Goudie Sandra: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Goudie Sandra: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:634;Page:5947] 
10.  
SANDRA GOUDIE (National—Coromandel) 
 to the  
Associate Minister of Health 
: Is he satisfied with the Ministry of Health’s contracting and monitoring of problem-gambling service providers; if not why not? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Associate Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yes I am satisfied with the strategic progress being made but there is always room for improvement. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Can the Minister explain why his ministry paid the Pacific People’s Addiction Services of Hamilton $143000 last year for counselling eight people at an average of $18000 each? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: That provider along with 12 other providers is currently being reviewed. They are new providers in a difficult area of social responsibility in this Government. They have been funded to develop services to assist people with problem-gambling habits. The outcome of that review will identify whether any problems have occurred. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Can the Minister explain why his Government overpaid the Pacific People’s Addiction Services of Hamilton $143000 last year for counselling eight people when that organisation’s official contract requires it to see over 300 people; and does he realise that his ministry agreed to pay this money for people who may have had only a 16-minute phone conversation? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: As I said before a number of providers have been set up to assist in the problem-gambling area. This is one of those organisations. It along with 11 others is currently under review in order to ensure that the money provided has been spent wisely. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Can the Minister explain why the Government paid the Waipareira Trust $180000 for counselling only 13 people last year—an average of $14000 for each person—when the contract required the trust to counsel 440 people for the year; and why is the Government overpaying when these contracts are not being met? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: Those questions will be answered by the review. I would like to remind that member— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Please be seated. Members will be leaving the Chamber if this continues. We have done quite well so far. People are entitled to be heard. Would the Minister please address the question. 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I would like to remind that member that we are dealing with a very serious public health issue here. Every day New Zealanders lose $5.5 million. Currently 39000 people are considered to be problem gamblers and another 17000 in this country are considered to be at risk. The Ministry of Health has taken over responsibility for this area and it is developing work with problem-gambler providers. 
Sandra Goudie 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I ask that the Minister address the question which asks him to explain why the Government paid the Waipareira Trust when the contract was not being met. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Minister did address the question. But the member is entitled if she wishes to ask another question. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The Minister did not answer the question. The contract was for some 440 treatments. The organisation provided only 14 treatments but it was paid out for the whole lot. Then he proceeded to tell us that 17000 people in this country have a gambling problem. Well how can we believe that given that only 14 people turned up the contract was for 440 treatments and the money was paid? The member should just answer the question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order. I have ruled on it. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Why is the Minister happy to pay $14000 for a 16-minute phone conversation or a single half-hour counselling session; and if he has known how poorly all these problem-gambling providers are performing why has he given nearly all of them extra contracts worth tens of thousands of dollars more? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: I do not accept for a moment the claims made by that member. A review is currently under way. There will be a normal audit process of every one of those providers. They have been paid money to assist them to set up the organisation that they have and if there are any problems they will be identified through the review. 
Steve Chadwick 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. It is impossible to hear the Minister’s response at the back of the Chamber due to the constant interjections. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Will the Minister please repeat his answer succinctly. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. While you were ruling there was again a barrage from Simon Power. I could hear you but I am sure people at the back of the Chamber will have trouble in doing so if he keeps that up. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Mr Power has a loud voice and he sits right beside the Speaker. So I ask the member not to intervene in future. Will the Minister please succinctly address the question. 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: That question and a number of others will be answered by the review that is currently under way. 
Sandra Goudie 
: Does the Minister realise how bad this scandal looks when only yesterday a casino was fined for not dealing with a problem gambler yet this Government is wasting thousands of dollars overpaying counselling services; and is it not time that the Auditor-General was called in to blow the whistle on this misuse of public money? 
Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR 
: The fact that a casino was fined yesterday identifies the major problem that some organisations throughout the country are not taking responsibility to try to minimise harm from problem gambling.