edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Strange JamieJAMIE STRANGE (Labour): It's an honour to be the final speaker on this bill this evening. I'd like to acknowledge the Minister Tracey Martin for the excellent work that she's done in this area. We have heard from a number of speakers around the important work that Fire and Emergency New Zealand do and I'd just like to highlight some of the statistics. We have 1700 career firefighters within Fire and Emergency and 11600 volunteers. That's a significant number—11600. My family and I live across the road from a fire station in Hamilton—Chartwell fire station—and we are—Hon Member: Oh that's handy. JAMIE STRANGE: Yeah we often see the work that the people do over there and we certainly really appreciate it. One of my family members I'd just like to acknowledge: Garth Strange who's commonly called Gorse" because of his beard has been a volunteer firefighter for decades. I don't want to guess but it must be near-on 40 years and he's just an example of one of the many volunteers who devote time in this area. I'd just like to touch on one point in my brief contribution and that's the aspect that public museums public art galleries and whare taonga will be exempt from the levy and that's a way of supporting the arts industry here in New Zealand. Public museums and galleries usually operate on restricted budgets and this bill acknowledges that and shows that support. This bill fits into Labour's commitment to ensuring a strong cultural and creative sector. We believe that this sector is vital to our national identity and economic development and deserves support and certainty from Government to maintain its sustainability. So in closing I'd like to acknowledge the pragmatism and organisation of the Minister of Internal Affairs Tracey Martin. I commend this bill to the House. Bill read a third time."
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill — Third Reading
Brown SimeonSIMEON BROWN (National—Pakuranga): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker and thank you for the opportunity to take a short call on the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill at its third reading. I'd like to start as other speakers have by acknowledging the excellent work that the fire and emergency service do in our local communities. In particular I'd like to acknowledge the hard-working staff at the Howick fire brigade and the volunteers who operate there. I'm looking forward to joining with them on Saturday for International Firefighters' Day and I really appreciate the opportunity to go along and thank them personally for all the work that they do in the community.As a number of speakers on this side have said National will be supporting this bill to third reading but that does not discount from the complex conversation which will be required around how a new funding model review will take place. I do look forward to being part of that process and understanding how that does take place. Whatever way we decide to fund our fire and emergency services will be complex will have its challenges. There will be people who have a very strong view in whatever way that is done. What we do know and what we do agree on is that they do need to be funded and they need to be funded well. So I'll be keeping a very close eye on how that does progress. I'm sure the Minister Tracey Martin will be taking a very pragmatic approach to this very complicated issue and making sure that all parties are well consulted as we go through that process. So I commend this bill to the House for its third reading and its passage into law. Thank you.
O'Connor GregGREG O'CONNOR (Labour—Ōhāriu): Like all previous speakers I am commending this bill to the House. We all in our communities have a local fire station whether it be volunteers whether it be semi-professional or full professionals and I think it behoves the public to know just what is going on in those stations because this is a restructure and everyone who's been through a restructure knows what an effect that can have. The restructure in this case is simply around the funding and bringing together the urban fire authorities with the rural fire authorities. I just want to compliment—certainly in my Ōhāriu electorate where I have three fire services in Johnsonville Newlands and Tawa all of whom are affected in some way by this—the professionalism of those groups in absorbing these changes. They give not only the great work that they do when they are called out—in the case of the volunteers giving up their own time—but also understanding what this actually means. Of course it's around the funding. One of the important parts of this too—a central part of this—is that there were three places that were left out: museums art galleries and defence establishments which were actually to be exempted from the levy. Of course under the original dates that would only have occurred in 2019. Now it's necessary for this amendment to extend that time out as well and that's a very sensible decision also—again where the value of those buildings compared to the value of what is inside them means that of course the levies they are likely to be liable for are way out of kilter with what they can afford or the incomes they generate. So there's a lot that's sensible about this bill but also the most sensible thing is ensuring that we have the necessary funding regime in place hence the extension.So like those who have come before me I say this is a very pragmatic piece of legislation which takes cognisance of the necessary changes to ensure that this absolutely essential part of all our lives—if we're going to make these changes we've got to make sure we get them right. It's just too vital for us to ignore so I take great pleasure in commending this to the House.
Yule LawrenceLAWRENCE YULE (National—Tukituki): This is the second time I've spoken on this bill and we do support it. I acknowledge the Hon Tracey Martin for the way in which she listened to what I said at the committee of the whole House stage because I have been involved in this process over a number of years to get to this point where we have a unified fire service in New Zealand. In my previous role in local government it wasn't necessarily the easiest thing to do but I do want to acknowledge all those that were involved in making that happen. The Hon Ron Mark and Paul Eagle will understand that that was quite an interesting concept at the start. But we're here now and I think it's for the right reasons and I think based in my own electorate I don't hear any major dramas. I think it's working really well and I agree with what Paul Eagle has just said—that the fire service is one of the most trusted organisations in New Zealand. The Supplementary Order Paper that we talked about yesterday—I reaffirm and I support the fact that more time is being given but we should not kid ourselves; that won't necessarily be an easy conversation. There'll be vested interest groups whether they're in the insurance industry whether they're in local government or whether there are actually other interested groups that will have to be seriously consulted and worked through. I reiterate previous comments I made also to the Minister particularly to have a serious look at the defence model that's being proposed for no other reason than to satisfy ourselves that that is the correct thing to do. So it's come to the third reading. This side of the House is supporting it. Personally I think this is the right thing to do. We'll have to work through the next stages. I commend it to the House. Thank you.
Eagle Paul; Rurawhe AdrianPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker—Jamie Strange: This'll be great.PAUL EAGLE: Thank you colleague. Look can I just acknowledge the Minister here the Hon Tracey Martin. Thank you for championing this and leading it through the various stages in what we've already heard is a really sensible pragmatic piece of work and the extension there to 1 July 2024 gives us that time to sort things out. Great work from the Governance and Administration Committee—I happen to be on that of course but a kūmara does not talk of its own sweetness as we know.I certainly also want to just say that in terms of this side of the House we have a wee plan and part of that is to make New Zealanders proud. One of those actions—and a member on that side has talked about the International Firefighters' Day. That's on Saturday. I'm popping out to the two in my electorate tomorrow.The material that came with it talked about just some at-a-glance figures and one of the figures that really stood out for me—and I'm sure it comes as no surprise—is that it's the number one trusted public service agency in the country. I know that they do a great job. Bills like this will help. I commend this to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe): Lawrence Yule—five minutes.
Yang Jian; Rurawhe AdrianDr JIAN YANG (National): I speak very briefly on this particular bill. The bill's amendments all relate to the levy-based system to fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). We all know that FENZ was formed on 1 July 2017. It was under the National Government that we proposed this and then we enacted this. The main reason was that we would like to have a modernised emergency system to better meet the needs of New Zealanders. As we can see in the recent Nelson-Tasman fire FENZ reacted very efficiently and did a very very good job. This is a modernised organisation and for that reason we need to have a modernised levy system. This particular bill will extend the levy until 1 July 2024 basically to make sure that we have enough time for all the parties to sort out the particular problems in terms of following up with the modernised levy.Now this particular bill—as I said National had a particular goal at that time that was to provide a better service to all New Zealanders. This was part of the broad National policy that was to provide Better Public Services. For that reason I will support this particular bill.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Adrian Rurawhe): This is a split call—five minutes. I call Paul Eagle.
Sage EugenieHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green): Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. I don't have very much to say on the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill. The Green Party is supporting it; a lot of what has needed to be said has been said in previous readings. It does extend the time that the levy system regime goes—it extends the date at which the levy becomes instrumental and that is in order to allow the insurers and others to take proper account and amend their system. So once more we are seeing a very sensible bill being proposed by the Minister who is fully on top of her portfolio who wants to ensure that the basic changes that this bill makes are to enable Fire and Emergency New Zealand to be properly funded and for there to be some certainty over what will happen in the next few years while a review of the way in which Fire and Emergency New Zealand is funded for the longer term occurs because we want that system and its funding model to be stable to be universal to be equitable to be practical and to be predictable. Under this Minister I am very confident that that will happen.So this small bill which has got wide support across the House is a sensible and practical measure and the change in that deadline is critical because otherwise it does create a lot of uncertainty for everybody about what the levy rate will be and what the obligations will be. So this is a small bill it's a significant one and it's in very good hands under the Minister the Hon Tracey Martin. Thank you.
Dean JacquiHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. Right OK—awesome speech from that member who just resumed his seat Aupito William Sio. National of course support this bill in its third reading the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill and congratulate the Minister for her collegial approach to what has been a pretty long-running piece of work across several Governments. It is to Ms Martin's credit that she continues to be willing to work collegially because this is not a political issue despite what you might've thought from the last speaker. This isn't a political issue. Fire and Emergency New Zealand is an organisation which traverses all of New Zealand.In fact this Saturday I'm looking forward to going to Cromwell to watch the Cromwell fire brigade do their thing. I saw them a couple of Sundays ago also in Cromwell at a community event which tells you a lot about the Cromwell fire brigade along with all the other fire brigades in New Zealand that the volunteers are always prepared to get out and support community events. So this Saturday—I think it's 10 o'clock in the morning—I'll be in Cromwell applauding them and that is what we get across New Zealand. Every time a member gets up in this House to speak about Fire and Emergency New Zealand they consistently thank and say the same thing about Fire and Emergency New Zealand.The only point I want to make because we are in the third reading and we are supporting this bill is that in pushing out the levy calculation to 2024 it does give rise to a period of uncertainty. Maybe that uncertainty doesn't get to the community fire brigades but it certainly gives rise to a bit of concern perhaps amongst other parliamentarians and those who watch policy being developed about just how that levy will be raised. As the local government spokesperson I will be very interested to see whether the Minister follows on from the indication she gave at the committee stage that a levy on ratepayers could be considered. I would urge the Minister to be cautious and collegial over that point but having said that congratulations to the Minister and National supports this bill at third reading.
Sio Hon Aupito WilliamHon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO (Minister for Pacific Peoples): I just want to raise four points. The first one is that I want to acknowledge the leadership of the Minister of Internal Affairs in leading this work—fantastic leadership which is so devoid from that other side.The second thing is that this is an issue that is left to us again by the previous lot. They were supposed to have fixed this in 2018 and it got pushed back to 2019 because they did not anticipate the transition and the work and effort that was required to put a new system together—to bring together the 40 different bodies into one unified body. They didn't anticipate the cost and the effort. So we now have a Minister that is grabbing the bull by both hands and is working and driving this forward.The third point—[Interruption] Hush. The third point is that I want to acknowledge the Minister because since she's taken over the reins of this particular portfolio I'm now seeing more Māori and Pacific young people volunteers participating in this workforce. One in particular was in Māngere a young man there who they brought in. That is so important to have a diversified workforce and we as a country need to recognise the strength of that.And the fourth and final point—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): I hope that this relates to the bill itself.Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: I was just talking to—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): OK thank you. I'd really appreciate that if you could.Hon AUPITO WILLIAM SIO: All right thank you very much. That's really what I wanted to say. It's not a long bill; there are only two amendments there. But after talking to Mr David Bennett I now officially formally withdraw my support for the Leader of the Opposition.
Nash StuartHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. Look I'm just going to take a short call on this bill to say that it is a short bill as the Minister of Internal Affairs alluded to but it's a pragmatic solution to a situation that Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) found themselves in where we needed to actually do things well.So there are two options that FENZ had. When the creation of Fire and Emergency New Zealand happened in 2017 they set a two-year time limit to get the new levy regime in place. But setting new regimes is difficult it's timely and it involves a lot of complexity not only for FENZ themselves but also for those who have to implement this levy and they found that in fact there just wasn't enough time to do it.As mentioned it's a pragmatic bill that says OK let's push this out to 2021. Let's get this right." We could have rushed it through and what ends up when you rush these sorts of things through is no one wins. You get a levy system which doesn't work well you get a whole lot of systems that have errors in them and you get a general population that is more than grumpy. It just doesn't work. So what we did was we said "Hey let's push this out to 2021." It could be brought back to 2020 by Order in Council but it's just about fixing the problem.I congratulate the Minister on her pragmatic approach—Hon Tracey Martin: 2024.Hon STUART NASH: —sorry 2024—and I also congratulate the Minister on her willingness to engage in a really proactive way with those who are responsible for ensuring that this happens. And with that I'm going to sit down."
McKelvie IanIAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. It's a pleasure to take a short call on the Taxation (Research and Development Tax Credits) Bill. Clearly I think across the House however we implement these sorts of initiatives the House is in favour of this type of initiative; it's just the method we use to get the end result that I think is of interest. Duncan Webb said this is one of the best pieces of legislation he's seen come through the House. Well as my colleague next to me Brett Hudson said you're in trouble if that's the best you can do. None the less I shouldn't carry on in that vein.The bill came back for its third reading and there were a few things that I think are still an issue and one of them was the issue that Duncan Webb raised actually. He went to the extent of using the generosity continues" but actually I'm not so sure that generosity does continue because whilst we've had a lot of information on how the take-up of this might work and how much it may be taken up I think the cost of compliance and the difficulty of application will preclude many of the firms that it's aimed at from ever making an application. They may make an application but they may not get there.I think that one of the challenges that this bill has got is how it's implemented in the future and I think it's been estimated that there could be in excess of 2000 businesses that will make applications for this. Of course those businesses have got to make applications before their applications are granted. The other challenge of this—and it will be a challenge for those awarding the opportunity to claim these R & D tax credits—will be how they decide what is just a transfer of other costs to an R & D tax credit and what is genuinely a new initiative I guess to spend money on R & D. I think that will be challenging because some of the companies involved in this will be very large borrowers. So that's one of the challenges and the challenge of making judgments on this will be quite significant as well I think. So the approval process I think will be difficult.There's a number of other issues that I think will be challenging but I do think that it'll be interesting to see the result of this in a couple or three years' time and just how much money has actually been spent promoting the R & D tax credit system.Finally I just want to say a very brief word about the minority view. I want to agree with our chair of the Finance and Expenditure Committee. I too feel sorry for the officers but for a different reason: they were only implementing Government policy at the end of the day. Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker."
Kuriger BarbaraBARBARA KURIGER (Senior Whip—National): It's a pleasure to agree to the motion on behalf of the National caucus. I was part of the meeting and I would comment that all three parties came in and made a very professional presentation to us. The things that really stood out for me—Minister Lees-Galloway has covered off a number of points in his speech—particularly around the Auditor-General's presentation was asking for the ability for better use of data to generate insight and to get ahead of some issues. I think that's an extremely important issue in this day and age where we have the ability through electronics to collect a lot more data and it's much more helpful in people making their decisions. Therefore it's really important for the Office of the Auditor-General to be able to have an increased ability to represent that data in their own work. So that was really important to me in terms of the increase in funding there amongst the other initiatives. Secondly it's already been mentioned in the first speech but the Ombudsman's office does have a responsibility for 227 privately run aged-care facilities as well as 58 court locations. We support the ability for them to hire extra investigators to help them in their work because that's quite a huge undertaking over and above all of the other investigations and things that the Ombudsman's office is asked to take care of on a regular basis in their general line of business. One thing I would comment on is that when we looked at the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment that office has a huge amount of work and a huge amount of responsibility in the reporting that their office does. In the current environment with all of the things that they undertake it's a role that is increasingly coming under pressure and I want to commend their efforts and their ability to do the work without asking for copious more amounts of money. So it is my pleasure on behalf of our caucus and as part of the committee to commend this to the House.
Lees-Galloway IainOFFICES OF PARLIAMENTAddress to Governor-GeneralHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Deputy Leader of the House): I move That a respectful Address be presented to Her Excellency the Governor-General commending to Her Excellency the alterations to the appropriations and capital for the 2018/19 financial year in respect of Vote Audit and Vote Ombudsmen and the estimates of expenses and capital injection for the 2019/20 financial year in respect of Vote Audit Vote Ombudsmen and Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.The passing of this motion is an annual event that is part of the Budget process. It is important that the three Officers of Parliament—namely the Auditor-General the Ombudsman and the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment—are independent of the executive. For this reason the estimates for the Offices of Parliament stand apart from the process that applies to all other votes and are put forward by the House by means of the Address to the Governor-General. The recommendations contained in the Address are determined by the Officers of Parliament Committee chaired by the Speaker and the committee has done its work thoroughly and fairly. The committee heard evidence from all three Officers of Parliament and received advice from Treasury. Its findings are outlined in its reports on the draft budgets and alterations to the 2018/19 appropriations for the three offices. For a decade the Offices of Parliament have managed increasing workloads without a matching increase in funding. The report notes that there has been no significant increase in resources in Vote Audit since the 2009 Budget. These proposals begin to redress the situation. The proposed appropriations for the Office of the Ombudsman include provision for the employment of an additional 35 investigators over three years to reflect the expanding role of the ombudsmen into areas such as Department of Corrections court facilities and privately run aged care facilities. The Auditor-General has sought funding for three initiatives that among other things will improve the coverage and timeliness of performance audits and enable it to provide new good practice guidance. The Offices of Parliament have all established themselves as vital contributors to New Zealand's parliamentary democracy supporting the House in keeping the executive to account. The appropriations proposed in the Address to the Governor-General will allow them to maintain and develop their roles in order to meet new challenges. I commend the motion to the House.
Lees-Galloway Iain; Brownlee GerryTHURSDAY 2 MAY 2019The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Karakia.BUSINESS STATEMENTHon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Deputy Leader of the House): Thank you Mr Speaker. Next week the 10-hour annual review debate will begin. Other legislation to be considered will include further stages of the Education Amendment Bill (No 2) the first reading of the Ombudsmen (Protection of Name) Amendment Bill and the committee stage of the Canterbury Earthquakes Insurance Tribunal Bill. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): Thank you Mr Speaker. I don't want to sound like a broken record but given the recent debacles with Spark's broadcasting of various sports events does the Government intend elevating the member's bill in the name of Clayton Cosgrove—sorry not Clayton Cosgrove—Hon Member: Clayton the Other One". Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: —that's right because I've got to say Mr Mitchell's a lot less forgettable—to being a Government bill so that New Zealanders will be able to watch the Rugby World Cup free to air? Hon IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Deputy Leader of the House): To avoid sounding like a broken record I will simply refer the member to all the answers to every other time he's asked that question."
Tuesday 30 April 2019 - Volume 737
Corrections Amendment Bill — Second Reading
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That the Corrections Amendment Bill be now read a second time. Ayes 63 New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8. Noes 57 New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross. Bill read a second time. The House adjourned at 10 p.m.
Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill — In Committee—Clauses 1 to 3
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That clause 1 be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Clause 1 agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That clause 2 be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Clause 2 agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That clause 3 be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Clause 3 agreed to.House resumed.The Chairperson reported the Taxation (Research and Development Tax Credits) Bill the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill and the Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill with amendment.Report adopted.
VoteThe question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 200 in the name of the Hon Nanaia Mahuta to Part 2 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 56New Zealand National 55; Ross.Amendments agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That Part 2 as amended be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Part 2 as amended agreed to.The question was put that the amendment set out on Supplementary Order Paper 200 in the name of the Hon Nanaia Mahuta to insert a new schedule be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendment be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 56New Zealand National 55; Ross.Amendment agreed to.
Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill — In Committee—Part 2
Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill — In Committee—Part 1
VoteThe question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 205 in the name of the Hon Tracey Martin to clauses 4 and 8 be agreed to.Amendments agreed to.Clauses 1 to 8 as amended agreed to.Bill to be reported with amendment presently.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Levy) Amendment Bill — In Committee
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That clause 1 be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Clause 1 agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That clause 2 be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Clause 2 agreed to.Bill to be reported with amendment presently.
Taxation (Research and Development Tax Credits) Bill — In Committee—Clauses 1 and 2
Taxation (Research and Development Tax Credits) Bill — In Committee—Part 2
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That Schedule 1 be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Schedule 1 agreed to.
VoteThe question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 204 in the name of the Hon Dr Megan Woods to Part 2 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 56New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Amendments agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That Part 2 as amended be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand; Ross.Part 2 as amended agreed to.
VoteThe question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 204 in the name of the Hon Dr Megan Woods and the following amendments in her name to Part 1 be agreed to:In clause 10 new section LY 1(2)(c) replace 6 and 7" with "LY 6 and LY 7".In clause 23 replace "37" with "37B".A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Amendments agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That Part 1 as amended be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 55; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Part 1 as amended agreed to."
Taxation (Research and Development Tax Credits) Bill — In Committee—Part 1
11. Question No. 11—EmploymentMARJA LUBECK (Labour) to the Minister of EmploymentQuestion No. 11—Employment11. MARJA LUBECK (Labour) to the Minister of Employment: What announcements has he made about increasing employment opportunities for urban rangatahi Māori?Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister of Employment): On 17 April 2019 I launched Pae Aronui an initiative to enhance education and employment outcomes for urban rangatahi Māori. Pae Aronui seeks to improve education and employments outcomes for Māori 15- to 24-year-olds who are not earning learning caring or volunteering.Marja Lubeck: How does this differ from other employment programmes?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: This Government has already invested significantly in our young people in the regions. Pae Aronui will be delivered only in south and west Auckland Hamilton Porirua and the Hutt Valley as these are the metropolitan areas with the highest number of young Māori who aren't active in the labour market. It is in our cities that we have a large number of young people who are underutilised and not engaged in our labour market. With the skills shortages we have in a number of industries this Government is committed to ensuring all who can participate in our economy have the opportunity to do so.Marja Lubeck: What difference will Pae Aronui make for rangatahi Māori?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Too many of our young people—our rangatahi—have already left the education system without having gained the qualifications they need to secure good jobs with long-term career options. For 2019 Pae Aronui will support 249 rangatahi to achieve enhanced education or employment outcomes. Pae Aronui supports communities providers and employers working together growing the skills rangatahi need especially to gain employment in growth industries and will be underpinned by pastoral care to provide our young people with the best chance of success.
8. Question No. 8—HealthDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 8—Health8. Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of Health: What progress if any has been made rolling out the Mana Ake programme to deliver mental health and well-being support in Canterbury schools?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Mana Ake started in schools just over a year ago on 23 April 2018 delivering on a campaign promise. It puts social and mental health workers into schools for one-on-one and group sessions with children to help them deal with anxiety depression and other mental health issues. I'm pleased to advise the House that as of yesterday every child in Canterbury's primary and intermediate schools now has access to Mana Ake. Dr Duncan Webb: Why was Canterbury chosen for the Mana Ake programme? Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: Mana Ake was established in response to the unique mental health needs Canterbury children experienced following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. We wanted to support the young people of Canterbury and Kaikōura as they grew up with the legacy of those traumatic events. Mana Ake has also proved its worth following the 15 March terrorist attacks and I know many parents and teachers will have welcomed having access to professional mental health and well-being support in recent weeks.Dr Duncan Webb: How many children have benefited from Mana Ake support so far? Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: As of 31 March Mana Ake has supported over 820 children individually and 475 in groups since the programme first commenced in schools. That's a lot of young lives that have benefited from being listened to and supported.
6. Question No. 6—Social DevelopmentPRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentQuestion No. 6—Social Development6. PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour) to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made about increasing job opportunities in the construction sector for people on a benefit?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): Yesterday Minister Salesa Minister Jackson and I announced the launch of the Kiwi Can Do pre-employment construction programme. Kiwi Can Do is the Ministry of Social Development's (MSD) largest provider of pre-employment construction training now with up to 1200 participants per year. This new programme is a joint venture between Kiwi Can Do MSD Wesley Community Action and EasyBuild. Through the Wellington programme people on a benefit will receive placement into employment as well as in-work support for 12 months. It will provide an opportunity for training in the installation of prefabricated homes on the Wesley Rātā Village site to prepare people for employment in the construction sector.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: What employment support does Kiwi Can Do provide?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Kiwi Can Do provides people with pre-employment construction experience under trade qualified mentors helps to gain licensing and other pre-requisites for employment and builds confidence working as part of a team and support in work for up to a year. The Kiwi Can Do instructors and mentors are made up of trade retirees dubbed Dad's Army" who have all run their own businesses hired and trained apprentices and are looking for an opportunity to pay forward some of their knowledge and life experiences. This approach to training and mentoring youth is unique to the Kiwi Can Do programme and has attracted the interest of a range of key industry businesses and organisations.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: Why is this new pre-employment construction programme important?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The Kiwi Can Do pre-employment construction programme is an example of an innovative partnership that will have a positive community and social impact. The key target for the course is 18- to 25-year-olds not in employment education or training but is open to any age. The Kiwi Can Do programmes have a large percentage of Māori and Pasifika participants where there is an enormous potential talent pool. This new initiative continues to contribute to this Government's priorities to upskill and train young people on benefits for industries like construction and to increase the supply of community housing to low and middle income New Zealanders."
5. Question No. 5—Regional Economic DevelopmentMARK PATTERSON (NZ First) to the Minister for Regional Economic DevelopmentQuestion No. 5—Regional Economic Development5. MARK PATTERSON (NZ First) to the Minister for Regional Economic Development: What recent announcements has he made regarding the Provincial Growth Fund?Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Regional Economic Development): Last year I visited the deep South—Gore—and urged the community to drum up suitable proposals for consideration by the officials. I am pleased to report that with appropriate encouragement from a certain list MP those proposals were approved and were announced by myself recently in Gore. They are the Maruawai precinct project including the redevelopment of the Hokonui Moonshine Museum and also a Hokonui Huanui programme—a wraparound set of support services for rangatahi children and NEETS.Mark Patterson: How will these projects support regional development in Gore and eastern Southland?Hon SHANE JONES: Obviously the Maruawai precinct project will attract more visitors to Gore as they need large bouts of encouragement to stay longer in Gore. This will enable Gore to attract those people that are travelling on to Queenstown and Dunedin. There are also the developments and the upside of the Hokonui Moonshine Museum which celebrates the heritage of certain South Islanders hiding in the hills away from the tax department and making whiskey. That new distillery wing and the construction of a new Maruawai heritage centre will speak volumes about the heritage of a number of the South Island MPs.Mark Patterson: How else has the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) supported the people of Southland?Hon SHANE JONES: Despite the churlish claims driven by petty resentment from certain Opposition MPs the PGF is spreading across the length of the country financial elixir—$12 million Milford Highway Fibre Connection; Invercargill inner-city development for $1 million; and a Southland hatchery and nursery feasibility project to grow aquaculture in an area screaming out for attention neglected for nine long years under the last regime.
2. Question No. 2—FinanceKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 2—Finance2. KIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Last week Statistics New Zealand released overseas merchandise trade data for March showing exports rose by $899 million to hit $5.7 billion—a record monthly high. The increase was driven by higher values in exports of milk powder beef and cheese. On the other hand imports fell $174 million in March to $4.8 billion resulting in a monthly trade surplus of $922 million—the highest since April 2011.Kiritapu Allan: What recent reports has he seen on consumer confidence?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Friday's ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence report showed consumers' confidence in the economy rose in April with the index up 1.4 points. The proportion of households who think it's a good time to buy a major household item rose—up eight points to a net 46 percent. In addition more consumers are feeling better off now than a year ago and more consumers expect to be better off this time next year. While it's pleasing to see consumers noticing the strength of the economy we recognise that there is uncertainty in the global growth outlook that may be weighing on confidence in New Zealand's own outlook. That is why we are getting on with implementing our plan for a modern and more resilient economy.Kiritapu Allan: What reports has he seen on the impact of an uncertain global economic outlook for New Zealand?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In its April forecast the IMF revised down its expectation for global growth to 3.3 percent in 2019 from 3.5 percent forecast six months ago and indeed 3.7 percent six months before that. The IMF forecast that advanced economies will grow 1.8 percent in 2019 and 1.7 percent in 2020 but within that the IMF is forecasting that New Zealand's economy will grow 2.5 percent in 2019 and 2.9 percent in 2020; in other words stronger than our peers in the US the eurozone UK Japan Canada and Australia. We are all well aware that as a small open economy New Zealand is not immune to global economic factors but our underlying fundamentals remain sound.
Tolley Anne; Seymour DavidDEPUTY SPEAKER: I was so entranced by what you were saying that sorry I forgot to give you a warning bell at one minute. So this is a split call too? Is ACT wanting to take its—DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT): I yield my call to Rino Tirikatene. If I can just say that if something goes up 500 percent it doesn't quintuple; it sextuples.
Dean JacquiClauses 1 to 3Hon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you Madam Chair. Just very briefly as we come to the end of this committee of the whole House stage clauses 1 to 3 which are the title the commencement and then of course we move to the principal Act. I think that the bill will go through because the numbers are there on behalf of the Government and the Opposition do oppose the changes in this bill. The arguments that have been promoted this evening—particularly by the Minister in the chair Nanaia Mahuta—I have not been convinced by. To try and convince anyone that with regard to development contributions a long exposition on the transitional rearrangements isn't an argument and then really advancing the argument that Oh well the citizens of a community including developers always have the opportunity to engage in the development of a development contributions policy."—well that doesn't prove anything. It just describes a process.I think that underlines the paucity of good policy work that has gone into this bill and there is nothing new in this bill. There is nothing here that advances affordable housing. There's nothing here that actually advances the interests of people living in local communities. All it does is indeed use that tit-for-tat principle "Well you took it out so we're going to put it back in." and if that is an example of good policy development on behalf of this Government then I'm afraid it only gets a bare D."
Mahuta NanaiaHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): Just in response to some of the issues raised the current narrower definition of community infrastructure" has been in place since the 2014 amendments. Supplementary Order Paper 200 which I'm introducing inserts a new clause 15 in Schedule 1AA—as members are aware—as a transitional arrangement. The clause will allow territorial authorities to recover development contributions for public amenities constructed before the bill comes into force subject to additional transparency requirements. Councils will not be able to collect development contributions on public infrastructure that did not qualify under the 2014 definition until the bill has received Royal assent and councils subsequently amend their development contribution policies. Territorial authorities who wish to recover development contributions on this infrastructure will be required to list the asset's total cost the proportion of the cost it wants to recover through development contributions and the amount that is attributed to consents during the intermediate period which cannot therefore be recovered through development contributions in the schedule of assets of the territorial authority's development contributions policy—and there's a key point. The councils as members are aware will consult on their development contributions policy and make it very clear to the community what the extent of the policy is and what it can cover and what it doesn't cover. So the transitional provision will add in addition to that extra transparency criteria requirements to ensure that the community is very well aware of what can be attributed to community infrastructure. Now the point was made also about why we didn't wait until the Productivity Commission placed its report and recommendations in the House and that's a point well made. However it's also salient to note that a member on that side of the Chamber did mention—and I agree—the approach of using development contributions as a tool that councils can draw on to attribute cost and seek those costs from developers. I think that if the criteria is transparent and if the community understands and is able to participate—as are the developers—on the development contributions policy then that in my mind only strengthens the added advantage of having a tool such as this."
Dean JacquiHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you Mr Chair. I just wanted to pick apart a little bit what a levy regime might look like that included levying Fire Emergency New Zealand levy amounts on and through local government. I thank the Minister for indicating that it might well be on the table but it is spoken and so clearly there is going to be some work done on it. So can I just go through some of the thoughts that I have together with my colleague Lawrence Yule who of course has been closely involved in this work in the past and has a pretty good understanding. The questions I would have is what is the cost of collection of a levy amount through a secondary arm of Government in local government? Would that mean that for each territorial local authority (TLA) and maybe regional council or maybe not we don't know—let's just stick for argument's sake with just regional councils because that covers every ratepayer in New Zealand. How then do you differentiate between those ratepayers? Will there be a difference between commercial and residential? OK well if that's the case then that is getting a little unsuitable for regional councils so we need to discount those and perhaps go back to TLAs—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I'm sorry to interrupt the member but it has come time for me to leave the chair for the dinner break. Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.