Ngaro Alfred: Financial Review Debate — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNgaro Alfred: Financial Review Debate — In Committee[Sitting date: 04 March 2014. Volume:696;Page:16291. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ALFRED NGARO (National): It is always interesting to listen to chardonnay socialists talking about the whole aspect of poverty because the thing is that for all the talk I would like to see where the action is. Mrs Moroney talked about a proud record under the Labour Government. What she forgot to do is continue to read the Salvation Army report of 2008. This is what it clearly says. This is this proud record that she talks about. It says that the social outcomes achieved over the previous 5 years under the previous Labour-led Government were “somewhat mixed and in some areas quite disappointing.” That is the record that that member talks about.Chardonnay socialists talk about the issue of poverty but my concern is that they do not know what true poverty is and how to work with a community to be able to solve those issues. The Salvation Army noted that “More of our children appear to be at risk of harm more of our young people are engaged in petty crime there is more violent crime and more people in our jails.” Again that is the record that the member just talked about. The Salvation Army talked about how overall New Zealanders were “chronically indebted” and that “home ownership rates have fallen.” That is the Labour Government of 9 years which was in surplus and had much to give yet with all that it had with as much money as it had it still could not solve the social issues that are there.The report continues. I know that Labour members do not like to hear it. They have gone quiet on the other side. Iain Lees-Galloway is yawning. Why? Because he does not like to hear the truth. Here is more of the truth. The report lists the billions and billions of taxpayer dollars that had been spent and yet concluded that this spending “seems to have contributed very little to [New Zealand’s] social progress.” So if you are going to use the report if you are going to use it as a basis to found your ideals then do read its history. Read its history. That is what it is saying.In fact it says that many indicators were going backwards in 2008. There were rising numbers of referrals to Child Youth and Family and more children in Child Youth and Family care. There was rising youth offending. For all the talk and all the rhetoric Labour members are just a bunch of chardonnay socialists talking about things but not getting on with action. This is a Government and a Minister for Social Development who are getting on with the action.Let us talk about rheumatic fever prevention: $21.3 million—that is the figure. I was honoured to be with the honourable Minister of Health Tony Ryall. We were at Finlayson Park School—the largest primary school in the whole of New Zealand predominantlyMāori and Pacific children—with the 800 kids who are there. We launched the Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme. Parents came along. This is not just about talk; this is about action. That is what this Government is actually about.Let us talk about early childhood education its expansion and the targeted approach. There is $172 million in total early childhood education investment. We know that it is really important to deal not only with the health issues when we talk about poverty. What about the educational needs of our children? There are a number of our children who need to be engaged. Do you want to know what the percentage of early childhood education engagement and participation was under the Labour Government of 9 years? It was 65 percent—65 percent. If you want to talk about what is shameful that is shameful. What is it under the National-led Government a Government of action? It is88 percent—that is what we have got—and climbing. So we are seeing the investment in our children as absolutely important as well. There are 700 more children in high need—with $9.3 million announced from current funding from the Targeted Assistance for Participation Fund that is there.Let us talk about kin carers and grandparents raising grandchildren.Phil Twyford: Come and stand in TeAtatū.ALFRED NGARO: There is $35 million of additional funding Mr Twyford. There is financial help and a reference group to decide how best to spend this. Let us talk about what is needed for the kids Mr Twyford. You can have all the talk and the rhetoric and it is all just talk. He is another chardonnay socialist who grew up in Ponsonby and somehow managed to go to the peninsula. But when we talk about what happened to the children over those 9 years there is nothing—nothing. That is what happened OK?Let us talk about what we are doing.Microfinancing—the Government is exploring with banks and NGOs alternatives to loan sharks for low-income earners. You see we know where the risks are and we are actually doing pragmatic and practical things to address them. What about housing insulation? More bedrooms more homes more land supply warrants of fitness $100 million to expand home insulation targeted at low-income families—you see I am just going to keep going right the way through. You are going to love this. Why? Because it is not just rhetoric and it is not just “chardonnayism”—Dr Rajen Prasad:Chardonnayism!ALFRED NGARO: —it is action that is actually happening on the ground. I know that Mr Prasad loves to hear this: 3000 new State house bedrooms 500 new homes a warrant of fitness trial to start with Housing New Zealand homes. We know that the issue around having affordable housing and accessible housing is absolutely critically important to our families as well.