Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:628;Page:98] 
11.  
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Is he satisfied that Work and Income is taking all steps to crack down on benefit fraud; if so is he satisfied that only eligible persons receive taxpayer-funded benefits? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 This Government wants to make sure that everyone who is entitled to support gets it. Benefit abuse and fraud are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. All cases of deliberate fraud are prosecuted. It is a disappointing fact that some people attempt to defraud our system. Where debts are incurred they will be recovered. Currently 96 percent of debtors on a benefit are repaying their debt. Prosecution rates in October as I mentioned earlier were 97 percent successful with 12 sentences of imprisonment. 
Judith Collins 
: Is Work and Income investigating rescued yachties Bruce Cox and Heloise Kortekaas solely because each was receiving a single person’s benefit while they were living together and does the Minister agree that Work and Income should be asking why those two used any taxpayer funds to finance a yachting voyage? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I do not have any information about that particular case and if I did I certainly would not be discussing it in the House. Work and Income is committed to ensuring that people get their correct entitlements—no more no less—minimising debt and identifying and eliminating fraud. 
Judith Collins 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Perhaps the Minister would like to revisit his answer given that that particular story has been all over the  
New Zealand Herald  
and the  
Press— 
Fairfax newspapers 
— 
just last week. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order. 
Judith Collins 
: Is it true that Work and Income has no idea—as this Minister has just proven—whether someone has skipped off on a yacht for a round-the-world voyage unless that person ends up being rescued makes the front page of every newspaper in the country and confesses to being part of a couple? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: It is certainly true that Work and Income does not have a camera in every bedroom. 
Judith Collins 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I really do not think that that is any attempt to answer the question. The Minister has already shown that he does not know anything about his portfolio he does not read the newspapers he does not know what is going on 
— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not part of a point of order. Does the Minister wish to add to his answer? He does not. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. It is not for the Speaker to ask whether the Minister wants to add to his answer; it is up to the Speaker to decide whether he has addressed the question adequately. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. I understand the point he is making. I judge and rule that the Minister did address the question. I now ask Judith Collins whether she wishes to ask a supplementary question. 
Judith Collins 
: How many of the other almost 300000 working-age New Zealanders currently receiving a benefit are holidaying on yachts gallivanting around the world or simply choosing not to work for lifestyle reasons? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: My apologies; clearly it would be impossible to have that information. I am happy to give the member the undertaking that I will give her the outcome of the investigation of the party she refers to and assure her that if she has particulars of any other people who raise matters of such concern I would be pleased to investigate them. 
Judith Collins 
: As the Minister—[ 
Interruption 
] Are we going to have interruptions during questions? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: There was no interjection that I heard but people do chatter through questions. If you want silence on every question good luck. I would ask you to put your question please. 
Judith Collins 
: When Bruce Cox and Heloise Kortekaas were rescued at a cost of nearly $1 million to the taxpayer was either of them not available for work due to stress; if not what other illnesses might have rendered them incapable of work but capable of taking a yacht on an intercountry voyage? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: I am happy to find that information out for the member but I point out to her that the provision that stress is an appropriate and acceptable reason for benefit receipt was introduced by the National Government.