edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
Allan KiritapuKIRITAPU ALLAN (Assistant Whip—Labour): I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. There was a question within the member's previous statements just then directed at the Minister about the time allocation that she had to respond to these very important matters that are before this committee. I thought it would be prudent to note that the House management of which this has been a discussion over the past several days has very much been on both the Opposition and us in terms of our time management. The Minister has no responsibility for where these appropriations are put in terms of the prioritisation on the order list. That is very much an administrative function that I'm not sure is within the Minister's responsibility.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Quite correct; it isn't and I just assumed that the member who's just resumed her seat wasn't aware of the processes of negotiating the time and I didn't really think it was a big enough omission on her part to draw it to the committee's attention.HARETE HIPANGO (National—Whanganui): I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): A new point of order?HARETE HIPANGO: Thank you Madam Chair. The member is aware of the administrative arrangements—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): The point of order is?HARETE HIPANGO: The point of order is that I put the question to the Minister in terms of deeming this a priority for answers and responses to the Vote allocation for Māori development. I think that that does have relevance and bearing with the ministerial responsibility in the allocation of time.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): As the assistant whip for the Government just explained the Minister has no responsibility for it. That decision is made elsewhere and it's certainly not within the appropriations. Any further speakers on this?
SpeechHARETE HIPANGO (National—Whanganui): Thank you Madam Chair. To Minister Mahuta thank you for being available. My first question is: does the Minister consider that 15 minutes' allocation in the House to answer questions on Vote Māori Development is sufficient and also due regard to the Vote Māori Development portfolios? That's my first question. My second question Minister is in relation to—although this is not directly within your parameters as Minister but comes within Vote Māori Development—whether the appropriation for the Crown-Māori relations role having increased only $4.25 million that is from $6.75 million to $11 million is sufficient funding to deal with the vast scope and responsibility that Te Arawhiti has across all of the Government sector agencies on a par with the State Services Commission Vote's allocation and responsibilities. I leave it at that at this stage.
Acknowledgments — Deputy Speaker—Service as Presiding Officer
SpeechESTIMATES DEBATEIn CommitteeDebate resumed from 28 July on the Appropriation (2020/21 Estimates) Bill.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Just to remind members Standing Orders provide for 11 hours of debate on the Estimates divided into 10 separate debates covering the sectors set out in the Estimates of Appropriations for 2020/2021. There is one hour 30 minutes remaining in this debate and New Zealand National has one hour 16 minutes and 36 seconds remaining; New Zealand Labour has 15 minutes and 43 seconds remaining; New Zealand First has six minutes and 24 seconds remaining; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand has 16 minutes and 40 seconds remaining; ACT New Zealand has six minutes remaining; and Jami-Lee Ross has no time remaining. Each debate will be led by a call from the chairperson of the select committee. At the end of each debate the question will be put that the Votes in each sector stand part of the Schedules. The Estimates debate should be relevant to the Government's current spending plans as contained in the Estimates of Appropriations. The compendium of the reports of select committees on the Votes is available on the Table.Justice Sector (continued)Vote Attorney-General Vote Corrections Vote Courts Vote Justice Vote Parliamentary Counsel Vote Police and Vote Serious Fraud agreed to.
Hipkins ChrisACKNOWLEDGMENTSHon Anne Tolley—Service as Presiding OfficerHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. Can I on behalf of the House acknowledge your role as Deputy Speaker for this term of Parliament. You have served in that role I think in a very impartial and fair manner chairing the House through a number of different pieces of legislation—some have been more controversial than others. This is of course the first time that you have had the opportunity to chair question time and as it may be the last on behalf of the House can I thank you for your service in that role.DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you very much.[Applause]
Hipkins Chris; Bishop ChrisTHURSDAY 30 JULY 2020The Deputy Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Prayers.BUSINESS STATEMENTHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Next week will be the final sitting week of the 52nd Parliament. On Tuesday 4 August the Appropriation (2020/21 Estimates) Bill will have its third reading. I've informed the Business Committee of my intention to move urgency on Tuesday. Bills to be passed under urgency will include the COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill the COVID-19 Response (Further Management Measures) Legislation Bill (No 2) the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill the Fuel Industry Bill and the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Amendment Bill. The Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Bill will receive its first reading and there will be a motion to extend the COVID-19 Public Health Response Act 2020. On Thursday 6 August all things going according to plan the House will close its proceedings with the adjournment debate.CHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South): Can I ask the Leader of the House whether or not the Government will give consideration to picking up the Adverse Weather-affected Timber Recovery on Conservation Lands Bill a member's bill in the name of Maureen Pugh that has just been drawn from the members' ballot and sending that to a select committee in the time the House has before we rise for the election.Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Of course the Government has a lot of legislation to try and get through over the three remaining sitting days we will have next week and so we have no intention to pick up any of the members' bills.
Tuesday 28 July 2020 (continued on Wednesday 29 July 2020) - Volume 748
Rurawhe AdrianCHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): The member has 54 seconds remaining in this debate so we'll count down from—and I'll call Jami-Lee Ross.JAMI-LEE ROSS (Botany): Thank you. I thank the Minister of Justice for his contribution. I am curious to know whether the Minister and his Government genuinely believe that $15000 is reasonable given the questions that are out there in the public. I want to ask whether he genuinely believes it is right that foreign donors can utilise companies in New Zealand to make donations to political parties. I also will note—and the Minister did make a point around people who have made donations in good faith. Yes I do have all that information here. Yes I was threatened earlier this morning with court action. They can't touch what happens in the Parliament regardless. But there is significant financial and private information in here. So I won't go further and attempt to table it or even read it out in another form. But I will say there's a lot of questions in here people need to know the truth and we need to reform our donation regime—[Time expired]
SpeechBRETT HUDSON (National): Well I've got a call on this to a sort of related topic then as the Minister of Corrections wasn't that quick to his feet. Having visited Auckland prison last year and had a conversation with corrections officers about the challenges of managing those most dangerous of offenders if we're hoping to break a cycle of offenders returning—repeat offending and returning—to prison then I'm sure the Minister would agree that education would play a very big part in it and of course there are all manner of education services available to inmates in that and other prisons. But one of the challenges that we were told about were influences within the prison with so many offenders either arriving with gang affiliations or if just necessary for their personal survival forming them very quickly and the pressures that come from within not to participate—not to participate with any of those programmes. As a result there's a real risk that the education that would help those offenders to perhaps have other chances and choices once they are released are not being undertaken. So what work if any are Corrections planning or is he planning to improve the uptake particularly in higher maximum security environments to actually give prisoners the skills and abilities to have other choices when they get released?
Dean Jacqui; Woods MeganHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you. So taking phase 1 out of it then how will the Government measure the success of the Progressive Home Ownership fund when the goals are between 1500 and 4000 homes?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): The same way in which we'll measure the success of phase 1 in that we will count the number of families who are being helped. What we have said is that this is a fund that will help between 1500 and 4000 families into homeownership and we will track the number of families who are helped into homeownership.Hon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): So in other words there isn't a goal. So there isn't a goal—just to be quite clear because I think families in New Zealand who are looking to this Progressive Home Ownership scheme are probably looking for some certainty. But I will move back to KiwiBuild. The Minister told us that with regards to the underwritten homes the Government purchased 186 underwritten homes and has sold a number of them. Can the Minister update us as to how many homes had been sold at the time of the Estimates and how many of those homes remain unsold one month later?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): I'm happy to give an update on that. Actually I can give you the latest data that will be published this afternoon. To date 589 KiwiBuild properties have been sold and 302 remain available to buy.Hon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you. With regards to the Monark development acknowledging the Minister's work in that situation where the Minister noted she was sympathetic to the buyers who haven't been able to get into the KiwiBuild homes it must have been awful for those families who should have been in their homes now to face uncertainty and delays for the next two years. The Minister did tell the committee that she is confident that any KiwiBuild apartments that have not been sold or have had their contracts exited would be resold quickly. Can she tell the committee how many of those KiwiBuild apartments have now been sold?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): I'm unable to give the member a precise update. If she's happy to put that in writing I'll answer it as I have many times before. But what I can report is that there was very strong interest in those apartments that the developer was reporting to us.
Dean JacquiHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you Madam Chair. I'm very happy for the Minister to answer my questions. I understand we are having a conversation here. And in light of the fact I now have three unanswered questions and my colleague Alfred Ngaro also has several I am very happy for the Minister to begin to answer those questions. I am as my colleague is as well taking a note of the questions that have been asked and I do hope the Minister will find the time to begin to address some of those questions.I also have some questions around the progressive ownership programme. I would like to know that—in phase 1 there were two housing trusts selected to be utilised into this project. One operates in Queenstown; the other operates in Auckland. The assistance methods from what I can see are going to be different for each housing trust. So I'd like the Minister to lay out to the committee what is the funding assistance method for families to get into progressive ownership homes in Queenstown and what is the method for that to happen in Auckland. Also are the criteria different for those families between what is being offered in Queenstown and what is being offered in Auckland?
SpeechHon ALFRED NGARO (National): So we're stacking up all the questions? All right. Again I will point the Minister to page 7 of the select committee report which talked about working with community housing providers. In the Minister's comments she talked about that 70 percent of that housing provision would come from Kāinga Ora 30 percent would come from the community housing providers. At the moment we have 16000 applicants—Minister's words—currently waiting for social housing. Again I put it to the Minister so these are comments in regards to the CHPs the community housing providers that are out there and I'm sure they'd be interested to hear the responses from the Minister in regards to her intent.Further on in the report the Minister acknowledged that community housing providers are seeking to do more and that discussions are occurring about what that would look like. Could the Minister give us an indication of what that would look like moving forward? Is it an increase from the 70 percent Kāinga Ora 30 percent of housing provision to meet the demand of 16000 current applicants waiting for housing? What does that look like in the Minister's mind? In the allocation of the Estimates how does that reflect in the appropriations of that resource?
Dean JacquiHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you. To the Minister a couple of questions. I'm still on the Minister's Progressive Home Ownership programme and fund which we hear will ultimately help between 1500 and 4000 New Zealand families to buy their own homes. My first question is: why the difference between 1500 and 4000? What underlines the work which can lead to the Minister presenting two vastly different goals in front of the House and is this a taste of a KiwiBuild? Is it going to roll out a bit like KiwiBuild where the Government vastly over promised and substantially undelivered? And just on that could I have an update from the Minister on how many KiwiBuild homes have been constructed to date?
SpeechHon ALFRED NGARO (National): I just want to ask another couple of questions to the Minister in the chair Megan Woods. In looking at the Estimates report that's come out of the Social Services and Community Committee one of the areas of that report on page 8 talks about improving housing outcomes for Māori and in particular I would add to that part of the conversation having been part of that conversation to Pasifika. Yet when I read on page 191 of the Estimates of Appropriations and if I look down at the top of page 191 Non-Departmental Output Expenses" what I'm seeing here is that for Pasifika there's only $630000 that's allocated to it. When I look further down to "He Kūkū Ki Te Kāinga - Increasing Māori Housing Supply" again we're seeing a limited amount of funding towards that as well as when we're thinking about "Increasing Māori Housing Provider Capability" there's only a million dollars there. So I'm trying to balance up—and if the Minister can answer the question—to the words of the intent. What I'm not seeing is the resources and the funding to actually increase both the capability and the supply of housing outcomes for Māori and in particular—I'll add that too—for Pasifika.I'll add another question to that in that regards because one of the areas was around community housing providers (CHPs) and if you look over the page on page 192 what it also reflects is that again there is a decrease in funding in regards to CHPs to community housing groups that are there providing their service. On the other hand then to the Minister in regards to the CHP the third sector what is the Minister's intent? If the intent is to provide greater outcomes more public housing and social housing outcomes I'm not seeing it from the rhetoric of the comments made by the Minister in the select committee to the actual funds that are allocated. They don't seem to match. So if the Minister can have a response to that I think that'll be helpful not only for the committee but also for the public."
Dean JacquiHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you for that answer Minister. So those houses that the people assisted through this scheme are being moved into—those houses must effectively be either ready to move into now or very close to being ready to move into in the next few weeks I'm assuming. And my question is that the Minister when she made her announcement was aware that those housing trusts had housing effectively ready to go when the Minister made that announcement. So they weren't new housing as a result of this programme; they were really business as usual with the housing trusts.
Dean Jacqui; Woods MeganHon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Thank you that was very kind of you Madam Chair.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Anticipation. Hon JACQUI DEAN: I have several questions for the Hon Megan Woods throughout this Estimates examination. The first is around Progressive Home Ownership which was an initiative signalled in the Budget and announced a couple of days ago where a number of families will be assisted to buy their own homes by partnering with some existing housing trusts. So in the announcement that the Minister made under phase 1 was working with established housing providers—one in Queenstown one in Auckland—partnering with these providers with the aim of in the first instance helping 100 low to medium income families into homeownership.So my first question for the Minister is: how long does she say that it will take for 100 families or individuals to be assisted into houses through the New Zealand Housing Foundation and the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust?CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Other members wanting to take a call? The Hon Jacqui Dean.Hon JACQUI DEAN (National—Waitaki): Oh thank you. So I was expecting an answer to that but I'm very happy to wait.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): As we've discussed before the Ministers are expected to answer a question but not required to immediately after the question being put.Hon JACQUI DEAN: Thank you and I'm very happy to keep note of the questions that I've asked and the answers that I will then get. So then following on from that question is the criteria for those people who are being assisted into homeownership-style housing the same as for the New Zealand Housing Foundation and the Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust? So is the criteria that she has set out the same for both of those two trusts?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): I'll just answer those two questions very quickly. As to how long for the first tranche of families—the 100 families that were otherwise locked out of homeownership who are going to get the chance of it through this Government initiative—they will be moving into their property at the end of October or the beginning of November of this year so weeks away. It is our anticipation that all 100 families will have completed their journey through Progressive Home Ownership of this first hundred in the 2020-21 year so in pretty short order. In terms of the criteria that are being used for these two providers the answer is yes.
Nash StuartRt Hon DAVID CARTER (National): I've got a question for the Minister in the chair the Hon Stuart Nash. I know the conversation so far has been significantly around tax compliance but I want to take the Minister to page 310 of the appropriation for revenue and seek from him an update on some of the projections that were made around Budget time—a Budget presented in May probably well and truly finalised late April. If you look at corporate tax revenue for instance it was projected to decline by nearly 20 percent in the year 2019-2020. That year's now closed so the Minister I assume has had his officials in his office telling him whether that decline of 20 percent was accurate. CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): We're just having difficulty finding the page. What Volume—Rt Hon DAVID CARTER: Page 310 of the Budget appropriation. He'll be on top of his portfolio. He'll know these figures off by heart because as a revenue Minister he needs to know how much money's coming in as he's acknowledged the 100-year recession. So I want an update on corporate tax revenue to the end of this last financial year end of June 2020. I want a further comment on the suggested decline in corporate tax revenue in the next financial year 2021 which was a decline of 10 percent. Similar questions around GST revenue—it was expected to decline by only 1.7 percent in the 2019-20 year but expected to decline by 4.9 percent in the year that we're now in. So again he'll have an update I assume as to how much it actually did decline in 2019-20 and whether the further projection of 4.9 percent decline is accurate. Then I want to take him to the paragraph between which says positive revenue growth is forecast to return in the year 2021-2022. It seems to me that in light of the economic situation out there and the figures I've just asked him to comment on in regards to GST corporate tax—and I haven't talked about an income tax—it's very unlikely that Inland Revenue's revenue source from taxation is going to return to pre-COVID levels in the very near future.Hon STUART NASH (Minister of Revenue): All I would say to that is the member is well aware that the Government releases a pre-election update and—Rt Hon David Carter: So the member doesn't know.Hon STUART NASH: Well you will have to wait until that pre-election update is released and at that point you will have all the figures that you have asked for.Vote Prime Minister and Cabinet Vote Communications Security and Intelligence Vote Security Intelligence Vote State Services Vote Finance Vote State-Owned Enterprises Vote Revenue Vote Ministerial Services Vote Office of the Clerk Vote Parliamentary Service Vote Audit and Vote Ombudsmen agreed to.
Stanford EricaERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays): I'll keep it brief. So I would like to talk to the Minister about gambling in relation to offshore gambling. So when we had the Minister in front of the select committee we had a long chat about the increase of people who are partaking in offshore gambling especially during the lockdown—the percentage of new people who were getting into gambling the people who were spending far more time in gambling.What I'm keen to know is if the Minister has an update for us on the scale of the problem and the scale of the harm that's being caused. The reason that I'd like to understand a bit more about that is because I'm keen to also then ask her about the work that is being undertaken at the moment in terms of policy to regulate that market where we're at in that work how far along the track we are and when that is likely to be introduced. I did note that she said it wouldn't be introduced in this term of Parliament but if she's lucky enough to be back again how quickly are we likely to see this? Also just specifically around loot boxes—so not just online gambling but in-game purchases for loot boxes has been something that's been talked about a lot by the industry and whether or not that would come into that regulation that she's potentially working on and whether or not she believes that that has some form of value and is actually creating harm.Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): Inland Revenue reports that around about $42 million in GST is collected from offshore online gambling. My recollection is that there is approximately $200 million being spent by New Zealanders in an unregulated market in an offshore online environment. Loot boxes would require regulation to bring them into the Gambling Act. At the moment they are not covered in any way shape or form. With regard to timing if I'm back here as fast as I can do it I'm going to regulate.ERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays): Last one? OK the last question I have is: in select committee the Minister said that the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board is considering diverting some money from Lotto as a COVID-19 fund to help replace some of the funding normally given to communities through charitable trusts. So I'd just like an update on whether that's happened and how much of that has been granted.Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): In answer to the member's question an announcement will be made in the next two days—I believe it's around about two to three days—on that very item.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Is that the completion? Are we on to revenue now? Yes thank you very much Minister Martin. Welcome to the Minister of Revenue the Hon Stuart Nash.
Allan KiritapuKIRITAPU ALLAN (Assistant Whip—Labour): Madam Chair it might be just useful if I give an update on time frames just so the Opposition are aware that New Zealand First has about 20-odd minutes left for their allocation so if you're getting truncated answers that might be the reason.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Each party has to manage its time. So it's really up to Ministers and individuals asking the questions and whips to keep track of it.
Stanford EricaERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays): I've got questions for the Minister of Internal Affairs. CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): For internal affairs? Yes. Thank you very much Minister Mahuta.
SpeechRt Hon DAVID CARTER (National): I just want to—while we've still got the Minister—to ask some quite specific questions as a Christchurch member of Parliament and I'm referring to page 31 32 etc. around some of the—Hon Grant Robertson: 31 32 of what?Rt Hon DAVID CARTER: Of the appropriations Volume 5. The Minister may not have time and may not have the information. I accept that. It would be great if he could perhaps send me a memo. I just want an update on the Christchurch projects that he's responsible for through Vote Finance. So we've got the Convention Centre—that's well under way. I'd like to know when that's about due to open. I'd also like a breakdown then of how much central government money went into it—first how much money came from the city council—and equally an update on the Metro Sports Facility. The land is available. I don't see much activity there but again I'd be grateful—and again the balance between Government money and city council money. Finally there's the stadium which is equally one that's been announced. I haven't seen a lot of progress and I think as we enter the campaign as a Christchurch member of Parliament I'd like to know an update on those three major projects for Christchurch.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I'm happy to do that and obviously I don't have the specific dollar numbers but I'm happy to get back to the member with those. In terms of the Convention Centre all but done. The Convention Centre is a project where obviously the very final stages of it got delayed because of COVID but essentially it finished as a project. In terms of Metro Sports Facility good ground works are there. Last time I went past it there were a reasonable number of people working on it and that project is advancing. The money is all there; the work is being done.The stadium is a little different and the member will be aware that we put in place the acceleration fund that has provided $300 million of which a large chunk of around $220 million was available for the stadium. That money is there. It is done. It is the other funders who are still working through some of their issues. Rt Hon David Carter: The council?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Yeah the council. What we did do was release some funding so that some early site works could be done in advance of the final agreement on the funding. But from our perspective the money is on the table and ready to go.
Goldsmith Paul; Robertson GrantHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National): Well here's a very short question: can the Minister outline for us some examples of reprioritisation of spending in the last few months and any reductions to existing spending given the gravity of the time? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Well look obviously in terms of the time we've got I could come back to the member with a list of the conversations we've had with various areas but perhaps I'll take one that's actually in this area here which is within Vote Finance. Treasury has reprioritised a significant amount of its work including on things like monetary policy reform which I think is really significant and important and has directed that to COVID. So every Government agency and every department takes a look at its spending to see how it can best use it. Right at the moment there's more pressure on public services than ever so actually most agencies are looking for further funding to do just what they need to do let alone any other reprioritising.
Allan KiritapuCHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Can I just take a minute. So Minister are you happy to stay on for a bit? Hon Grant Robertson: I can but it just takes the time off the other—the agreement that we've got. Hon Paul Goldsmith: The agreement was half an hour with the Minister so we're keen to have it. CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): But he's been here more than that. Hon Paul Goldsmith: No no—not for finance he hasn't. He's been doing foreign affairs and nonsense like that.KIRITAPU ALLAN (Assistant Whip—Labour): The issue that we have is that these are timed debates and we've got—right now I'm down to about one hour and 25 minutes I think for my allocations for Labour members. We've had the Minister of Finance in the seat for 30 minutes. He's happy to stay but we've still got about seven or eight other Labour Ministers that still need to answer questions. So I'm just in this quandary of having to try to manage efficiently the House time with our Ministers in the chair. CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): That's exactly the difficulty with long speeches. That's what the people in the Chair have been saying all the way through this debate which is that long speeches long questions and long answers actually eat into time. So the Minister's indicated he's happy for another five minutes. Let's make the best use of that and away we go.
SpeechFinance and Government Administration SectorCHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Members I understand that responsible Ministers are available to speak to the Votes in the finance and government administration sector volume (B.5 Volume 5). I also understand that the Speaker will be available should members wish to respond to any question relating to any of the Votes under his responsibility and if members would kindly advise the Chair so that I can invite the Speaker to join us that would be appreciated.The question is that Vote Audit Vote Communications Security and Intelligence Vote Finance Vote Internal Affairs Vote Office of the Clerk Vote Ombudsmen Vote Parliamentary Service Vote Prime Minister and Cabinet Vote Revenue Vote Security Intelligence Vote State Services and Vote Statistics stand part of the Schedules.
Estimates Debate — External Sector (continued)
Bridges Simon; Robertson GrantHon SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga): At a time when resources are critical and you'll be considering where to put those is the Government considering what relationships it prioritises and if so what are those relationships? Where is the work in the United States that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been so keen on when it comes to free trade as part of a wider geopolitical strategy? Are we moving into doing more work with the likes of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue—that is Australia Japan India and the United States—as we now more than ever need closer relationships to navigate pretty choppy and difficult waters? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I think the member makes the point himself—given the number of countries he covered in that intervention—that the most important thing is that New Zealand retains a wide range of relationships. Actually diversity in our export markets is one of the challenges that this Government took on when we came into office. We can't afford to put all our eggs in one basket when it comes to both trade relationships and indeed diplomatic relationships. So yes I'm certainly aware that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has continued to have a dialogue and relationships with those in the American administration to try and advance our interests there. Obviously off the back of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership there have been significant advances in the number of other countries—particularly Japan which the member mentions—and so we have to continue to maintain those relationships right around the world. I'd also make the point that New Zealanders are not only well served by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade but also particularly well served by our New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) staff in country. One of the pieces of feedback the Minister of Finance has had over the past few months is the fact that exporters who now can't visit the markets that they are trading into are delighted by the support that they're receiving from NZTE staff in country. So all of the relationships that the member has highlighted are important. When it comes to India I think every country in the world would like to be able to form some kind of free-trade agreement with India—their Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. We have tried our best along with many other countries to do that. For now India chooses not to be a part of that agreement but we continue to try to develop that relationship.
Bridges Simon; Robertson GrantHon SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga): Thank you Madam Chair. In terms of the appropriations and the investment of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade into the future of course we know—Michael Wood: Just add that on the front. Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Yeah that's right and then I'll move on to whatever I want—you're right. We know of course that we cannot at this time travel and that in fact our foreign affairs ministry is severely constrained as is the Minister. How many Zoom calls is the Minister doing? Has he been meeting virtually with his counterparts in the likes of Japan India South Korea and Indonesia? I note Scott Morrison and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been incredibly proactive in this regard with some 39 Zooms alone from the Prime Minister. Is it important at this time that we do that rather than dare I say it have a sleepier approach where we sort of sit back and gradually announce things like we did yesterday on an extradition treaty? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Well I am aware that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is an inveterate user of Zoom and a person who is regularly aware of the ability to take himself off mute—you know that's never an issue. So yes I am aware that the Minister of Foreign Affairs throughout the period of both the lockdown and since then has been in very regular contact with partner countries all around the world. I'm also aware that the Prime Minister is similarly in very regular contact with her colleagues around the world and I also know that the Minister of Finance has been part of calls around the economic aspects of the recovery of COVID19 with the finance Ministers or Treasurers of the Five Eyes countries. We've had two of those calls and I know that there are more planned so yes there is a great deal of use of technology in this era. Given the time for this debate will soon expire I just want to put on record the Government's thanks to the diplomats and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade who under very stressful circumstances have continued to represent New Zealand admirably both in-country and also here in New Zealand.
Kuriger BarbaraBARBARA KURIGER (Senior Whip—National): I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. Are we now moving on to foreign affairs? CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): That's right. We just slide into it. It's still within the same Vote.
Penk ChrisCHRIS PENK (National—Helensville): Thank you. I previously asked the Minister in the chair the Hon Shane Jones about Royal New Zealand Navy ships and got an answer about the defence estate. I've then asked a question about the defence estate and had an answer about the naval base more particularly. So I feel I'm engaged somewhat in a game of verbal whack-a-mole with the Minister. I feel as though to get the answer to my next question I perhaps should ask something entirely unrelated. But nevertheless I did want to follow up on the comments that the Minister made and I thank him for his honesty perhaps coming from a personal northern perspective in relation to the naval base. Just to be clear then Minister please: is the Government considering moving the naval base from Devonport to Whangārei or some other northern clime? Hon SHANE JONES (Minister of Forestry): Please listen very carefully: the Government acts when Cabinet arrives at a conclusion. Our Cabinet has not concluded because the defence estate review has not been finished as to what and where and in what proportion personnel currently located at Devonport would be moved anywhere. Until such time Cabinet decides to do that—and Cabinet has not decided to do that—then Auckland will enjoy the ongoing presence of all the ratings the officers and their wives. CHRIS PENK (National—Helensville): Thank you. I enjoyed the Minister's use of the word enjoy" in that answer. My further question to the Minister around the defence estate is if he can give some assurance—and I acknowledge previous statements made by the Minister and indeed he alluded to them in passing himself a few minutes ago—about the relationship between housing pressure in the vicinity of bases and the operation of the bases themselves. Is there some assurance that he can give this committee that the strategic needs of the military establishments that are already in place will not be undermined by the threat of housing encroachment? Hon SHANE JONES (Minister of Forestry): OK the honourable member Chris Penk raises really the point as to is there a long-term future for the current Whenuapai air force base. I say again: our Cabinet has no agenda to relocate that base to Kaikohe or anywhere else—perish the thought. There is a long strip I am told that was developed in the days of the Hon Peeni Henare's grandfather by the Americans—I'm hoping the Minister of Finance is listening. It's an incredibly long robust strip of land which is capable of landing very big dangerous loud—and I'm not talking about the people—aircraft. But I can assure the member there's no Cabinet position in that regard. Secondly I say to the member on the other side of the House that Whenuapai has been there for a long time. You know that there was a group who availed themselves of their rights through the Resource Management Act to I guess litigate against the operations. Minister Ron Mark represented the Crown through his various officials. So subject to operating within the confines of the law Cabinet has no agenda to relocate or frustrate the operations of the base at Whenuapai."
Wall LouisaLOUISA WALL (Labour—Manurewa): Tēnā koe Madam Chair. Tēnā koutou katoa. The emphasis for me in this morning's Estimates debate—and I know the Minister in the chair the Hon Shane Jones will be able to answer this question—is actually the emphasis from the Minister of Defence about attrition rates for the New Zealand Defence Force. There have been rates such as those in armed combat specialty of 26.8 percent those who are part of the infantry at 33.7 percent and for gunners it's 20.8 percent and this is coupled with some research that's come out of Otago University about one in three members of our Defence Force suffering PTSD—post-traumatic stress disorder. I guess my question to the Minister in the chair is: what does he think about that revelation? It's shame that because of his service Minister Mark in his reference to PTSD being a phenomenon that a lot of men aren't happy to talk about—but what does he see as the responsibility of the New Zealand Defence Force to make sure that those members of the Defence Force who are experiencing these symptoms have the support that they need to stay within the Defence Force because it seems on average now people are exiting within two years in those particular vocations?Hon SHANE JONES (Minister of Forestry): Yes thank you for that remark from the honourable member Louisa Wall. Can I direct your attention to page 3 of the actual report from the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee where the Minister of Defence clearly states that not only does he share the concern in particular about the strength of the infantry units but if you look further down the actual day-to-day leader the Chief of Defence Force also says that whilst a host of these issues have not been addressed they have every confidence with the huge amount of money that has been allocated via last several Budgets that that money is not only to attract new trades—and it's got the upstanding issue of dealing with gender issues within the military force which is obviously a matter of topicality in the media as we stand and sit here today. But on the question of is there enough resources to address those personnel concerns especially those who may not have received the right type of attention or resources to retain people in the military given that prior to COVID there was lots of poaching I am advised that in fact certain displaced pilots from Air New Zealand are now lining up to see if they can actually transfer into the Air Force and be a part of the military. So I think post-COVID we're going to see a drift of people with skills in highly sought-after positions in the defence community.
Tuesday 28 July 2020 - Volume 748
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That Vote Health be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Noes 56New Zealand National 54; ACT New Zealand 1; Ross.Vote Health agreed to.
9. Question No. 9—EducationJAN TINETTI (Labour) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 9—Education9. JAN TINETTI (Labour) to the Minister of Education: What response has he seen to the Government's initiative to encourage vocational training and apprenticeship during New Zealand's recovery from the impact of COVID-19?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): I've seen a report on the Government's Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund which abolishes fees for those in areas of training that will give them better employment prospects. The report estimates that as a result of the policy about 5000 Kiwis are now studying qualifications in more than 130 subjects providing what the report calls A huge boost for the tertiary sector." This includes just over 2000 extra enrolments at The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand 730 at the Wellington Institute of Technology nearly 500 at the Manukau Institute of Technology over 300 at the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki and the Universal College of Learning and about 100 at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. Jan Tinetti: What response to the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund has he seen in relation to Otago Polytechnic?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Vocational enrolments at Otago Polytechnic are reportedly up by more than 400 compared to the same time last year. As the chief executive has said this equates to them being almost 7 percent above budgeted numbers of domestic equivalent full-time students for 2020 and that is largely as a result of the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund.Jan Tinetti: What response to the Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund has he seen in relationship to Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: There's reportedly been a substantial increase in carpentry and construction courses at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology with a spokeswoman commenting "In the past we've had little interest and some years this course doesn't run. This year we had 34 applicants for 16 available spaces." This is good for the trainees good for the sector and it's very good for our country's economic recovery."
6. Question No. 6—Energy and ResourcesDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of Energy and ResourcesQuestion No. 6—Energy and Resources6. Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of Energy and Resources: What recent announcements has she made about the Government's target of 100 percent renewable electricity?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Energy and Resources): On Sunday I announced the Government has taken another step forward on our pathway to 100 percent renewable electricity. We've set aside $30 million to commence work on what could be the largest single infrastructure project since the 1980s. The initial phase of this project will be a detailed development of a business case focused primarily on pumped hydro storage a key recommendation of the Interim Climate Change Committee. If the business case stacks up a pumped hydro scheme could deliver significant benefits for New Zealand including the widespread electrification of transport and industry thousands of jobs and more affordable power for New Zealanders in the long run. If the project proceeds it will see us become one of the few countries in the world with 100 percent renewable electricity and enable the widespread decarbonisation of our economy.Dr Duncan Webb: How could this project deliver cheaper power in the long run for New Zealanders?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: What we know is that renewable sources of generation are a lower cost than generation by fossil fuels but they don't provide reliable round-the-clock supply and therefore our system is currently reliant on expensive fossil fuels when the wind isn't blowing or the hydro lakes are low. A pumped hydro scheme works like a battery where renewable energy is stored in an upper reservoir and is released back down into a hydro power station to generate electricity when demand is high. It is then pumped back up to the reservoir when demand is low and prices are low. This would drive down prices for consumers by removing the reliance on fossil fuels in the system and support more renewable energy generation.Dr Duncan Webb: What response has she seen to the Government's announcement?SPEAKER: Short—short.Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: OK. Well it's hard to keep this one short Mr Speaker but I'll try. The response to the announcement has been overwhelmingly positive. Vector chief executive Simon Mackenzie welcomed the announcement saying pumped hydro would provide a smooth and reliable transition to a 100 percent renewable system as fossil fuel generation plants are retired. Greenpeace chief executive Russel Norman has also welcomed the news suggesting pumped hydro would have massive climate benefits for New Zealand.