2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Prime Minister: Yes.Nicola Willis: What does the Prime Minister say to the mother who wrote to me appalled to learn that Labour voted against my bill to give flexibility in paid parental leave saying The difference in having the flexibility around paid parental leave your bill would have allowed during the early months when we were in and out of Starship would without a doubt have been life changing. This bill would have allowed us to both take leave at the same time and handle the incredibly difficult situation we were in together."? SPEAKER: Yeah the Prime Minister is not responsible for the member's bill but you can give an opinion. Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Do you want me to respond?SPEAKER: If you want to. Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: No. SPEAKER: Do you have another one? Nicola Willis: What would the Prime Minister say to the parent I have just quoted who thinks it was wrong for the Prime Minister's Government to vote against a bill which would have given parents flexibility about how they arrange their paid parental leave entitlements?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: I would ask that parent if she is aware that National did not support paid parental leave when it was introduced back in 2002. I would ask that parent if they were aware that Bill English had used his financial veto to vote down Sue Moroney's bill back in 2015-16 to extend paid parental leave. I would show this House's track record with regards to who supports parents and who has always pushed for paid parental leave.Nicola Willis: So is it the Prime Minister's position that the reason it voted down my bill is that politics is more important to that Government—the politics of talking about National of talking about Labour is more important—than making a pragmatic change for parents?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Not at all. In fact I did say there was some merit to what was proposed by the member who was asking the question. However it has not been fleshed out enough and some advice that we received made it unworkable. There is some health evidence that suggests that we should be slightly concerned including information that we've got from the OECD the World Health Organization and the Australian Productivity Commission that is supportive of a parent being at home for the full 26 weeks. So it is not politics at all. I'd also remind that member that many of us have had members' bills in this House including myself—one of mine was the Social Workers Registration (Mandatory Registration) Amendment Bill. It was voted down by the Government of the day—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member is answering on behalf of the Prime Minister.Shanan Halbert: Do the mahi get the treats. Nicola Willis: Is it the Government's position—SPEAKER: Yeah I'm going to say this and when I'm finished Shanan Halbert will stand withdraw and apologise. Damien Smith: Chuck him out—chuck him out. SPEAKER: Who was that? Whoever it was can stand withdraw and apologise after Mr Halbert.Damien Smith: I withdraw and apologise. SPEAKER: OK. As I said yesterday I'm going to put it down to we're getting close to the election but that is no excuse for trying to shout down a member who has the right to ask a question. It's the only time as the case has been for quite some time that I expect there to be no interjections. Shanan Halbert. Shanan Halbert: I stand withdraw and apologise.Nicola Willis: Is it the Government's position that OECD and World Health Organization guidelines know better what a parent should do in their personal circumstances as it relates to parental leave than those parents do?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: It's the Government's position that we take informed advice from the experts to actually inform our policies. I know that's not what the other side of the House likes to do but we certainly do do that.Nicola Willis: Does the Prime Minister understand that some parents find themselves in circumstances beyond their control which mean they can't spend 26 weeks at home with their children or they would prefer to spend some of that time with their partner and why does the Prime Minister think they know better than the parents do?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: We absolutely understand on this side of the House the importance of paid parental leave. That's why we have always been the ones to push for it to occur and we do not apologise for that.Nicola Willis: When the Prime Minister said today that consistent at-home presence for the first six months of a baby's life is actually really important did the Prime Minister pause to consider all of those families who for whatever reason could not or did not make that choice and is it the Prime Minister's view that they were not acting in the best interests of their children?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The Prime Minister is of course mindful of what New Zealand families need. That's why on behalf of the Prime Minister I and everyone on this side of the House have always advocated for paid parental leave for families in New Zealand unlike that side of the House."