Oral Questions

1. to the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities: What progress, if any, has this Government made towards addressing the issues identified by rainbow communities in the first Counting Ourselves survey 2019, in light of the second survey being launched today?

I am aware that recommendation eight of the survey is focused on ethnic communities. I also know that since taking office, the then Office of Ethnic Communities started building relationships across rainbow communities. There has been a focus by the Ministry for Ethnic Communities to continue developing and strengthening those relationships. I also know that the priorities and the strategy of the new Ministry for Ethnic Communities were developed with input from rainbow ethnic communities, and that they are also named as a priority group within the strategy. Furthermore, the ministry has provided funding to rainbow communities through the ethnic communities development fund, and that includes funding to the Wellington Pride Festival and projects by Adhikaar Aotearoa. The ministry continues to build strong relationships and is also part of the cross-agency rainbow network that’s a forum for collaboration across the Public Service to raise the profile of rainbow communities and their inclusion within the broader Public Service. Finally, with regard to the Counting Ourselves survey, I know that the ministry has been working with the agency administering the survey to ensure that the voices of rainbow ethnic communities are included as part of that survey so as to be able to inform future work as well. Just finally, the responsibility to support and address issues faced by our rainbow communities sits across Government, rather than in just one portfolio or one agency. We can see that quite clearly in the work undertaken by my colleagues across the health, justice, and youth portfolios.

💬 Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: What progress, is she aware of, has been made on enabling clear pathways for gender-affirming healthcare, including gender-affirming surgeries, given the unmet need for healthcare is as high as 67 percent?

💬 SPEAKER: In so far as you’re responsible. There’s an element in there that I don’t think you are.

💬 Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I mentioned, in as far as I’m responsible as the Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities, I think I’ve outlined the work that the ministry’s been doing in this space. There is work towards the issue that the member’s raised, but that sits within the delegations of the Associate Minister of Health.

💬 Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: Will she work with her officials to ensure resources are dedicated to health and wellbeing initiatives led by trans and non-binary communities and organisations, such as PATHA, the Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa, to ensure equitable outcomes for rainbow people?

💬 SPEAKER: Again, in so far as the Minister is responsible.

💬 Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Yeah, thank you, Mr Speaker. Once again, I am aware that there is work under way across Government that sits within various portfolios. I also know that, from conversations with the Minister for Youth, there is funding towards those communities through the youth portfolio too.

💬 Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: What progress, if she’s aware of it, has been made to better protect trans and non-binary people from discrimination, which two-thirds of them experience?

💬 Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: I thank the member for the question because we do know that, particularly, young people within rainbow communities are at greater risk of being discriminated against, bullied, and harassed. All of my portfolios stand against that sort of behaviour that we’ve seen quite recently perpetrated on rainbow young people in their spaces as well. As I mentioned, you know, through the Ministry for Ethnic Communities more broadly, there is funding to support the wellbeing of rainbow ethnic communities, and equally through other portfolio-specific funding towards supporting their wellbeing as well.

💬 Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: Does she support making gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Human Rights Act, and, if so, why has the Government decided not to progress this work?

💬 Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: I don’t have responsibility for that. I understand that that falls within the portfolio responsibilities of my colleague Minister Allan.

💬 Dr Elizabeth Kerekere: Does she believe that a new ministry for rainbow issues would help address and pull together the range of concerns raised in the 2019 Counting Ourselves report?

💬 Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: As I’ve pointed to in previous responses, there is work under way across various portfolios that this Government is responsible for—more broadly, right from banning conversion therapy to being the first Government to provide targeted nation-wide funding for mental health services supporting rainbow young people, reducing wait times for gender-affirming surgery, and lifting the cap on the number of publicly funded surgeries. I think it’s clear from the track record of this Government that there’s a fair bit of work under way across various Government agencies and portfolios, and that’s how it should be.

Question No. 2—Prime Minister

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

on behalf of the Prime Minister: On behalf of the Prime Minister, yes, particularly our work to improve access to mental wellbeing services by expanding the school-based Mana Ake wellbeing programme to more than 3,000 primary- and intermediate-aged school children living on the West Coast. Mana Ake is a school-based programme that gives around 195,000 children the skills and support to deal with issues that include grief, loss, parental separation, and bullying. It also provides advice, guidance, and workshops for parents, whānau, and teachers. Budget 2022 provided $90 million of funding over four years for the Mana Ake programme to enable ongoing service delivery in Canterbury and Kaikōura and start new services in Northland, Counties Manukau, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, and on the West Coast.

💬 Nicola Willis: Does she stand by her statement in May this year that “We are not doing any work on any additional tax policy.”, and how does she reconcile that statement with Cabinet’s decision to change KiwiSaver tax policy?

On behalf of the Prime Minister, every Government in every year, through Inland Revenue, will look at ways to refine and improve the tax system. If the member is seriously suggesting that no work should be done around tax integrity or tax avoidance issues, that perhaps speaks more to the member’s priorities.

💬 Nicola Willis: Has she asked the Minister of Revenue about what other new revenue-gathering taxes he might be cooking up, and, if not, why not?

On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister stays in contact with her Ministers on a regular basis and is very confident in the work of the Minister of Revenue.

💬 Nicola Willis: Is she aware that the Minister of Revenue has a new IRD unit of six full-time employees working on a capital gains research project, and can she explain to New Zealanders what the purpose of this unit is if not to cook up new taxes?

On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister is not aware of what the member has said. What the Prime Minister is aware of is that the Minister of Revenue has been undertaking work which was publicised at the time of the Budget to make sure that all New Zealanders pay their fair share of tax—that, we know, is not an issue that’s important to the National Party, given their tax policy.

💬 Nicola Willis: Well, in light of that statement and the Prime Minister’s attraction to this capital gains unit, will she rule out introducing tax changes for residential property?

On behalf of the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister has been very clear that there are no new taxes being created by this Government, beyond that on which we campaigned. Given that the Leader of the Opposition is now taking his policy advice from the Minister of Finance, can I suggest that the National Party would be better off focusing on whether or not giving tax cuts to the wealthiest New Zealanders represents good policy. I might do a general debate on that next time.

💬 Nicola Willis: Are you regretting the last general debate? Was Cabinet informed of any alternative—

💬 SPEAKER: The member knows that she shouldn’t start supplementaries with a narrative of the previous answer to the question that’s been considered. Consider yourself told off!

💬 Nicola Willis: Was Cabinet informed of any alternative options for dealing with KiwiSaver GST—for example, option three from this regulatory impact statement, which proposed simply making all KiwiSaver fees exempt from GST, providing the Minister of Revenue’s much-sought consistency, and reducing the tax burden by $20 million?

On behalf of the Prime Minister, all of the options that were considered by the Minister of Revenue and other Ministers had both pros and cons. The example that the member gives would have seen smaller New Zealand providers potentially be far worse off than the current status quo situation. I repeat for the member: if the member wants to think about tax policy that is going to make New Zealanders better off, she should consider taking the advice of the Minister of Finance and ditching a tax cut for the highest-earning New Zealanders.

💬 Nicola Willis: Who does she blame for yesterday’s KiwiSaver tax debacle: the Minister of Revenue for proposing it, the Minister of Finance for encouraging it, or herself for leading the Cabinet that agreed to it?

On behalf of the Prime Minister, Inland Revenue, throughout its history, will look at proposals to be able to refine and improve the tax system. Where there is good public policy to make consistent the tax system, the Government will look at that. In this case, that particular policy was not appreciated by those that it was designed to help, and ran the risk, because of the way it was being interpreted, of undermining the KiwiSaver system.

💬 Nicola Willis: When will that Prime Minister seek to ever make anyone responsible for their failures in her Government, including the cost of living payment being paid out to ineligible people, and a new tax on KiwiSaver that went to wipe a hundred billion dollars of New Zealanders’ savings?

On behalf of the Prime Minister, I stand by the record of the Government in making sure that we got New Zealanders through COVID; that we have an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent, one of the lowest in our history; and we have one of the lowest levels of public debt in the world. This Government is standing alongside New Zealanders. Today, New Zealanders will get the second tranche of the cost of living payment, for those earning less than $70,000 a year. The member used to think it was important to look after those people. She doesn’t want to do anything in that direction; she wants to cut taxes for the highest-income earners. We are the ones who have stepped up to support low and middle income earners.

Question No. 3—Finance

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

The ANZ New Zealand Business Outlook for August was released yesterday, and it showed that business confidence had recovered somewhat while firms’ own confidence in their activity had also risen. Nevertheless, sentiment does remain subdued amidst what are very challenging conditions for businesses as they deal with high inflation and ongoing supply constraints. While economic growth is forecast to slow this year, the resilience of the New Zealand economy and our strong fiscal position means that we are in a good position to support New Zealanders to deal with these challenges.

💬 Helen White: What did the report have to say about business activity and its impact on the economy?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: General activity indicators including hiring and investment intentions also lifted, which ANZ noted was good news. ANZ said there was a mood lift that was evident among manufacturers, agriculture, and services firms.

💬 Helen White: What other reports has he seen on business investing in the economy?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The overseas merchandise trade figures show businesses are investing to improve the country’s productivity and support our recovery. Last month, Statistics New Zealand reported that imports of mechanical machinery and equipment rose 19 percent, to $1 billion, in July. On an annual basis, imports of mechanical machinery and equipment rose 26 percent, to $11 billion.

💬 Helen White: What other reports has he seen on the economy?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: CoreLogic’s House Price Index, which measures changes to property values, declined 1.8 percent in August, compared with a 0.9 percent drop in July. For the quarter, prices fell by 3.5 percent. CoreLogic is expecting further declines in prices, but they noted that credit arrears remain low as a strong labour market with low unemployment is supporting households with their mortgage repayments.

💬 Helen White: What reports has he seen on the international context for the economy?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: New Zealand is not alone in feeling the effects of global inflation trends. The EU has reported that inflation rose 9.1 percent in August, compared with 8.9 percent in the previous month. In the UK, there are forecasts for inflation that range between 13 and 22 percent for the year. Nevertheless, in New Zealand—

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: Are we short of gas?

💬 Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Well, that member’s not. Nevertheless, in New Zealand, wages are outstripping inflation and most economists are forecasting that inflation has now peaked, although it will remain elevated for some time at levels above what we have recently experienced. That is why the Government continues to support New Zealanders, including low and middle income New Zealanders, through the cost of living payment that we’ll pay out for the second time today.

Question No. 4—Housing

4. to the Minister of Housing: How many KiwiBuild houses were built in July 2022, if any, and was this more or fewer than the number of KiwiBuild houses built in June 2022?

Six KiwiBuild homes were completed in June 2022. Early indications from our development partners showed that a further 10 homes were completed in July. As the Government underwrite was a tool designed to sustain housing construction during a cooling market, I’m not surprised by these low numbers. I note the build pipeline for homes in Government-backed developments is expected to increase in coming months, and we’ve received significant interest in the scheme from developers.

Brooke van Velden: Does she stand by her statement “I note that January is always the quietest month in the building sector.”, and, if so, how does she reconcile that with the Housing Dashboard stating that zero new KiwiBuild homes were built in both June and July?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The member is incorrect to say the Housing Dashboard says that zero homes were completed in KiwiBuild in June. The Housing Dashboard is, of course, updated on the last Wednesday of every month, and it was yesterday, and what the member will see is that there were six KiwiBuild homes that were delivered in June. Public housing numbers are updated when they’re triggered by code compliance certificates being issued. KiwiBuild numbers are updated when developers report completion because there’s not an automatic trigger, so there sometimes can be a one- or two-month lag in those figures coming through. But, as I said, early indicators from the development community is July will deliver 10.

💬 Shanan Halbert: What interest has been received recently in the Government’s underwrite scheme KiwiBuild?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: In the context of the current headwinds being experienced in the housing market, we’ve received significant interest from developers in recent months. I’m advised that in the last month alone, the Government has received 40 proposals to the scheme. To put this into perspective, there have been 29 proposals put in the previous two years. Given the significant interest from experienced housing developers and our changes to the scheme’s settings for Government-backed developers, I expect momentum to increase in the next six to 12 months. We’ve already seen this taking place with KiwiBuild homes under construction as at July 2022 being 1,349, which is an over 10 percent increase to the 1,223 homes at the end of June.

Brooke van Velden: Does she stand by her statement that “KiwiBuild hasn’t delivered the numbers we initially set out to do”, and does she believe that six homes is an acceptable number of new KiwiBuild homes?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: In answer to the first part of the question, yes. And in answer to the second part of the question, as I’ve explained to the member, what we are seeing is that KiwiBuild was not a tool that was going to be of significant utility during a heated housing market. If we look back over the last 18 months to two years, when you’d expect those developments to be signed up to KiwiBuild, developers simply did not need that tool in a hot market. Twenty-nine proposals were received over the last two years combined. As I have outlined in an answer to an earlier question, in the last month alone we have received 40 proposals.

Brooke van Velden: Is she going to borrow the big zeros from Waka Kotahi’s Road to Zero advertisement to advertise KiwiBuild’s progress when the Housing Dashboard still shows that there are zero homes built in July?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The member should listen to the answers that are given in the House—I imagine she just had to amend that answer from the one she had written on her page. As I said, early indicators from developers are that there are around 10 homes that are delivered in July.

Question No. 5—Energy and Resources

5. to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What action is the Government taking to support access to cheaper, cleaner energy for people in public and Māori housing?

The Government is rolling out 16 small-scale solar projects across New Zealand to support more households to access clean, affordable, locally generated electricity. Through the third round of the Māori Housing Renewable Energy Fund, 150 Māori households will directly benefit from improved energy affordability. Even more households will benefit through energy sharing.

💬 Arena Williams: How will this help recipients reduce their energy bills?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: It will vary based on the household, but I’m advised recipients should get estimated savings annually of between $700 and $850 per household. Projects from earlier funding rounds are reporting that installing equipment like solar panels and household batteries has made a huge difference to whānau struggling with their power bills. Some have had their power bills drop by 30 to 50 percent, including some recipients saving over $1,000 a year.

💬 Arena Williams: Why has the Government selected these 16 solar projects for funding?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: Round three focuses on projects that are more innovative or in areas not well represented by projects that have already received funding in earlier rounds. There is approximately $3 million available for smaller-scale projects that should support at least four houses, with the remaining $5 million for larger-scale projects. This reflects the growing ambition that Māori organisations have for the role of renewable energy in their communities. Successful applications for the larger-scale projects are expected to be announced in early 2023.

💬 Arena Williams: Where are these projects happening?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: These projects are spread across the country, reaching communities that don’t always see investment. There are seven projects in Northland, three in Waikato, one in Auckland, one in the Bay of Plenty, one in the Hawke’s Bay, one in Whanganui, one in Masterton, and one in Motueka.

💬 Arena Williams: Can the Minister give an example of how communities are benefiting from this funding?

💬 Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: This funding round committed $400,000 to Mangatawa Papamoa Blocks Incorporation for a solar array and community battery for the Bay of Plenty. This solar smart grid across 35 homes in a papakāinga will feed into a community battery. This will enable energy sharing across houses, improving the community’s resilience and independence.

Question No. 6—Revenue

6. to the Minister of Revenue: Was he correct when he said of the KiwiSaver tax back-down that it was the decision of “[him]self and the Minister of Finance, as was the decision to put them in in the first place”, and what other potential tax changes, if any, are officials currently working on?

The assertion in the member’s question is incorrect. I did not refer to decisions around the standardisation of GST treatment of managed funds as a KiwiSaver tax back-down. IRD, as stewards of the tax system, continually monitors for improvements, as they did under the National Government. Inland Revenue’s work programme is currently available on Inland Revenue’s website.

💬 Nicola Willis: Was the Cabinet paper proposing changes to the tax treatment of KiwiSaver fees a joint paper between the Minister of Revenue and Minister of Finance, and what specific involvement did the Minister of Finance have in the development of the KiwiSaver tax proposal?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: In answer to the first part of the question, no, the paper was in my name. In respect of the second question, obviously, the Minister of Finance was involved in the Cabinet decision, as were all Cabinet Ministers, and, as the member should be well aware, having worked for the Rt Hon Bill English, the Minister of Finance is involved in policy discussions and decisions on tax matters, as he is on numerous other policy areas.

💬 Nicola Willis: When he was asked yesterday if he thought residential property is treated unfairly from a tax perspective, and he said, “they’d be right on that, but we haven’t got that fixed yet”, what was the fix he had in mind?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: I don’t recall the context of either the question or the statement that’s been put to me, but in respect of the assertion earlier in a question that was put to the Prime Minister by the member, when she asserted that I have Inland Revenue, with a six-person unit, working on a capital gains tax, that’s just plainly wrong.

💬 Nicola Willis: Why did he issue a press release about the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2022-23, Platform Economy, and Remedial Matters) Bill without any reference to the KiwiSaver provisions contained in it, which was set to bring in more tax revenue than all the other proposals combined?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: Because I didn’t expect it was to be as contentious as the proposals to charge GST on Airbnb and Uber share services.

💬 Nicola Willis: When he said yesterday of his proposed KiwiSaver tax, “We didn’t think it would be an issue.”, did he consider that he is, perhaps, out of touch with the wishes of New Zealanders, who believe wiping $100 billion from their KiwiSaver savings is a bit of an issue?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: It was never a tax on KiwiSaver, despite the misrepresentations that have been made. I would quote from today’s National Business Review, quoting from a PricewaterhouseCoopers tax partner, who said, “The application of GST to fund management services was a mess and needed sorting, with a wide range of varying treatments by providers. Some were covered by informal agreements made by IRD 20 years ago, while many of the newer or boutique fund managers were simply accepting full GST. That leads to some distortions and complexity.” That said, it was obvious that we lost that in the first day because of an orchestrated campaign led by the Financial Services Council. Sometimes, you know you can’t win and it’s best to retreat early.

💬 Nicola Willis: Has he asked his Cabinet colleagues whether, following the KiwiSaver tax debacle, they have reflected on James K Baxter’s words in his poem, “The Bay”,

How many roads we take that lead to Nowhere,

The alley overgrown, no meaning now but loss?

💬 SPEAKER: In so far as the Minister is responsible.

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: I would say the better saying would be,

You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em

Know when to fold ‘em.

Question No. 7—Conservation

7. to the Minister of Conservation: What is the significance of Conservation Week 2022, and what does it aim to achieve?

Meitaki e te Vaa Tuatua. Next week, we mark Conservation Week, which is our opportunity each year to increase awareness of, and connection with, our natural world. Every year, thousands of New Zealanders roll up their sleeves and get involved in conservation activities at home or attend one of the many events across the country. Engaging with nature benefits our environment and also ourselves: Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tangata. When the land is well, the people are well; and when Papatūānuku thrives, we all thrive. This Conservation Week, I encourage all members of this House to get out into our backyard, roll up their sleeves, and support.

💬 Rachel Brooking: What is this year’s theme for Conservation Week?

💬 Hon POTO WILLIAMS: This year marks 53 years of Conservation Week, with the theme “Take a moment to act for nature—e mahi mō te taiao”. The campaign asks people to make a connection between their wellbeing and our environment as simple acts for nature can be beneficial to both themselves and the environment. This was something we all realised during COVID-19 lockdowns and this campaign aims to ensure we don’t forget that special connection.

💬 Rachel Brooking: What events can people participate in to mark Conservation Week?

💬 Hon POTO WILLIAMS: There are a number of things people can do to celebrate Conservation Week, such as organise a community rubbish clean-up, volunteer for a conservation-based organisation, or do something at home like plant a native tree or get involved in a local trapping programme. I will be celebrating this week by visiting the Wildlife Hospital in Dunedin, checking out the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust captive breeding programme in Christchurch, as well as spending a day with our conservation team in the Abel Tasman.

💬 Rachel Brooking: What have been some of the significant conservation achievements in recent years?

💬 Hon POTO WILLIAMS: This Government has prioritised conservation as part of our build back better agenda across the country. This has seen us make good progress in protecting our environment and endangered species. The member will be pleased to know that as part of Jobs for Nature there has been 51 employment opportunities created as part of the Tucker Beach reserve project in Queenstown, resulting in over 10,000 riparian plants being planted, 18 hectares of weed control, and two kilometres of new fencing being constructed as of June 2022.

💬 Rachel Brooking: What recent progress has been made to protect endangered birds such as kākāpō?

💬 Hon POTO WILLIAMS: We are making strong progress to restore the population of kākāpō, with numbers increasing by nearly a third from 197 to 252. As the second-biggest breeding season on record, this is the start of a new era for kākāpō conservation. However, we cannot take our eye off the ball. We must continue the important work to protect this critically endangered taonga.

Question No. 8—Environment

8. to the Minister for the Environment: Is he concerned that the estimated 10,000 resource consents necessary for farmers to comply with intensive winter grazing standards will not be issued by the 1 November deadline, and how many farms are currently compliant with winter grazing standards across the country?

Intensive winter grazing releases sediment to waterways. At a 15-degree slope, I’m advised that twice as much sediment is lost as at 10 degrees, and at a 20-degree slope, the amount of sediment lost is 300 percent. Under the intensive winter grazing regulations, intensive winter grazing is a permitted activity on slopes up to 10 percent. Ministry for Primary Industries modelling at the time of that showed that a very small percentage of fodder crops are on slopes of more than 10 percent. I’m advised the 10,000 number referred to by the member is based on an aggregate of theoretical maximum amounts of intensive winter grazing, and that that has not been verified on the ground and is likely to be on the high side. None the less, I have asked my officials to look into the expected number.

💬 Mark Cameron: What would the Minister say to farmers shelling out an estimated $1,500 to $10,000 for a resource consent with no guarantee that it will arrive in time to sow their winter crops?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: Well, I’m not in a position to give advice to farmers as to how to manage those costs, except to say that when a resource consent is applied for and granted, it is generally a multi-year consent, so those costs are spread over a long time. In respect of the time period, this has been coming for some years. In respect of the people that do have intensive winter grazing that is on slopes of greater than 10 degrees or that are concerned that they might infringe the rules, they should contact their regional council early. In fact, the rules don’t apply to the planting of crops; they apply to the grazing of them, which will generally be from the onset of winter next year. But I would encourage people to contact their councils earlier so that there are no untoward surprises.

💬 Mark Cameron: Does the Minister stand by his statement made in relation to extending the 1 November deadline, “I’m not convinced that that is necessary, but I will consider it.”; if so, has he considered it?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: Yes, I do stand by that quote and I am considering it. I do think it’s important that we do have some constraint on poor intensive winter grazing process and we do that through the Resource Management Act. The ways in which I am considering it include the verification of the number of consents that the member has referred to and consideration, if that number is too high—and it may not be, but if it was—how we could address the worst end of the problem. We are making progress on this issue as a country, as a consequence of both central government, local government, and farmer action, but that doesn’t mean to say that we should turn our back on the worst, most risky practices.

💬 Mark Cameron: So will the Minister delay the deadline for intensive winter grazing compliance to ease the burden on overstretched regional councils and allow farmers to get their crops in the ground ready for next winter; if not, why?

💬 Hon DAVID PARKER: Well, I’m advised that this will not overwhelm regional councils, even if we were to proceed as the current law says. I’m also advised that, in respect of some applications for resource consent which have already been made, some have been turned around by councils in a matter of days; it’s a non-notified application.

Question No. 9—Justice

9. to the Minister of Justice: Does she stand by all her statements and actions on youth justice?

Yes, in the context in which they were made.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: Why did she dispute that there has been a 500 percent increase in ram raids since 2018 on radio yesterday?

💬 Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: Because I am advised that the most recent full years of data available is that in 2018, there were 84 incidents and in 2021, there were 303 incidents—an increase of 260 percent in that period. Regardless of the number, I think we can all collectively agree that an increase in this particular type of youth offending is dissatisfactory to all of us.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: What does she say to the Hamilton mum who believes kids, including her son, are being exploited by organised criminals: “It’s insane to think about it, but look at what’s going on … 14-year-olds ram-raiding, absolutely giving no Fs about anyone.”?

💬 Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: To that mother, I would say that we collectively are all concerned about the increase in activity in youth ram-raid offending, in particular. While over the past 10 years we have seen a steady decrease in youth offending, we have seen a particular spike in a couple of areas—both Auckland—and in particular types of crime, like youth ram raids. So to that mother, I would say, “This Government takes these things seriously.” We have seen, since 2017, 268 prosecutions for a range of ram-raid - related offending and 324 youth referrals. We will continue to ensure that the policy settings are correct to combat these types of rises.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does she think the youth justice system is sending a clear and effective message about community concerns over youth crime, when just sentences to youth justice residences declined by 50 percent while ram raids have increased over 500 percent?

💬 Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: To the statement that I just said prior, overall, there has been a decrease in youth criminal offending over the past 10 years. We’ve seen that nationwide, and what we have seen is a sharp increase in this particular offending, which is unsatisfactory. As I just stated, there have been 768 prosecutions for a range of ram-raid - related offences and 324 youth referrals over the past couple of years. These are serious offences and we can see that the police, and indeed the other parts of the system, are taking this seriously.

💬 Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does the Government believe serious and persistent youth offenders currently face sufficient consequences for the damage they inflict on victims and their communities?

💬 Hon KIRITAPU ALLAN: I think there are a range of issues that we, as a Government, need to consider in terms of ensuring that the policy settings are ongoing and constantly fit for purpose. On this side of the House, this is something that we are working very, I guess, closely on and expect to have some announcements in the next period.

Question No. 10—Education (School Operations)

10. to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations): How is the Government supporting young Kiwis to lift their literacy and reading skills?

The investment the Government has made into evidence-based and community-led projects is delivering positive results evidenced in the latest evaluation from the Reading Together programme, that supports parents and whānau to encourage strong literacy at home. An example in the Samoan community evaluation showed a positive change in reading habits for families, with almost 90 percent of parents feeling more confident in helping their children learn to read.

💬 Marja Lubeck: What are other examples of community-led literacy programmes that are delivering results?

💬 Hon JAN TINETTI: Taonga mō ngā Tamariki is an intergenerational whānau reading and literacy programme for tamariki who have whānau in the care and management of Corrections. The programme has a positive impact by providing books and resources for children and parents, with over 90 percent of participants reporting enhanced knowledge and skills to constructively support their children’s enjoyment of reading.

💬 Marja Lubeck: What work is under way to support kids starting out at school to get the best start to early literacy learning?

💬 Hon JAN TINETTI: Through our Better Start Literacy Approach, all new entrant and year 1 teachers have access to training in an integrated approach to developing critical writing and reading skills in the first year of learning. This approach is steeped in the best of international and domestic research developed by the University of Canterbury over the last 10 years.

💬 Marja Lubeck: How do these programmes fit into the Government’s wider strategy for literacy?

💬 Hon JAN TINETTI: We have released our literacy strategy, which is ensuring solutions are customised to our kids’ needs rather than a one-size-fits-all cookie cutter approach. We’re ensuring assessment is fit for purpose so that kids are assessed as individuals and supports are tailored to the learner, as well as providing clarity for teachers about what they need to teach and when.

💬 Marja Lubeck: How has research and evidence driven the Government’s strategy to lift literacy achievement for Kiwi kids?

💬 Hon JAN TINETTI: Our strategy is evidence based and draws on domestic and international best practice and expert advice. It also caters to the New Zealand context and ensures that we place the learner at the centre and leave nothing to chance.

Question No. 11—Local Government

11. to the Minister of Local Government: Does she agree with Gore District Council Mayor Tracy Hicks, who said, “The Government appears impermeable to seriously entertaining an alternative model for the Three Waters reform”, and does she believe she has adequately addressed the concerns of local government during Three Waters reform?

No and yes.

💬 Simon Watts: Is she concerned that so many councils have called for stormwater infrastructure to be exempted or delayed from integration into her mega entities, and what does it say about her reforms that, years in, there isn’t even consensus over if it’s three waters or two waters?

💬 Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: We established a stormwater technical working group with experts and representation from the sector to deliberate over these very important issues, and we have taken on board their recommendations.

💬 Simon Watts: Does she agree with Hayden Turoa, who said that “Central Government continue to misunderstand, opting for models that pitch community and hapū against each other”, and is she concerned that hapū, councils, and communities feel the Government is turning them against each other?

💬 Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I’m mindful that there are a range of views about the effectiveness of councils working with hapū and mana whenua in this area. Those range of views are taken on board and adopted within the governance model to ensure that councils and mana whenua can work constructively together around Te Mana o te Wai aspirations. That will be an overall improvement to the current system.

💬 Simon Watts: Is she concerned that many mayors, including Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen, have said that instead of helping their communities, these reforms will actively, and I quote, “hinder them”, and why are so many councils still saying they’re better off without her reforms?

💬 Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: Again, there are a range of views amongst mayors and leaders at councils. Take, for example, the Mayor of Ruapehu, Don Cameron, who said, “Reform is essential, where our debt attributed to three waters will be paid back by the [water services entity] and our further work will be properly prioritised and carried out in a timely manner [with no] cost to council,”—and that’s in favour of the reform.

💬 Simon Watts: Can she name a single council previously opposed to Labour’s three waters proposal that supports it because of the changes she’s made, and, if not, what does that say about those changes?

💬 Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: I certainly don’t want to misrepresent the views of councils who have unilaterally supported the need and case for change. How that’s achieved—yes, there are differing views. However, throughout this whole process, we have taken on board, through a range of mechanisms and engagement, those views from councils, and adopted them within the governance representation aspects of the changes being forwarded.

Question No. 12—Courts

12. to the Minister for Courts: What is the Government doing to ease the pressure on the coronial system?

On Wednesday night, I presented the first reading of the Coroners Amendment Bill. This bill will address the coronial backlog in a number of ways. Significantly, it will establish a new judicial position called associate coroner to reduce the coroners’ workload by doing the more administrative, straightforward functions of the coroner. The introduction of this bill, with cross-party support, amends the Coroners Act to give piece of mind to our grieving families who have had loved ones in the coronial system.

💬 Vanushi Walters: What else does the bill do to address the pressure on coroners?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Additionally, this bill will also allow the cause of death to be recorded as unascertained natural causes, when the coroner has concluded that the death is from a natural cause and no further investigation is necessary. And it will provide coroners the sole discretion to decide whether a coronial inquiry should also include an inquest, while maintaining the requirement to consult interested parties and consider their views. These amendments will all help to ease the pressure and reduce the backlog in our coronial system.

💬 Vanushi Walters: Has the Government made further investment to alleviate pressure on coroners?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: Yes. In addition, Budget 2022 delivered operating funding of $28.5 million over four years and $1.6 million of capital funding to help reduce the coronial caseload. This will also allow the appointment of four new permanent coroners and support staff. We know more must be done to improve access to justice for families and whānau, and it is why we as a Government have committed also to a wider, longer-term review of the coronial system as announced earlier in the year.

💬 Chris Penk: Why has the Government taken nearly five years, during which time the average number of active cases at the Coroners Court has exploded to over 6,000, to introduce a bill that is described by the departmental disclosure statement as having no, or only minor, impacts, such that the regulatory impact statement was not even worth producing?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: I disagree with the member. What I will say, though, is members have to be mindful the judiciary lead this. Coroners are members of the judiciary, and we have to respect their independence in the way that they conduct the roles.

💬 Vanushi Walters: Who will be consulted in this longer-term review?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: I indicated at the courts Estimates hearing this year of the need to progress a wider long-term review of the coronial system. It’s my expectation that the review will involve agencies such as the police, judiciary, pathologists, and Ministry of Health, though our focus will remain on keeping our whānau at the centre, and those who have lost a loved one at the heart of our engagement in everything we do.

💬 Vanushi Walters: What role, if any, do cultural practices play in these amendments to the work of coroners?

💬 Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: I acknowledge the critical importance of cultural practices relating to death, particularly for those in our Pacific, ethnic, and faith communities. It’s my expectation that any engagement will also seek to consider and uphold these cultural and faith views. For that reason, this bill complements other work being led by the Ministry of Justice to improve the coronial system, including a project to better integrate culture and tikanga Māori into coronial processes, and by appointing clinical advisers to assist coroners with this cultural component. The combination of all of this will help reduce the wait time grieving families are experiencing in our coronial system, and I do want to emphasise this is a significant part—the cultural intelligence in this work is part of something that that other side doesn’t understand.

I declare the House in committee for consideration of the Appropriation (2022/23 Estimates) Bill.