Bradford Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Bradford Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:620;Page:15455] 
6.  
SUE BRADFORD (Green) 
 to the  
Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector 
: Following a report on the community and voluntary sector showing that “For every one dollar provided to a voluntary agency between $3 and $5 worth of services are delivered to the community.” what will he do to further encourage and support that sector? 
Hon RICK BARKER (Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector) 
: 
 The community and voluntary sector is greatly valued by this Government. The statement of Government intentions for an improved community-Government relationship signed by the Prime Minister in 2001 clearly sets out the Government’s vision for and commitment to the community and voluntary sector. I am sure the member will be familiar with it. We all recognise that our communities are vastly richer and better off for the work of volunteers. 
Sue Bradford 
: Does the Minister agree that the first step the Government could take to assist the voluntary sector would be to rethink the Charities Bill which threatens the political autonomy of community groups will overload them with compliance costs and will have a chilling effect on the willingness of volunteers to serve on boards; if not why not? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: The Charities Bill is the responsibility of the Minister of Commerce Margaret Wilson and I draw the member’s attention to a press statement made by Margaret Wilson on 18 August which states: “I am open to changes in the bill. In light of submissions I have asked officials to work with the select committee to ensure that we get legislation that is workable and does not impose unnecessary costs on charities.” 
Sue Bradford 
: Has the Minister been briefed on the valuable work done by the volunteers of Age Concern in advocating for older New Zealanders and hence will he listen to and act on Age Concern’s submission on the Charities Bill which states: “We recommend strongly that the Government does not proceed with this bill.”? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: The first point I would make to the member is that the bill is not back before the House. The second point I would make is that the Minister has made a commitment—a public commitment—to ensure that the legislation works for charities as well as for the Government. 
Jill Pettis 
: Can the Minister please advise the House what action the Government has taken to date to give effect to the statement of intent with the voluntary sector? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: Since coming to office this Government has worked closely with the sectors to understand what they need and to enable them to carry out their work. First we asked the community to set up a task force to tell us how it wanted to interface with the Government and at the same time the Government established the Office of the Community and Voluntary Sector. That office takes an across-Government leadership role and works closely with the sector to develop good relationships between Government departments and non-governmental organisations in the community. I welcome a recent report by the Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations. It will take some time to carefully consider the report and its recommendations. 
Sue Bradford 
: Does the Minister agree that one of the valuable services that is performed by the community and voluntary sector is to keep the Government accountable and how will it assist organisations to perform that role if under the Charities Bill they could be deregistered by the Charities Commission if they engaged in political advocacy? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: I make the point for the third time that I am not the Minister responsible for the Charities Bill. That is the responsibility of the Minister of Commerce. However I restate the point I made as the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector that the Government has a commitment to work with the community and voluntary sector in a mutually respectful way. I am sure the Government will do everything it can to encourage that sector. 
Sue Bradford 
: Is the Minister nevertheless aware of a statement made by the Hon Judith Tizard this morning that: “An organisation whose stated purposes include the attainment of a political purpose cannot be a charity.” and does he not agree that such a statement flies in the face of the capacity of any community group with political goals to register as a charity? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: No I was not aware of that until the member read it out but I am pleased to be able to tell the House that as an aside to me the Minister concerned said that she did not say that. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: Could the Minister clarify the answers that he has just given to the Green MP? Is the House to take it that he does accept the Green Party notion that for every $1 given to the voluntary sector the community receives $5; if he does why not give the voluntary sector the whole of the country’s tax revenue so we can all sit back and be wealthier than the Swiss—or is there something wrong with the Green Party’s Social Credit notions? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister is not responsible for the Green Party. He can however address the question in so far as it affects his portfolio. 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: The figures that the member for the Green Party refers to came out of a briefing—a brief introduction to a report that is under way on the value added by voluntary agencies. The full report will come out on Friday. The second point that I would make is that one of the agreements that the Government has with the voluntary sector is that volunteering is not to be used to replace full-time jobs. So the member’s contention is completely wrong. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This is actually the question that we had this morning. That answer does not address the question. I am well aware of where that statement came from. What I actually asked the Minister was whether he believed that the Social Credit notion that giving $1 to the voluntary sector results in benefits of $5 and if so why we did not implement it. 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: The member is wrong when he says it is a Social Credit notion; he is completely wrong on that. Secondly I will wait for the full report to make my own judgment about his contention. 
Sue Bradford 
: I seek leave of the House to table a speech given by the Hon Judith Tizard to the Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations in Wellington this morning. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There is objection.