Goodhew Jo: Debate on Prime Minister’s StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeGoodhew Jo: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement[Sitting date: 16 February 2016. Volume:711;Page:8992. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon JO GOODHEW (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector): It is indeed a pleasure to be here this afternoon and to rise in support of the Prime Minister’s statement and to rise in the knowledge that New Zealanders are looking for steadiness in a Government a Government that will look after the things that they hold dearest to their hearts. So what are they? What are the things that New Zealanders care about? Well they care about their health and they care about law and order. They care about having jobs. In fact they care about education because they know that is the way to the future for their children and they care about the fact that New Zealand looks after those who are in need.So New Zealanders want a Government that actually can deliver on those things and that has a big-picture view on how it will deliver on those things. And I have got to say that it comes back to the economy because if the economy is in good shape and growing as ours currently is—to September last year growth was at 2.3 percent with a predicted 2.7 percent ahead—and is the envy of many other nations with the lowest unemployment rate at 5.3 percent since 2009 well people know that the ship is steady and that the Government is delivering on the things that they care about.So they are a little puzzled to see—as Minister Paula Bennett has stood on her feet and described—the many positions of the Opposition. That in fact tells us why we have a very popular Prime Minister who is delivering on what he said he would do: a brighter future for New Zealand. It does not come by accident and it does not come easily and that is one of the reasons why our Government has set ourselves stretch targets for so many ways we can improve the lives across New Zealand.So let me talk a wee bit about what is going on at the moment. We know that the stability the cohesion that is seen on this side of the House is just what the people of New Zealand have been looking for and it is an absolute privilege to serve in a Government that is working in this way. We have got a good track record and we are busy at the moment delivering on the things that the Prime Minister’s statement outlined to New Zealanders. There was an enormous list of those and I am going to cover off on some of them. In that agenda are a number of examples that I am going to give to the House this afternoon that are related to my portfolios. In that respect I want to talk a little bit about forestry about primary industries about social development and also about the community and voluntary sector.As I said we are a busy Government and this year within the social development portfolio the Government will respond to a review of Child Youth and Family to ensure our most vulnerable children get the care and the protection they deserve. There have been many reports and reviews. It is time to have action that gets things right and that puts children—those very vulnerable children—in the centre of being protected. On that note I also want to allude to an announcement from Minister Anne Tolley today on the 10680 children whose caregivers have received what amounts to $5.18 million of benefit—that is the school and year start-up payments. So that is for caregivers who are receiving either the unsupported child’s benefit or the orphans benefit and it amounts to a really good hand up at the beginning of the year. It is $400 to $550 for each child. There are 135000 eligible for it and thus far 10680 have collected that really helpful start to the year for the most vulnerable children.We are going to be pressing on with our social housing reforms in order to do a better job for tenants as well. What I know is that this is really tough stuff. It is stuff that has not been able to be achieved in the past but we are tackling it as a Government. We are going to be completing the assessment of the emissions trading scheme and I know that many people in the forestry sector are well engaged and submitting on that.In building a stronger economy—and that 2.7 percent predicted growth does not come by accident—that strong economy needs to attract investment. The jobs that will be created out of the economy—not by the Government because that is not sustainable; out of the economy—will be filled by skilled New Zealanders because of our emphasis on upskilling right the way through the education system right from early childhood education where we have record numbers engaged and right through the primary school system where we are actually measuring how young people are getting on and making sure that their families understand how they are getting on. That is a really important part of the triangle: the family the child and the education system and the teachers within it. So that is a really important thing that we are dedicated to and we are seeing great strides in there. We are seeing many more young people getting National Certificate of Educational Achievement level 2. It is tough but it is worth putting our effort our shoulder into that.I want to move on a little bit to talk about primary industries. As we know primary industries have been very much at the centre of the debate at the moment around the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). I thought I would deal with not the conjecture not the misinformation not the “it might happen” and not the scaremongering—I would stick to the facts. When I have been addressing public audiences in the Rangitata electorate they have been really interested in the facts and they have said: “Oh really? Gosh I wish we knew that when we were watching all the protesters.” So fact No. 1 it was 2 weeks ago when we hosted the signing of the TPP agreement. Fact No. 2 there are 12 Asia-Pacific countries in it. Fact No. 3 it is our biggest free-trade deal. And fact No. 4 is something that is often forgotten in the rhetoric of the Opposition—successive Governments have worked to get free-trade agreements with countries like the United States and like Japan and Canada for about 25 years. Good Lord! This should be something to celebrate then should it not? It will create significant new trade and investment opportunities and it will make it easier because it will reduce barriers for Kiwi companies to work with their overseas business partners. That means more jobs more income for New Zealanders and also more flow-through into the social sector spending.Another fact that seems to have fallen shy of the memories of the Opposition members is that in fact the groundwork was laid by one former Prime Minister Helen Clark alongside Phil Goff. So that is a hard one for them to swallow. As the Prime Minister often says—and he is right—we will never get wealthy just selling to ourselves. We are a country of trade. So if we did not trade in fish what would that mean for Nelson? If we did not trade in kiwifruit where would the Bay of Plenty be? If we did not trade in wine at record levels where would Marlborough and the Wairarapa be?Another fact: there are 800 million customers across Asia and the Pacific. So I just want to briefly touch on a couple of specific examples so that the members can have in their minds a dollar figure. New Zealand exports $839 million in wine into the TPP countries—those 12 nations.Iain Lees-Galloway: What—already?Hon JO GOODHEW: Yes already and with an estimated tariff saving of $10 million per year when the TPP is fully implemented. They are rubbing their hands together because this represents an opportunity for the wine sector.Grant Robertson: What year?Hon JO GOODHEW: Actually I do not have the year in front of me but I absolutely know given that the wine industry put out a press release immediately that it represents a real gain for those people and they are very supportive of it. Why do you not check it out tonight and ask them exactly that?Forestry—$1.5 billion worth of forestry products in the 2014 year into that TPP region. There are estimated savings of $9 million again when it is fully implemented.Iain Lees-Galloway: When is that? Do you have that year in front of you Jo?Hon JO GOODHEW: Most of those gains for forestry are immediate Mr Lees-Galloway—immediate for most of those people as it happens.I am actually going to carry on because I have got more good news stories. In this House we have been united on free trade in years gone past. But it would seem that it is falling off the radar of the Opposition which simply means to me—and it is coming time for me to close my comments today—that sadly the Opposition members no longer care about creating jobs for New Zealanders or making incomes for New Zealanders what they could be rather than what they wish they were in the past so it is a disappointing way forward. As Minister Bennett has already said they are not united on that particular plank either but as I conclude my comments in support of the Prime Minister I say that those New Zealanders with whom I have shared the facts say: “What’s all the fuss about? Let’s get on with it.” Thank you.