Oral Questions

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

Yes, particularly the Government’s recent actions that came into effect on 1 April, including the indexation of benefits to wage rates—this means benefits will be increased by 3.1 percent, more than double what would have happened under the previous indexation to the Consumers Price Index; the largest rise in abatement levels in two decades—this means that people receiving a main benefit and in part-time work can keep more of what they earn; and, of course, the minimum wage increase to $20 per hour, which is estimated to boost the wages of around 175,500 New Zealanders across the economy, and, of course, ensure that those who are on those low wages have the incomes that will lead them to spend in their local economies, which has an impact on those local economies. We are proud of each of those.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: Why has the Government stopped reporting on key mental health indicators, wait times, and suicide statistics?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: My understanding is that they haven’t. There has been a change in how information is reported, rather than the assertion that the member has made around there being any less reporting. I would also note that we have had one of the most significant increases in mental health funding under any Government as part of the Wellbeing Budget: $1.9 billion that’s going into creating entirely new front-line primary mental health services. The Suicide Prevention Office has been established. We are doing things that have not been done before to make sure that we’re not just improving tertiary care but primary as well.

💬 Matt Doocey: Apologise to the inquiry submitters.

💬 SPEAKER: Matt Doocey will stand, withdraw, and apologise.

💬 Matt Doocey: I withdraw and apologise.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: Is she confident her Ministers have followed her Government’s instruction to be “the most open and transparent Government in history” when it comes to mental health statistics?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: Does she think it’s acceptable for health officials to prevent the release of what they view as “negative statistics” on mental health?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, my understanding is that the Minister of Health himself has refuted the characterisation of that information. I would point out that that which the member is referring to is a release that has been provided to the Opposition—an Official Information Act release. I’d also, again, point to the fact that the way the information has been gathered—but its availability, as I’ve been briefed, has not changed. If the member wishes to inquire into some of that individual information, the member should feel free to either, (a) put it on notice, or, (b) ask the Minister of Health directly.

💬 Hon Gerry Brownlee: It is on notice.

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: It was a general question, Mr Brownlee.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: So why has the number of mental health patients being locked in their rooms on their own increased since she became the Prime Minister, after falling over the previous decade?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, no one in this country is denying that we have had a mental health crisis. What we have absolutely focused on is improving primary mental health care to ensure that we are not leaving people to tertiary care, to the point of acute care, until they get the support that they need. Imagine what would be happening if we did not have that $1.9 billion investment going into mental health.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: With all that money going in, then why did the 2019 report only just get released, and the 2020 report isn’t ready yet?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, none of that has anything to do with the significant investment that has gone into mental health. If the member wishes to get into the detail around the release time frames of reporting, the member should feel free to ask the Minister of Health, who’s very keen to answer.

💬 Hon Judith Collins: So what is her response to Mental Health Foundation chief executive officer Shaun Robinson, who says the mental health system is in worse shape now than it was when Labour was elected in 2017?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I, obviously, would refute that claim. Again, I, of course, encourage all mental health advocates to speak openly about their perspective of the system, but we have always said the $1.9 billion that we’re putting in across primary mental health care, across addiction services and treatment services—it’s going to take time for us to build a workforce that just did not exist. So the member might want to reflect on why it is taking us time to rebuild a mental health service that was utterly neglected under the last Government. So I would really caution the member on making assertions about a system where we’re still seeing the by-product of that under-investment now.

Question No. 2—Finance

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

New Zealand’s economic recovery from COVID-19 continues to be reflected in the Government’s books, as indicated in the Crown accounts for the eight months to February released by Treasury last week. The accounts show that the stronger than expected economy has flowed through to the Government’s books, with both the operating balance before gains and losses deficit and net core Crown debt lower than forecast at the half-year update in December. This follows GDP data for the 2020 year released in recent weeks that also shows the economy was larger than expected during the past year and that activity has returned, broadly, to pre-COVID levels.

💬 Barbara Edmonds: What do the Crown accounts show about the underlying conditions in the New Zealand economy?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well, they show the underlying activity in the New Zealand economy has been stronger than expected. Tax revenue in the eight months to February was $2.3 billion above Treasury’s December forecast due to these stronger conditions. Treasury reported that the strength in consumption meant that GST was 5.8 percent above forecast. Corporate tax revenue was 11.6 percent above forecast due to strong provisional tax payments. Treasury has said that this indicates that current year taxable profits are higher than was assumed back in December. Source deductions—that’s what we take from people’s pay packets through PAYE—were 1.9 percent above forecast due to the stronger than expected labour market.

💬 Barbara Edmonds: What reports has he seen on the international context for the New Zealand economy?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: While these are strong results for the New Zealand economy, we need to remain aware that we are still in a volatile and uncertain global economic environment. There are reports of third- and fourth-wave infections in our trading partners, with new restrictions being imposed in countries like France and Germany. This is a reminder that our stronger than expected economic performance is set against the backdrop of an ever-changing global pandemic. There will be further challenges ahead this year, and some sectors and regions will be particularly tested in New Zealand, due to these global economic conditions. But we are in a strong position, and the Government will continue to invest to accelerate our recovery.

Question No. 3—Revenue

3. to the Minister of Revenue: How many New Zealanders will lose the ability to deduct mortgage interest expenses from their rental income, and how much additional revenue will this tax change generate?

I’m advised that neither the Reserve Bank nor the IRD collect data on the number of individual New Zealanders who deduct interest from their rental income from residential premises. However, we do know from CoreLogic that investor activity in the housing market increased substantially over the past year. In quarter four, around 40 percent of all residential property transfers were to purchasers who owned multiple properties. Without a significant policy change, the proportion of homes owned by their occupants would’ve decreased further. In terms of the revenue consequences, I’ve seen various estimates from commentators, in the range of half a billion dollars or more. Any estimate will depend upon future interest rates, final design details, phasing, and how much is invested by investors in new builds. That said, the change is not about revenue; it’s a response to the housing crisis to ensure that first-home buyers and other owner-occupiers get a fair go.

💬 Andrew Bayly: Will a mum and dad who take out a mortgage to buy a property for their son or daughter to rent while studying in another city be able to deduct the interest expense?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: I would have to consider that, rather than giving an off-the-cuff answer. If the member would put that in writing as a primary question or send me a letter, I’m very happy to give him an answer.

💬 Andrew Bayly: Will someone who has a mortgage on a farm that includes a house rented to an employee be able to claim all the interest on their mortgage as a tax deductible expense?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: We are consulting on details such as that.

💬 David Seymour: Did the Minister seriously just say that this Government introduced a major change to tax policy with no idea how many taxpayers it would affect or how much revenue it would raise?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: No.

💬 Andrew Bayly: Will a new floor extension to an existing rental property that increases the number of bedrooms count as a new build and therefore be eligible for interest deductibility?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: Again, that sort of detail will be consulted upon.

💬 Andrew Bayly: Why is interest deductibility now considered a tax loophole when it has been a legitimate business expense for many decades for businesses, farmers, and others who own property?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: Homeowners don’t get it. I think most New Zealanders realise that when they hear parties decrying the housing crisis and then opposing every measure that is substantial enough to make a difference, those parties say one thing but then oppose every policy which will make a difference.

💬 Andrew Bayly: Where an investor has a mortgage on a property that includes commercial tenants on some floors and residential tenants on other floors, will the investor be able to claim the interest from their mortgage as a tax deductible expense?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: For at least part of their interest payment, yes.

Question No. 4—Housing

4. to the Minister of Housing: Will the measures in the housing package announced on 23 March help increase the supply of new builds; if so, how?

Yes. Our housing package is consciously tilting the balance towards new builds. Amongst other things, there will be no change to the brightline test for new builds. It will remain at five years. Interest deductibility will continue to apply to new builds and there will be a larger increase in price caps for first-home grants and loans for new builds compared to existing homes.

💬 Ginny Andersen: Will interest deductibility for new builds be available for the build-to-rent sector?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Yes. Build to rent is a missing piece of the New Zealand rental sector. As with new builds more generally, the details will be finalised through the interest deductibility consultation being carried out by Inland Revenue.

💬 Ginny Andersen: Why is it so important to tilt the balance towards new builds?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: New Zealand simply needs more houses. We need policies and levers that prioritise house-building over investment in existing stock. Our package is aimed at helping mum and dad investors avoid competing with their kids for a first home in the suburbs, and, instead, prioritising new builds.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Will the housing package announced on 23 March help increase the supply of new builds for Māori; if so, how?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: As I’ve previously answered in the House, the housing package that we announced on 23 March will increase the supply of housing for Māori by the very fact that the housing acceleration package in terms of infrastructure being available to both iwi developers and also for whenua Māori land. It is the need to have the infrastructure in place that will allow the building of more houses.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I don’t think she answered the question. It was about how many new builds for Māori; if so, how—new builds. We didn’t hear anything about new builds.

💬 SPEAKER: Well, I might be over-interpreting, but I would have thought that if you’re putting in a pile of new infrastructure, it might be for houses.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

💬 SPEAKER: A further point of order, Rawiri Waititi.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Yes.

💬 SPEAKER: I just want to warn the member that I’ve ruled the question has not only been addressed, it’s been answered, and ongoing litigation is not a good thing.

💬 Rawiri Waititi: Well, we could end up with social housing; old social houses being given to Māori—that’s all.

💬 SPEAKER: Well, I tell you what. At some stage in the future, the member might be in a position to answer questions, and at that stage, he can do it.

💬 Nicola Willis: When will she release the policy advice she is basing these comments on and that she claims she had proactively released last week?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: As I outlined in the correction to my answer at the beginning of this question time, it will be in the coming weeks.

Question No. 5—Environment

5. to the Minister for the Environment: What recent advice, if any, has he received about the extent and severity of contamination from New Zealand Aluminium Smelters’ operation at Tīwai Point?

I apologise to the House. I wasn’t paying proper attention. I have received advice based on publicly available information—

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Order! I’m now going to ask the—I don’t want to go right back to the beginning and have a replay, but at least start the answer again.

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: I have received advice based on publicly available information estimating the likely contamination at Tīwai Point. The Government has been unable to access any detailed information from New Zealand Aluminium Smelters Limited or its owners, Rio Tinto or Sumitomo Corporation, as to the condition of the site. Central government has not been able to access the site ourselves for inspection purposes. Under the Resource Management Act, it’s local government that has the right to enter and investigate the contamination of sites. The Government has provided up to $300,000 to Environment Southland to support them undertaking an on-site investigation. Work by the regional council with the smelter is still ongoing, and I await a detailed report on the actual contamination of the smelter site.

💬 Hon Eugenie Sage: Is he satisfied with the smelter’s treatment, management, and storage of hazardous waste, such as cyanide from spent cell liners, and, if not, why not?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: I am not yet in a position to judge that. We have had some difficulties getting cooperation from the smelter in respect of these matters, although at the latest meeting that we had with the new chief executive of Rio Tinto smelters in Australasia—a meeting at which the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Energy and Resources, and myself were present by Zoom—there was a noticeable change of tone from the smelter, and one of the things they said was that they intend to remove all of the concrete cathode linings and take proper responsibility for them.

💬 Hon Eugenie Sage: Has he received advice that confirms reports that up to 20,000 tonnes of toxic waste is unaccounted for and potentially buried somewhere where it could contaminate groundwater and Foveaux Strait?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: The only report I’ve seen in respect of that was from Environment Southland, who recorded that statement being made by a former employee of the smelter. I have not been able to verify whether that assertion is correct or not, but I’m sure it’s one of the matters that Environment Southland will be investigating.

💬 Hon Eugenie Sage: Do the Ministry for the Environment and Environment Southland have all the powers they need to require New Zealand Aluminium Smelters to properly clean up and remediate Tīwai Point before the company exits, and, if not, what are the gaps in the law?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: Well, one of the gaps in the law relates to events that occurred very early in the life of the smelter, some decades ago, before environmental laws are as they currently are. As to whether we will be able to sheet home responsibility to the owners of the smelter for all of that historic contamination of the land, the position on that is not yet negotiated nor clear.

💬 Hon Eugenie Sage: Will the Natural and Built Environments Bill, planned for consideration by Parliament next month, fill those gaps in relation to Tīwai, and, if not, when can New Zealanders expect new legislation to fill such gaps?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: In respect of the part of the Natural and Built Environments Bill that is going to the select committee for an inquiry, those equivalents of Part 2 of the Resource Management Act are not likely to include the detail that the member just referred to.

💬 Hon Eugenie Sage: Is he considering Australian-style laws to enforce remediation and site clean ups by caught companies which create the pollution?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: I have sought advice and will be seeking more advice from the Ministry for the Environment as to whether our hazardous waste legislation is fit for purpose.

Question No. 6—Prime Minister

6. to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by her statement on 13 April 2020, “That doesn’t mean that we aren’t looking into how we can create the smartest borders in the world”; if so, does she believe that in April 2021 we now have the smartest borders in the world?

Yes, I stand by my full statement that was made a year ago in relation to mandatory managed isolation and quarantine for those coming through our border, and it read: “That doesn’t mean we aren’t looking into how we can create the smartest borders in the world. If we want to be in a position where we can allow others to come into New Zealand, we need to be reassured that that can happen safely. At the moment, we can’t, which is why we’re using those facilities for everyone.” New Zealand has internationally been acknowledged for our elimination strategy in response to COVID-19, and our work at the border has been crucial to our response. It is important to note that we continue to learn and improve as we move through our response, but our announcement later today around the start date for quarantine-free travel with Australia will represent a new chapter in our response and recovery to COVID-19.

💬 David Seymour: Does the Prime Minister think it smart that people from countries that have never had a case of COVID are quarantined for 14 days next door to people from COVID hotspots around the world?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: There are a range of circumstances for each of those countries where that may be the case. So, for instance, if we take until recently the Cook Islands, there is an example of where we had a reasonable level of confidence, of course, that there weren’t incursions of COVID, but they, at the same time, did not have PCR testing in place, and that will be a similar case in other parts of the Pacific. Of course, we’ve had health officials in, we’ve been working alongside the Cooks, and we’ve now removed that quarantine requirement. So, in each case, there will be different circumstances that may lead to the requirements that we have in place.

💬 David Seymour: How is it possible that Australian states managed six months ago to open up to each other without quarantine, closing down their borders when hotspots appear, and yet we remain inert?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I don’t think that’s a fair comparison. They opened up to each other as a country, in the same way that we have always had movement between, for instance, Auckland and Christchurch. We have always operated like that. They, of course, have a state system that has led to different complications for them around movement. They have not all simultaneously opened up to New Zealand. They’ve had different dates. Not all states have opened to New Zealand. So I don’t think that is a fair comparison between what they have done as a country and what we have done as a country. We’ve always had free movement, except when we’ve had outbreaks.

💬 David Seymour: How is it that Australian states are able to intelligently open and close their borders to each other based on risk, but New Zealand’s policy is completely unchanged regardless of changing circumstances for the last six months?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I would refute the premise of that question. In October, we saw some states open up to New Zealand. The opening between states has actually been at times quite independent of one another. So not all states opened to each other at the same time. Not all states have singly, at the same time, treated one another as hotspots. That’s been one of the reasons it has been more complicated for New Zealand to establish its arrangements. I would also point out to the member that no countries in the world have simultaneously had an elimination strategy whilst opening up to another country, and yet New Zealand and Australia are about to embark upon that. We also have quarantine-free travel with Niue and with the Cook Islands. So we’ve demonstrated we can, and that we will, when we consider it safe to do so.

💬 David Seymour: Does the Prime Minister realise that what she’s about to announce is no different from having New Zealand behave as a seventh state of Australia, joining the way the other six have behaved, opening and closing to each other based on risk for the last six months?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, I think if you would follow any of the commentary in Australia, you’d see that there hasn’t always been consistent openings between those states. For instance, Western Australia still requires 14 days of self-isolation. We are talking about not just an opening to Australia but making sure that you have green zones for transit, that you have no crossover between passengers travelling from red zones into green zones, that you have complete separation at airports. It is not nearly as straightforward as the member is implying, but I think he’s also losing sight of the fact that today we announce a start date and that, equally, we will be amongst the first in the world to pursue both elimination and an opening, a matter that I think we should hold with some pride.

💬 David Seymour: Which of the feats that the Prime Minister just listed were not achieved by New South Wales last October?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again, New South Wales has at times operated a different strategy than we have, and they are dealing with one country who has a very firm elimination policy in New Zealand. We, of course, are dealing with multiple states, who at times do not use the hotspot criteria in the same way. So the member, I know, will be very pleased to see the progress we are making, but we just happen to take the view that when we do this, we need to do it safely; we need to do it well.

💬 David Seymour: Is the Prime Minister trying to tell the House that New South Wales has not been dealing with multiple other Australian states?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No. I’m telling the member that they themselves have not claimed to adopt an elimination strategy.

💬 David Seymour: Is the Prime Minister saying that New Zealand has achieved a better level of COVID restriction and containment than New South Wales?

💬 Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: No.

Question No. 7—Social Development and Employment

7. to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: What changes to welfare settings took effect on 1 April?

on behalf of the Minister for Social Development and Employment: On 1 April, the 369,000 people who receive a main benefit saw their payments increase by 3.1 percent. This was the second rise in main benefits under the historic indexation to wage rates introduced by this Government. Under the previous indexation to the Consumers Price Index, beneficiaries would have only received a 1.15 percent rise. This is an important structural change and one that will mean benefits don’t continue to fall further and further behind the average wage. April 1st also saw the largest—

💬 SPEAKER: Order! The member has answered the question.

💬 Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki: How much are those receiving a main benefit better off, by following these changes?

On behalf of the Minister, there’s a range of changes to income. For example, couples with children receiving a jobseeker benefit will be receiving an extra $13.24, while individuals receiving jobseeker support will receive an extra $7.76 per week. But these changes haven’t happened in isolation. Since 2017, the jobseeker support rate for couples with children has increased by $61.96.

💬 SPEAKER: Order! The Minister has answered the question.

💬 Anahila Kanongata’a-Suisuiki: What other changes to settings took effect on 1 April?

On 1 April, 830,000 people receiving the New Zealand superannuation and veterans pension received a 3.1 percent increase to their payments due to its linkage to the average wage; 60,000 students receiving student allowance will see increases of 1.15 percent, indexed to the Consumers Price Index (CPI); 70,000 people receiving supplementary assistance only will see increases of 1.15 percent, indexed to the CPI. All up, when we include the changes to minimum wage, 1 April saw incomes rise for 1.4 million New Zealanders.

Question No. 8—Transport

8. to the Minister of Transport: How much has the Government spent investigating options for the City Centre to Māngere light rail project, and does he believe this represents good value for money?

The cost of the work to date, including all of that done on the previous parallel process, is approximately $35 million. This is not an unusual spend for a project of this size, and compares, for example, to $60.6 million spent investigating options for the Pūhoi to Wellsford highway and $49.6 million spent investigating options for the western ring route. This will be one of the largest infrastructure projects embarked on in New Zealand, and we need to be absolutely certain that the plan we move forward with is the right one. Investing—[Interruption]

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Order! Can I ask the current member for Upper Hutt and the other member who lives locally just to stop their local battles and let us hear from the Minister.

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Investing to solve Auckland’s longstanding transport problems and getting to good solutions to rising congestion, the emissions challenges, and making sure that people and freight move freely around our largest city is one that this Government believes is worth it. We won’t kick the can down the road like the last lot did.

💬 Hon Michael Woodhouse: When he told Cabinet that the $1.8 billion set aside so far was “just seed funding, so additional funding will be required”, did he signal to Cabinet how much extra funding he thought would be required, and, if so, what is his figure?

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: As I have publicly indicated, one of the jobs of the establishment unit will be to develop the scope of the project to come back to Cabinet within six months on options to take the project forward, including indicative costings.

💬 Hon Michael Woodhouse: Did Treasury advise him that the proposed establishment unit will “dilute accountability and could result in delays due to”—

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Order! I’m sorry for interrupting the member. That practice from the member in the gallery is what I regard as dangerous. Babies will not have their feet over the edge.

💬 Hon Michael Woodhouse: Did Treasury advise that the proposed establishment unit would “dilute accountability and could result in delays due to lack of clarity around decision-making”, and are those concerns similar to the same concerns Treasury had about the twin-track process?

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: In answer to the first part of the question, the member did read the media report this morning which identified those views from Treasury. As is outlined in the Cabinet paper which we proactively released on the day of the announcement last week, I don’t agree with that assessment, and I believe it’s extremely important that as we take this city-shaping project forward, we have all of the key players in Auckland around the table to develop consensus and to develop the best option to solve Auckland’s transport problems.

💬 Hon Michael Woodhouse: Will he invite the Auditor-General to critique the work of the establishment unit, in light of the Auditor-General’s intention to keep a watching brief on a process he previously described as having the potential to put New Zealand’s reputation at risk?

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The process that the Auditor-General was describing at that time is a process that was ended by Cabinet in July of last year. I do note, as the member has just said, that the Auditor-General does intend to keep a watching brief on this project, which is entirely appropriate given its scale, both financially and in terms of meeting Auckland’s infrastructure needs, and I intend to be open and transparent and constructive in my dealings with the Auditor-General as he does that work.

💬 Hon Michael Woodhouse: Can Aucklanders expect to receive a refund of the nearly half a billion dollars received through the regional fuel tax, which the Prime Minister described as “crowdfunding for light rail”?

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: Well, I’m pleased that the member has asked that question, because it’s very important to put on record, in contrast to the comments the member has been making publicly, that not a single dollar of the regional fuel tax goes towards the Auckland light rail project. It is, in fact, funding important projects around Auckland such as the soon to open bus-train interchange at Puhinui and the Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative Botany Eastern Busway, which will be opening in the middle of the year, giving Aucklanders in Pakuranga and Botany access to high-quality public transport. I’ll look forward to inviting along the local National Party constituency members.

Question No. 9—Workplace Relations and Safety

9. to the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety: Will the increase in the minimum wage to $20 per hour help the economy; if so, how?

Yes. The rise to $20 per hour is estimated to boost wages across the economy by $216 million. Having a good minimum wage for our lowest paid workers is one of the most important things that we can do to stimulate local economic activity, because it gives the New Zealanders most likely to spend it more money to spend in local businesses.

💬 Marja Lubeck: Why is an increase in the minimum wage important?

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: We have just come through one of the most challenging years in New Zealand’s history and one of the things that many of us observed is that it was people who have been historically undervalued, like our cleaners, our bus drivers, our hospital orderlies, and our checkout operators, who kept our economy and our society going. And I believe it is only fair and just and reasonable that those people receive a fair wage for the important work that they do. It is also good for our economy. As the Young Workers’ Resource Centre business manager, Tony Stevens, said recently: “higher minimum wages stimulate the economy. We know that the lowest paid workers … spend every dollar they earn because they have to.”

💬 Marja Lubeck: How many people will be better off as a result of the minimum wage increase?

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: The increase to the minimum wage will lift the incomes of around 175,000 working New Zealanders, which means around $44 more each week before tax for Kiwis working full time on the minimum wage. I know that’s going to make a big difference for those people and their families.

💬 Hon Scott Simpson: What was his rationale for not heeding Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment advice provided to him that the minimum wage increase be postponed until 1 August this year and be set at a figure not higher than $19.15 per hour?

💬 Hon MICHAEL WOOD: In making the decision that I made, along with Cabinet colleagues, I took into account a wide range of factors, including the fact that every single year, we receive advice and we receive views from that side of the House that an increased minimum wage might hurt economic activity or jobs growth. Actually, the record of this Government, every single year, is that we have increased the wages of working New Zealanders on the minimum wage at the same time as bringing about one of the lowest unemployment rates in the developed world.

Question No. 10—Corrections

10. to the Minister of Corrections: What actions, if any, has he taken to reduce the increasing number of assaults on corrections officers?

Every single assault in prison is deemed unacceptable. Keeping Corrections officers safe on the job is a top priority, that’s why we’ve put in place a long list of actions to help mitigate risks in the prison environment—for example, more training for tactical skills such as de-escalation and reviewing cell door configuration, and retrofitting cell doors with hatches for meal delivery, as this has been identified as a point of risk. We’re also meeting with the Public Service Association and the Corrections Association of New Zealand to look at even more actions we can collectively take together to keep our Corrections officers safe.

💬 Simeon Brown: Why did he wait until 1 February this year to request monthly briefings on the increasing number of assaults on his staff?

💬 Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Since I’ve become the Minister, I’ve had briefings with and from Corrections about the assaults.

💬 Hon David Bennett: Oh, is that it?

💬 SPEAKER: Order! Can I just say to the Hon Mr Bennett—right through this question he seems to have regarded it as one of humour, and none of his colleagues seem to, and if he could just be quiet, stop laughing, and let his colleague ask the supplementaries, the House would be a better place.

💬 Simeon Brown: How will these briefings reduce the number of assaults on Corrections officers, given the only next steps Corrections outlines in these briefings is to “continue to provide you with monthly Aide Memoires to update you on prisoner assaults.”

💬 SPEAKER: I think it was “Aides Memoire”—it better have been; unless it was bad English.

💬 Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Like I’ve said, no assault is acceptable and it’s important to note that serious assaults have remained static. The numbers of assaults that have increased are non-injury and non-serious assaults, but that’s not unsurprising given that Corrections now encourages all Corrections officers to report any assault regardless of how minor or trivial it may seem.

💬 Simeon Brown: What is his response to growing calls from Corrections officers for a vote of no confidence in him as Minister because they are “so incensed” by what they see as him supporting and advocating for prisoners while ignoring staff?

💬 Hon KELVIN DAVIS: Well, a couple of things: first of all, we have, on one side of the Opposition, they’re saying that prisons are not tough enough; on the other side of the Opposition, they’re saying prisons are too tough. The truth actually lies in the middle, where, as the Minister of Corrections, I’ve got to advocate both for Corrections officers and their wellbeing as well as making sure that prisoners are cared for in line with the Corrections Act.

💬 Simeon Brown: Point of order. I seek leave to table the two most recent briefings to the Minister which outlined the next steps are simply to receive—

💬 SPEAKER: Are these documents—

💬 Simeon Brown: These are received under the Official Information Act, the two briefings the Minister’s recently received regarding prisoner assaults.

💬 SPEAKER: And have they been released only to the member?

💬 Simeon Brown: So far.

💬 SPEAKER: So, yes. Is there any objection to that? There appears to be none.

Document, by leave, laid on the Table of the House.

Question No. 11—Seniors

11. to the Minister for Seniors: How are older New Zealanders benefiting from increased income support which came into force from 1 April?

The nearly 830 New Zealanders receiving New Zealand superannuation or the veteran’s pension saw a 3.1 percent increase in their pension rates after tax. Single superannuitants now take home almost $437 per week after tax, a more than $13 per week increase. A superannuitant couple now receives $672 per week between them, more than $20 extra per week.

💬 Greg O’Connor: How does the 1 April increase in national superannuation levels compare with previous increases?

💬 Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: The 3.1 percent increase in pension rates reflects wages continuing to increase faster than inflation, as measured by the Consumers Price Index. It’s the biggest increase to New Zealand superannuation and veteran’s pension rates in 10 years and demonstrates this Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting older New Zealanders.

💬 Greg O’Connor: What other measures have the Government put in place to support older New Zealanders?

💬 Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: In addition to their superannuation or veteran’s pension, superannuitants also benefit from the Government’s winter energy payment, which this year is worth an extra $20.46 a week for a single superannuitant and $31.82 a week for couples from 1 May to 1 October. Superannuitants whose partners have large overseas pensions benefited last year from the removal of the so-called spousal deduction. The Government also continues to work with businesses to help superannuitants make the most of their money through the SuperGold card.

Question No. 12—Immigration

12. to the Minister of Immigration: What advice, if any, has he received on the issue of split migrant families, and will he commit to allowing migrant reunification once a trans-Tasman bubble is in place?

The Government has been receiving advice on the effects of the border closure since we closed it over a year ago as part of our strategy to eliminate COVID-19 from our communities. This has included advice on the issue of families of temporary visa holders who may have been having difficulties because of our border closure. The advice I have received has also set out where we have been able to make changes to allow some of these families to come together as capacity has allowed, including 1,000 normally resident temporary visa holders, and partners and dependants from visa waiver countries. We will continue to consider these situations and what further measures we can introduce to assist families that may be having difficulties with the border closure. It’s important to remember that we’ve had nearly 130,000 people safely come across the border and through our managed isolation and quarantine system, and the overwhelming majority of those have been New Zealanders, who have an absolute right to come home. I understand the Prime Minister will address the trans-Tasman bubble this afternoon, and I would not want to get ahead of that.

💬 Erica Stanford: What does he say to Cameron Conradie, a mathematics teacher from the Hutt Valley, who has not seen his two sons in over a year and has no choice right now but to leave New Zealand if he wants to see his family?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: I would say to that individual and many others who are in his situation that we understand the difficulties that he is in, but we also have extreme challenges in making sure that we keep New Zealand safe at the border, and our border settings, we believe, are appropriate in order to do that. As I say, it is a balance of priorities around keeping New Zealanders safe, also recognising that New Zealanders have the right to come home and go through managed isolation.

💬 Erica Stanford: How much longer does he expect our migrant workers to stay in New Zealand without their partners and children if he won’t commit to a time frame?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Look, a lot of those families will be in different situations around the length of time that they’ve had in New Zealand. As I have said to the member during a number of question times, we are currently considering options for that. I would again stress that that is balancing the likes of keeping New Zealanders safe, and managed isolation capacity, and I believe the results to date show that New Zealanders trust our judgment when it comes to our border settings.

💬 Erica Stanford: Does he think that it’s acceptable that migrants have to appear on TV3 news, crying over pictures of their children they haven’t seen in a year, in order for him to simply take considerations into account after ignoring the problems for nine months?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: As I have said already during this line of questioning, we acknowledge the difficult situations that those families are in. I think they would also acknowledge the difficulty and complexity of having to manage the border in order to get to the state that New Zealand currently is in, where we are considering options such as the trans-Tasman bubble. Those are complex decisions. We understand, as I’ve said, that we can, along the way, take into consideration some of those groups who are facing difficulties with the border settings, but our primary concern is making sure that we can keep New Zealanders safe, and I would stress again: New Zealanders trust our judgment on those settings.

Ricardo Menéndez March: Will the Minister allow separated couples from non - visa waiver countries, such as India, to apply for partnership visas on the same terms and criteria as applicants from visa waiver countries?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: There are already settings that we believe are appropriate for non - visa waiver countries. Again, this is about making sure that we manage the border settings to keep New Zealanders safe. In consideration of that, too, it is about the capacity of and ability of New Zealanders to come as well. These are all the complex issues that we take into consideration when we are assessing some of the difficult situations that people find themselves in.

💬 Erica Stanford: Why is it that when his office told media on 24 February that the Minister expects to get advice on the migrant—

💬 SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Sorry, I’ll get the member to start the question again. It sounded like it was going out of order, but it mightn’t be.

💬 Erica Stanford: Why is it that when his office told the media on 24 February that the Minister expects to get advice on the migrant nurse anomaly from officials in the next few weeks, nearly six weeks later, nothing has been announced?

💬 Hon KRIS FAAFOI: Because that’s probably an accurate statement.