Ngaro Alfred: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeNgaro Alfred: Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 18 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4605. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]ALFRED NGARO (National): I rise and take the final call on the third reading of the Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau) Bill. I want to make reference to the comments that were made by Mr Sio and in particular when he talked about actions speaking louder than words. Can I remind the member that in 1990 what was then the Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Act actually indicated that you needed to have 7 years rather than 5 years. The year was changed so that it was 5 years to make it a lot more equitable. Can I remind that member that the Green member who spoke Jan Logie also talked about how the petition for change for the provision of the portability of the pension has been happening since 1990. So if we are going to talk about actions speaking louder than words why when Labour was in Government were there no changes made? I tell you the reason why: actions speak louder than words. Here we are with the honourable Minister Murray McCully putting actions to his words. And actually under this Government we are making it happen. Since 1990 the petition has been happening.If we talk about actions speaking louder than words let us also talk to our Cook Island Niuean and Tokelauan communities that are out there. In the inquiry that was taken in 2010 into New Zealand’s relationship with South Pacific nations one of the issues that it talked about was the Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum. Now the member Mr Sio will know that this is not a new issue. In fact when Mike Moore was in Parliament he talked about it. When Helen Clark was in Parliament she talked about it. But guess what happened? Under that Government—when Labour was in Government—nothing happened. So what happened? Minister McCully turned round and in 2013 we had the very first Pacific Parliamentary and Political Leaders Forum with 138 members from across the Pacific. They came here and for the first time we talked about issues that affect our Pacific nations. When actions speak louder than words it is under this Government that we make it happen.The last thing—because it is good to have a trifecta—when we talk about actions speaking louder than words is that it was under a Labour Government that the Pacific Island affairs portfolio was taken out of Cabinet for the very first time. The Pacific community turned round and asked: “Why? Why did this happen?”. It was under a Labour Government and those people could not understand it. Why? Because for all the talk and for all the rhetoric that Government was not appealing to the so-called submissions of the Pacific community. [Interruption] No I do not stand to take those comments; I stand to actually proclaim the things that this Government has done. It is making a difference.I am going to round off my speech with just a few comments that I think are actually really important to actually address some of the issues of concern. I want to address the issue that Louisa Wall raised when she talked about discrimination. I am going to read this out really clearly: some members have also said that it is unfair that migrants can come to New Zealand and qualify for full New Zealand superannuation—Louisa Wall: I didn’t say that.ALFRED NGARO: —no no no I am just reading from this—Louisa Wall: After 10 years—after 10 years.ALFRED NGARO: —hang on let me finish OK—residence in New Zealand whereas people who live in the Cook Islands Niue and Tokelau must have 20 years’ residence. That is the point I wanted to make—the 20 years’ residence. This bill does not discriminate against people from the Cook Islands Niue or Tokelau. People from these islands who remain in New Zealand are subject to exactly the same rules as all other New Zealanders. I want to make that point really clear to all other New Zealanders. There has been a lot of misinformation that has gone out to our community to believe that there is discrimination and that there is an injustice. Absolutely there is not. What you are talking about is the special portability provisions that are there as well. I want to be very clear. These provisions that are there are absolutely important. They do allow for the migration back into the Pacific which is what the communities have asked for. If we are talking about what they have asked for Mr Sio this is what they have asked for—those Pacific nations those Pacific leaders. When they came and they presented they said: “These are the things that we have been waiting for—these are the things that we have been waiting for for a very long time.” So this Government put actions to the words and is making it happen.The last thing is around this 5-year rule. You are absolutely right Mr Darroch Ball: 12 out of the 13 submissions said: “Can we find that there is some discretion around that?”. There is no discretion for anybody. When we talk about those who have discretion you are right that there are those for whom there is a social security agreement a reciprocal financial arrangement that is made with those particular nations like the UK like Canada and like Australia and that is that arrangement. There is no discrimination there at all. Therefore all New Zealanders all Cook Islanders all Niuean people and all Tokelauan people have exactly the same.I want to finish off by saying this. This is a bill that is ensuring that when the community of the Pacific has asked for portability of that pension they shall receive it. They will be able to go back and when they go back at the age of 55—my parents are residing back in the Cook Islands as we speak and they are there now. When we are asked for the reasons why these are the reasons why: it allows for them to return back to give back to their local economies so that depopulation where they are migrating out does not happen. They return back and they can give something back to those local economies.This is a good bill. It is a bill that we know right across the House has added support bar one point of difference. We have justified that we know what that is and you are absolutely right it will impact 245 people every year increasing by about a hundred people who can make the application. We know that that is there. But we know that actually it is clear. The provisions of the bill make the difference.Lastly I want to finish with this. There were some comments made by New Zealand First and its leader that there were promises made back in the Cook Islands by Andrew Bayly and by me at the Swordfish Club or Swordfighters Bar whatever it is. There were absolutely no promises that were made—no promises that were made. The only promise that was made was this: that we would address the issue of the 5 years. I can say with hand on heart that the only promise that was made was to address the issue of 5 years not to fix or change that.I am proud of this bill. I am married to my beautiful wife Mokauina Fuemana-Ngaro who is Samoan and Niuean and comes from the beautiful village of Mutalau in Niue. I am of Cook Island descent and I am proud that this bill will make a difference. I commend this bill in its third reading to the House.Bill read a third time.