Pillay Lynne: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Pillay Lynne: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:615;Page:10992] 
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
: 
 It is with pride that I stand to speak in support of the Prime Minister’s statement. Along with my colleagues I celebrate this Government’s achievements and our commitment to deal with the hard issues. 
Let me tell the House about events in my electorate of Waitakere over the past week. Waitangi Day was great. Four marae throughout the area welcomed the community and race relations representatives from overseas. There was a real cross section of people—young old new immigrants Kiwis whose families had been here for generations and a myriad of different cultures. For many it was their first time on a marae. They came because they wanted to know what a marae was like. They came because they wanted to know what the treaty was about. They came because they wanted to gain some understanding of Maori culture. 
The invitation was extended to them because Maori wanted to show what a marae was like. They wanted to explain what the treaty meant to them and they wanted to talk about their culture—and they did it with real humour at times so there was a meeting of minds. With knowledge comes understanding and with understanding comes tolerance and that is what race relations in New Zealand is about. I hasten to add that there was no mudslinging. Sure there was some debate but is that not what democracy is about? 
The race relations representatives were very impressed especially in recognising that we are the only country in the world that has a treaty and that there is a way to work through issues no matter how challenging for the ultimate good of all New Zealanders. People left those marae with a much deeper understanding and not once did we hear the terms “we are all one people” or “race-based funding”. 
Later in the week I attended another primary health organisation opening. It was a joint venture between the Waipareira Trust a Maori health provider and Waitakere Union Health Centre. This new primary health organisation brings enrolment numbers throughout Waitakere City to over 140000. That is cheaper health-care for more under-18-year-olds and from July this year for those citizens over 65. Primary health organisations are really good news stories for the health of New Zealanders. 
What about Dr “Let’s take a quantum leap backwards” Brash and his views on employing Maori? He would employ non-Maori in preference to Maori because he thinks that under the Holidays Act Maori have enhanced bereavement leave entitlements. That is absolute rot. The Act specifies that any leave over and above the statutory entitlements is at the employer’s discretion. I have worked in industrial relations as a unionist—another group on Dr Brash’s hit list—for over 16 years and I have never encountered on any occasion any abuse of discretionary bereavement leave or any dispute over it. Dr Brash’s statement is an insult to Maori an insult to workers and an insult to employers in this country. 
Fortunately our enlightened employers do not share his prejudice. Maori unemployment has dropped from 14.36 percent in March 2000 to 9.7 percent in September this year. Over 40000 more Maori are now in work than they were in 1999 under National. Maori in work support has an over 80 percent success rate in achieving stable long-term work incomes. 
What about unemployment generally? Our initiatives are working. Unemployment is its lowest in 16 years at 4.6 percent. There are more people in work now than at any other time in our history. Since Labour formed the Government 176000 more people are in jobs. New Zealand is below Australia below the USA and below the OECD average unemployment rate. It is below that of any of our trading partners. 
But this does not happen by chance. This happens by good leadership and good government. It happens through Government initiatives like matching skills to job opportunities like making tertiary education more affordable like assisting young people into trades through the Gateway programme through the Modern Apprenticeships scheme with over 6000 young people in apprenticeships and through industry training. Nearly 90000 young people—and older people—are in industry training. It happens by supporting small businesses—the lead performer in the economy and a 5.5 percent expansion in activity in the last year. 
It happens through fairer employment laws. The latest stats show that work stoppages have decreased in the third year in a row under the Employment Relations Act—the Act that the Opposition claimed would wreck the country business and the economy. Strikes would run rampant workers would hold their employers to ransom and unions would wreck business. Yeah right! Now Opposition members are in a frenzy. Well it is a subdued frenzy—their sort of frenzy—about improved holiday conditions for workers. It is the same tired old story. They said 4 weeks’ paid leave would wreck the country businesses and the economy. Yeah right! 
If the Opposition benches are not banging on about Maori or unions they are banging on about immigrants. Well the talent visa project has helped over 220 employers recruit people to fill skill shortages by targeting talented and skilled people around the world. 
So far this term has been great for me. It is great to be part of a Government that is good and stable tackles the issues and tells it how it is. People on the Opposition benches go around in funny hats and they bag the Government; but we are here we are stable and we are proud to be a Government that is delivering. It is delivering for all New Zealanders—for families for their children for workers through opportunity and fairness for businesses by providing support. Name it and we can do it! 
I feel proud to stand here in this House—in my first term of many I know of a Labour-led Government—and applaud the things we are doing. We have much to do but we will have a lot of time to do it and we look forward to doing it.