Radhakrishnan PriyancaHon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour): Our disability communities deserve better. They deserve better than a Minister for Disability Issues who knew that Whaikaha had funding issues on 15 December did absolutely nothing did not alert that to her finance Minister or Prime Minister didn't ask for more money for Whaikaha but instead on 14 March signed out a briefing approving changes that were announced and implemented with immediate effect on 18 March—changes that left our disability communities blindsided and in their own words devastated". These are changes that remove flexibility of funding and I just want to delve a little bit into what that really means because what this Minister is doing is taking us back to a time prior to when flexibility was introduced to funding pools like individualised funding back to a time when it was so prescriptive that carers couldn't access that funding for respite care. That's why that fund was always underutilised. When flexibility was brought in it's not that need miraculously increased; it's that people could actually meet the needs that they had to be able to take respite to be able to have capability to then care for the disabled person. And that's what this Minister seems to be missing.And yet two years back almost to the date when she made these changes this year back in 11 March 2022 the Minister wrote an op-ed—a really good op-ed—that's titled "Who cares for the carers needing respite?" In that article she talks about the importance of carers and the role of caring. She talks about a survey by Carers New Zealand and she says and I quote "There were also many comments from carers who said access to less respite had affected their wellbeing. These are sobering revelations and make me question how long these family members can sustain this relentless support work before they become sick themselves. It also sends a clear signal to Government that more help is needed for the carers in our community. We cannot ignore their plight because we simply cannot do without them." So this is a Minister who two years ago knew that carers need respite in order to be able to care for the disabled person. Then logically one could assume that removing that access to respite will affect the wellbeing of disabled people the very people she purports to represent in this House and in Government.Many people have emailed all of us across the House about how these changes have been shocking and how their lives have been impacted for the worse in a day. And yet this Minister stands in this House and tries to convince herself and us that no cuts have been made. How can that be true when people cannot access the support that they require and that they need as carers and as disabled people too? Because we know there've been changes to the Equipment and Modification Services as well.Instead of taking responsibility what the Minister does is to denigrate the work of carers the same carers the very carers that she wrote about so compassionately two years ago. That was received. The implication that many are using taxpayer money for pedicures massages and overseas travel has been received like a slap in the face.And so what do we know? This Minister knew back in mid-December that her agency needed a funding top-up. She did nothing about it didn't alert anyone who could provide that top-up signed out changes that have changed the lives of many no consultation on those changes no consultation with those who'd be most affected. Now this Ministers had her ability to make decisions taken off her hands and given to Cabinet. Really all this Government needs to do—this Government can fix this. This Government can top up Whaikaha's funding reinstate flexibility and do things properly—Hon Member: That's just making it up. Using Parliament to smirch someone else.Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: —work in consultation with our disability communities if long-term changes are needed. They've done none of that.Hon Dr Duncan Webb: Point of order! I heard a member call out "She's making it up."—SPEAKER: I've just called you. You were offering your point of order while I was still calling you. Please start again.Hon Dr Duncan Webb: Sorry Mr Speaker. I heard a member say "She's making it up." which must be an unparliamentary remark.SPEAKER: If I was to rule that unparliamentary then there would be almost silence for many days of the House. "Interjections"—can I just quote a former Speaker—"should be rare reasonable and if at all possible humorous." I don't hold out much hope for any of those so let's carry on.Hon PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN: Members opposite think I'm making things up on this side of the House. Perhaps they could read the numerous reports where it is said for example we've asked the Minister's office for evidence about this claim about pedicures and so on. Her office has said they didn't have any numbers but the Minister heard it anecdotally. Or perhaps the fact that the ability to make major decisions has been stripped from her. The point is they can fix it; they've done nothing. Minister it's time to go."