Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 05 March 2014. Volume:696;Page:16320. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]2.Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Leader of the Opposition) to thePrime Minister: Does he stand by his statement that “the true builders of that future are the millions of New Zealanders working in the homes the businesses the industries of our country”?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes I stand by that statement. But just to be technically correct the member should note that the statement was from the Speech from the Throne that was actually delivered by the Governor-General in December 2008.Hon David Cunliffe: What is the Prime Minister doing to protect our sawmilling industry as 400 sawmill workers’ jobs are currently on the line at Southern Cross Forest Products in South Otago because it has gone into receivership?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I am just not briefed on that particular situation but what I would say is that the Government has been working very hard actually to make sure the economy is efficient productive and working well and that all of those factors are in play which is why our economy is the envy of so many other countries around the world.Hon David Cunliffe: Since the Prime Minister did not notice those 400 jobs that were in danger what about the 120 workers who lost their forestry jobs at the Tachikawa Forest Products sawmill in Rotorua months ago or the more than 10 workers who lost their lives in the industry in the last 13 months?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is good news that the member is focusing on people who might lose their jobs. In any one given—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! The level of interjection coming for this answer is now completely—[Interruption] Order! The Prime Minister should not start that way but when he was given a question that started the way it did then the Opposition could expect the sort of answer the Prime Minister is giving.Hon Shane Jones: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Can you elaborate on what you found offensive about that question?Mr SPEAKER: I did not find anything offensive. Otherwise I would have ruled it out of order. But if you recall the wording of the Hon David Cunliffe he said words to the effect “Since the Prime Minister does not know of that incident” and then led into his question. They were—[Interruption] Order! They were unnecessary to the question and because they were given in the question they invite a very wide response from the Prime Minister.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The labour markets in New Zealand are very dynamic and in any sort of 3 month period around about 100000 jobs are created and somewhere between 100000 and 200000 jobs in any similar period can be lost. But what we do know is that the economy is growing 1500 people a week are leaving welfare for work the economy is showing—and the unemployment rate is falling. It is one of the reasons that consumer and business confidence is rising but there will always be some companies that shed employees for a variety of different reasons and we know that one of those companies could be an organisation called the Labour Party.Hon David Cunliffe: Were the 52000 New Zealanders who have left for Australia since he took office helped by the fact that this Government presided over the closing of the Hutt and Hillside engineering workshops after KiwiRail awarded contracts to offshore manufacturers rather than to New Zealand producers?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: For a start off it is pleasing to see that we are now on a record 10-year low of New Zealanders leaving for Australia. It is equally true that if we look at the unemployment rate in New Zealand it is currently 6 percent and the participation rate is far higher than Australia’s—although its official rate is 6 percent if it had the same participation rate in fact its unemployment rate would be over 10 percent. I am surprised that the member is actually raising these individual items without getting to his feet to talk about the many many thousands of New Zealanders who are gaining jobs each week.Hon David Cunliffe: Since the Prime Minister is now making up future unemployment rates would he like to make up some asbestos regulations so that imported Chinese locomotives do not poison New Zealand railway workers?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: As I said to the member yesterday that is in breach of the contract. I have seen a report today that says that there are no harmful effects but that is a matter for KiwiRail ultimately to do things. But what I would be interested in doing is not—not I say—making up the two names of people who gave David Cunliffe money. I would be interested in finding out exactly who they are. Why does not the member tell us? If it is Kim Dotcom why does he not just say it is him?Hon David Cunliffe: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order. It will be heard in silence.Hon David Cunliffe: The Prime Minister is establishing himself as a fantasist in the public’s mind but that—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Can the member please resume his seat. I have invited the member to raise his point of order. I have told the House that this point of order will be heard in silence. The member needs to now raise the point of order.Hon David Cunliffe: The question is one of relevancy and whether the Prime Minister’s conjecture has anything to do with the question of asbestos regulation. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I do not need assistance from the Prime Minister. The difficulty the member has is the way he asked his question. He led into the start of his question by saying “Since the Prime Minister is making it up …”. If the member wants a clear concise answer as I told him yesterday he needs to ask a clear and concise question. [Interruption] I have addressed the matter.Hon David Cunliffe: What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that specialist industries such as rail construction and boatbuilding have any future under his Government when KiwiRail gives contracts overseas and ferries are built in Bangladesh not in New Zealand?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: There has been a very broad range of initiatives undertaken by the Government through the Business Growth Agenda and what we know is that they are working. If you look at the BNZ-Business New Zealand Performance of Manufacturing Index which is the best reflection of manufacturing we know that month after month after month—I think for the last 14 or 15 months in a row—we have seen an increase in manufacturing output in New Zealand. What we also know is that from time to time New Zealand companies will bid on a contract that they will not get because someone will be able to provide it at a much cheaper rate. On the advice that I saw in relation to the ferry that the member actually asked the question about it was multiples more expensive if it was built in New Zealand. So if the member is telling us and telling New Zealand taxpayers that the way that he would run the show is to spend enormous amounts of money buying only New Zealand products that is interesting on two fronts.Hon David Cunliffe: What about the tax on the jobs?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Well I tell you what let me just finish this point because you might find it quite interesting. The first point would be that taxpayers would be paying a lot more. The second point the member is making is that New Zealand companies should buy only New Zealand products but when Australian supermarkets wanted to buy only Australian products that member went nuts.Hon David Cunliffe: Can the Prime Minister understand why the unemployment rate has now climbed to 9.3 percent in the Bay of Plenty and what steps is he taking to assist the kiwifruit industry and those workers who are bearing the personal tragedy of the Psa disease in terms of lost jobs?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Two things. Firstly the moment Psa was discovered the Government put in I think off the top of my head $25 million which was matched by the industry. We worked very hard to make sure that the kiwifruit growers were back on their feet. I have met with quite a number of them and the industry over the years. My understanding is that they are doing a lot better but obviously it has been a very tough time. But one thing I will say is that we take about 8000 people a year on the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme which works heavily in the horticulture sector including obviously kiwifruit. My understanding is that that sector is lobbying the Minister very aggressively for an increase because it is so busy it cannot get enough staff.