree about the assertion about the 6 o’clock news stories, but as I’ve said, the border issues we were well aware of back when we closed the borders in March of last year, as the member will know, as well as giving visas to critical workers. Another issue is the capacity of our managed isolation. New Zealanders know that the border has been one of our best measures to keep COVID-19 out, and they expect the Government to continue its vigilance.

💬 Erica Stanford: Does the Minister agree that it makes more sense to keep the nurses we have here rather than replace them with new migrant nurses and their families who will be out of the workforce for up to three months undertaking their nursing registration courses?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: We acknowledge the work that all the critical health workers are doing to keep us safe at the moment, but, I guess, we also acknowledge the importance of keeping the vigilance of the border settings that have been the most effective tool to keep us safe.

💬 Erica Stanford: Is he concerned that his inaction is causing these nurses to leave at a time when New Zealand needs an additional 2,000 healthcare workers to give COVID vaccines?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I’m aware of and acknowledge the difficulties that those workers are facing.

💬 Erica Stanford: What does the Minister say to Jeslin Thampy, an ICU nurse at Dunedin Hospital, whose three-year-old daughter cries each night on their video calls because she hasn’t seen her mother in 13 months?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Again, I acknowledge the difficulty that it may have for some families that have been separated from their families for a long time. I also want to acknowledge the rather extreme, unprecedented closing of the borders and, again, the expectation that New Zealanders have that we maintain our vigilance to maintain our relatively good position with COVID-19 to the rest of the world.

💬 Erica Stanford: Why does the Minister need to wait for further advice, when the obvious solution is simply to allow these nurses already in New Zealand to bring their families here, just as he has done for the 500 who arrived since the borders were closed?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Because it’s not as obvious as that. It’s also about making sure—[Interruption]

💬 SPEAKER: Order!

💬 Hon David Bennett: Even the rest of the Labour Party agrees.

💬 SPEAKER: Mr Bennett, stand, withdraw, and apologise.

💬 Hon David Bennett: I withdraw and apologise.

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: As well as potentially opening up a new line of visa holders to be able to bring their families, that also causes us to consider a decision around managed isolation capacity. Many members in this House will know just how much demand there is on managed isolation when there are New Zealanders who are also facing delays coming into managed isolation and who have priority to come through managed isolation.

💬 Erica Stanford: Does the Minister understand that if these migrant nurses leave, we will need to bring in more migrant nurses to take their places, using more managed isolation spaces, because we have a critical healthcare shortage in this country?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I’ve been briefed of the issues.

Question No. 11—Pacific Peoples

11. to the Minister for Pacific Peoples: What is the Government doing to support opportunities in Pacific housing?

This Government has invested $41 million into initiatives that are specifically targeted towards supporting Pacific housing aspirations. It was recently announced that the Government has taken a key step in supporting Pacific housing opportunities with the opening of the Pacific financial capability fund, which aims to support Pacific organisations to deliver financial capability to Pacific households. I’ve also announced the Pacific community housing provider registration programme, which aims to enable Pacific organisations to become registered community housing providers. Achieving Pacific housing aspirations is a key component of this Government’s Pacific wellbeing approach.

💬 Tangi Utikere: How will the Pacific financial capability fund improve Pacific housing?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: The fund will be available for eligible organisations to deliver financial capability initiatives to 1,200 Pacific families over the next four years. This will enable locally designed, innovative initiatives, such as financial literacy training, financial support programmes, financial tools, and resources. This will support Pacific families and communities to have the tools and knowledge to cope with financial changes and establish financial plans, aimed at reducing household debt levels and saving towards owning their own home.

💬 Tangi Utikere: In what way will the Pacific community housing provider registration programme support Pacific housing?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: The Pacific community housing provider registration programme is looking for a provider to support Pacific organisations to become successfully registered community housing providers over the next two years. This programme aims to lift the capability of Pacific organisations to achieve community housing provider registration through organisational capability building, training, and support. Improving Pacific capability in the community housing sector brings tailored and culturally appropriate support to Pacific peoples in the community housing space.

Question No. 12—Foreign Affairs

12. to the Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs: What work is he doing with our Pacific neighbours through the South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme to protect the ocean?

New Zealand joined all Pacific leaders endorsing a statement of our shared commitment to strong regional action on ocean issues and shared stewardship of the Pacific Ocean. As part of New Zealand’s wider support for Pacific Ocean issues, we partner with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to deliver on a range of projects, many of which address ocean sustainability. In addition to core funding, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is supporting SPREP to become a member of Oil Spill Response Ltd, a non-governmental provider of oil spill readiness and response services, and to provide these services in the Pacific. The ministry also provides funding to SPREP to address ocean acidification, enabling SPREP to do a regional vulnerability analysis on ocean acidification, develop practical adaptation action, and build awareness and capacity in the region.

💬 Teanau Tuiono: What actions is New Zealand taking to support its commitment to the Vemööre Declaration of November 2020, which specifies key environmental protection actions such as the expansion of Pacific marine protected areas?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: The high level of the Vemööre Declaration was drafted by the SPREP and the Government of New Caledonia and was adopted on 26 November 2020. The declaration describes regional priorities for biodiversity conservation and is intended to be drawn on to present a Pacific voice at significant international environmental events. It highlights the urgent need for transformative action and sets out commitments to address the root causes of biodiversity loss. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with SPREP and the Pacific community to take such action in the Pacific region.

💬 Teanau Tuiono: Does he support stopping New Zealand fishing companies bottom trawling in the international waters of the South Pacific?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: I think the issues raised by the member fall outside my ministerial delegation, and I would need to put that in writing to the Minister responsible, which falls under the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries.

💬 Teanau Tuiono: Does he support a moratorium on seabed mining in the Pacific, as called for by States such as Vanuatu, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Again, the same question falls outside my delegation, and I invite the member to write to the responsible Minister.

💬 Teanau Tuiono: During our national Seaweek, what can New Zealand learn from Pacific States, which have an historic record of strong protection of precious ecosystems, when New Zealand only protects 0.4 percent of our own ocean area?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: That’s a good question. And the Pacific is—[Interruption] It is a good question.

💬 SPEAKER: No, no. Order! Order! I think there may have been a comment there, which is not an appropriate reflection on the member opposite. I don’t want to get into a debate about that, but I am going to ask people on both sides of the House to control their behaviour.

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Because of their laughter, sir, can I ask the questioner to repeat his question?

💬 SPEAKER: Sure.

💬 Teanau Tuiono: During our national Seaweek, what can New Zealand learn from Pacific States which have a historic record of strong protection of precious ecosystems, when New Zealand only protects 0.4 percent of our own ocean area?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: I did say it’s a good question, because the role that we now play in the region becomes critical in amplifying the voices of the Pacific. Different Governments of the past did not have the same sight that we currently have into the Pacific, so we are learning from the Pacific. In terms of protecting ocean acidification, this Government has invested into the SPREP to make sure that we’re helping islands like Tokelau, Kiribati, and Fiji to provide the growth of mangroves that protect our environment, but also to restore reef confidence in those regions. The Pacific has all these long-term plans, but it requires resources, and I think the leadership role that New Zealand has played more recently is inviting Australia and other stakeholders to participate in putting resources in the region.

💬 Teanau Tuiono: Would he support a parliamentary delegation to the Pacific made up of Pacific Island MPs, especially the multitudes of us outside of the Labour Party, to build capability, fa’amolemole e te Minita?

💬 SPEAKER: I think that might be a question better addressed to me. The member can answer it. The answer to the question is yes, but—Aupito William Sio.

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Can we ask him to repeat the question?

💬 SPEAKER: No, I’m not. I think we’ve heard from—around the room, there is general support for a delegation to the Pacific at the appropriate time. We don’t—no, the member doesn’t need to answer the question.

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Mr Speaker, I—

💬 SPEAKER: No. Unless the Minister is going to offer funding for it, it’s not his responsibility.

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: I was going to say, Mr Speaker, that you have sufficient funding to be able to.

💬 SPEAKER: Right. OK. I think while there is a reasonable degree of humour in the House, I do want to reflect on a series of interjections that were made early in that question and during the previous one. I think some of them were—many of them were out of order. Some of them were verging on the unfortunate, and certainly not appropriate. I accept that some of the answers that the Minister gave were relatively long and he was reading them. I will say that some of the questions were also quite technical and called for specific facts and dates and were replied in that way, and therefore there was some flexibility. But what members—especially Mr Bennett, through his repeated interjections—have drawn to my attention is the report of the Standing Orders Committee from last year as to reading in the House, and I am going to now ask my—I will, myself, and my deputies, my deputy and my assistants, pay particular attention to any member who reads during the remainder of the sitting block.