Turei Metiria: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to MembersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeTurei Metiria: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members[Sitting date: 09 December 2015. Volume:710;Page:8683. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]1.METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “I will lead a Government that will govern for all New Zealanders”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Mr Speaker with your indulgence and the indulgence of members I will not be giving an adjournment debate speech this afternoon so can I just take a moment to wish you Mr Speaker a very merry Christmas and wish all the members of the House a merry Christmas and safety for them and their families. In answer to the question from the member the answer is yes.Metiria Turei: What then is his response to Chelsea from Auckland who asks: “Prime Minister will you put a stop to mining fossil fuels and make a world-leading push towards sustainable energy?”Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In answer to the question from Chelsea the answer is no. We will not be stopping the mining of fossil fuels in New Zealand but I am proud to be one of the leaders who got together in Paris to support the fossil fuel subsidy reform which will see hopefully a situation where countries will no longer actually be subsidising the consumption of those fuels which sees half a trillion US dollars spent in that area with only 8 percent of that expenditure going to the bottom quintile. New Zealand produces some fossil fuels and frankly if they were not bought from New Zealand they would be bought from other countries around the world.Metiria Turei: What is the Prime Minister’s response to Donna from Christchurch who asks: “Prime Minister will you support the legitimate expectation of Cantabrians to return to full democracy during the 2016 local body elections?”Rt Hon JOHN KEY: What I would say is that the Government is working towards restoration of a fully elected council. I do not think that will be happening in 2016 from the top of my mind; I think it is half-appointed and half-elected. The reason for that of course is that Environment Canterbury was suspended by the Government and I think rightfully so because it was the worst-performing council in New Zealand: 84th out of 84th. It had failed over many many years—in fact decades—to get an operable water plan. I think most people would actually say that the commission of work led by Dame Margaret Bazley has done an outstanding job. But we do look forward to democracy being reformed; we just hope that people of the quality of Dame Margaret Bazley will be elected to the new council.Metiria Turei: What is his response to Max from Porirua who asks: “Prime Minister will you refuse to deal with Saudi Arabia and its abhorrent human rights record stand up to Australia’s disgusting treatment of asylum seekers and those detained on Christmas Island and will you commit to human rights by permanently increasing the refugee quota?”Rt Hon JOHN KEY: There are many parts to that question so let me deal with just the last part of it. Next year there will be a formal review undertaken by the Government—as occurs every so often—about the refugee quota and I would not want to jump in front of that review.Metiria Turei: What is his response to Zoe from Wellington who asks: “Prime Minister will you make a solid push towards pay equity for all genders combat the high rates of domestic violence and once again prove to the world as we did in 1893 that in New Zealand women are valued as much as their male counterparts?”Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well I would say to the member that she is probably aware that the Government is currently in negotiations with the unions looking to try to find a way through the pay equity issues that were raised as a result of the Terranova case. Again I would not want to prejudge the outcomes of those but the Government is working constructively with the unions to try to find a way of addressing the concerns of the situation prior to it actually having to be referred back to the courts.Metiria Turei: What is the Prime Minister’s response to Charlotte from Auckland who asks: “Prime Minister for 2016 I want to save the last 45 Māui’s dolphins before it is too late so will you please rethink your position on this matter and extend the Māui’s dolphins’ habitat?”Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well what I would say is that the Government has already extended the habitat as we can get the best scientific advice on Māui’s dolphins but there has been no scientific advice to support further extension. If there was the Government would act.Metiria Turei: And what is his response to Olive from Waikanae who asks: “Prime Minister will you have a nice Christmas and reflect on a warrant of fitness for rental houses a living wage no child going hungry a much greener New Zealand and tougher penalties for polluting the environment and for people ill-treating and abusing children and animals?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In answer to the first part of the question I think I will have a lovely Christmas. Of course I will miss the member in particular but I am sure we can correspond with one another via texts or something and make sure we are enjoying the celebrations we deserve.David Seymour: What is the Prime Minister’s response to Aroha from Kawerau who asks why the Prime Minister cannot confront the sustainability of New Zealand superannuation and allow us to have a discussion about raising the age?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I say to Aroha that given she is 64½ and about to turn 65 in early 2016 I am not going to whip the rug out from underneath her—as I would not do to any other New Zealander so near to retirement age.David Seymour: What is the Prime Minister’s response to Fred from Te Kūiti who complains that the tax on capital is one of the highest in the OECD for New Zealand firms seeking capital from overseas and asks whether that rate can be dropped progressively to the same rate as the Māori authority rate of 17.5 percent?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I say to Fred that no that is very unlikely and he should go and see his neighbour Jim Bolger who is always much better at answering those more difficult questions.