Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Delahunty Catherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:673;Page:19238] 
9. 
CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Does she consider bringing up babies to be meaningful productive work; if so why is she considering making young mothers on the domestic purposes benefit seek paid employment when their youngest child turns one? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 Yes to the first part; to the second part the Government is looking at a number of recommendations from the Welfare Working Group one of which is how to work with the one in four women who have another child while on the benefit. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Will a mother fail a work test if she refuses to accept a minimum wage job that does not pay enough to cover her childcare costs? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: That is a hypothetical situation. The member is talking about changes that might be made in the future and I cannot comment. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: How will she ensure that young mothers forced into jobs with inflexible hours and conditions are still able to breastfeed their babies or does she expect them to stop? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: As I said there are a number of recommendations that the Government is currently looking at. She is giving scenarios that are not currently part of this Government’s policy. 
Catherine Delahunty 
: Does she agree that training and upskilling including studying at university is a proven and successful path for young mothers to get off the domestic purposes benefit and into high-paying work; if so why did she kick out the ladder behind herself and axe the training incentive allowance for degree-level courses? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I believe there are many pathways for many different mothers. That pathway is still there for them and we are seeing many successes for many of them. 
Hon Annette King 
: Has she requested that those working at the convenient care clinics consider administering contraception to women on the domestic purposes benefit? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: I speak to a number of people up and down this country. I speak to them about contraception issues and how we can help those women to have better choices in their lives. I am sure I have spoken to the Rotorua convenient care centre that I think the member is talking about contraception issues quite often. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: What guarantee can she give that no child between the ages of 1 and 5 will be abused while being cared for by a boyfriend when the mother has been forced out to work and she cannot afford to pay childcare costs? 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: What a ridiculous question. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If it had been a ridiculous question you would have ruled it out. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The question was hypothetical but I think it should not be answered by saying it is a ridiculous question. I invite the Minister to answer it in a rather more parliamentary manner than that. The question was hypothetical; I fully accept that. The Minister may not have liked the question but I do not think it is appropriate to tell a questioner that the question is ridiculous if it is in order. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Notwithstanding the fact that you have just I think supported my point of order I was asking for a guarantee. It was not a hypothetical question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member knows that what he was asking for there is something that cannot be sought in this House for something that is not even in place. There is no way that Ministers can give such guarantees but I think a more respectful answer is required. 
Hon PAULA BENNETT 
: At the moment 68 percent of partnered women work while their children are in care and 50 percent of sole parents currently work with their children in care. They are cared for by a number of different people and I give no guarantees about what happens with regard to those children either.