Ngaro Alfred: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ngaro Alfred: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 12 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8447. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
ALFRED NGARO (National) 
: 
 I rise and I will wait for the microphone. I am proud to take a call here on behalf of the Government to talk about the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. I am somewhat disappointed though that other members of other parties such as the Labour Party spokesperson for Pacific Island affairs are not taking a call. Mr Kris Faafoi is not taking the call. 
Sue Moroney 
: How do you know? 
ALFRED NGARO 
: That indicates to us quite clearly they are saving their calls for other things that they deem as being important. But for this Government we deem the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and our Pasifika community to be of absolute importance hence the reason why we are taking a call. Miss Moroney if you are interested if it is important to you take a call. The Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs is the premier adviser on policies and interventions to promote the social and economic well-being of our Pacific peoples of New Zealand. It is around policy advice. It is monitoring communication and engagement. 
Our Pasifika communities are sick and tired of being labelled impoverished and underprivileged. A good example of that is that some 4 weeks ago over in Porirua—that is right in the Mana area of Mr Faafoi—there were some young people talking about Pasifika success in education. This is what they said. An 18-year-old Samoan girl stood up and said this: “I am sick of being called underprivileged. I am sick of being called impoverished.” This is what she said: “I am privileged because my parents support me. They encourage me. They allow me to go into education and this year I am at Victoria University. If I get a B average I will then be able to obtain my scholarship to head over to Scotland to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa’s college over there and to be a world-class opera singer.” There were two young twins who turned up. They go to St Patrick’s College. This is what they said: “We’re sick of being called underprivileged. We as Pasifika are successful and this is what we’re doing in education: dream believe and achieve.” They are currently the Australasian 100 and 200-metre champions. 
This Government is about promoting success not continually putting down our Pasifika communities. I went to consultations of the Child Poverty Action Group with Dr Airini. Dr Airini said that in Napier and in Hawke’s Bay the Pasifika community said this: ‘Stop those people saying that we’re impoverished. Stop them using us as their poverty statistics. Why? Because we are successful. Why? Because we know we are succeeding.” We are starting to see this under this Government. So here is some of the vision of successful Pasifika that is coming through. 
The annual report of the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs says that the ministry was “in much better shape to catalyse positive change.”—positive change—for a very small ministry punching above its weight. Why? Because for Pasifika communities we know that is what we are about despite the fact that the ministry has been without the benefit of any increase in funding or staffing for several years. And may I say this—and it is to the shame of the former Labour Government. The Minister of Pacific Island Affairs and its portfolio was established in 1984. In fact Richard Prebble was the first Minister. The ministry began in 1990. From that time on never has that portfolio been out of Cabinet except under a Labour Government. So how important is the Pasifika community to that party? I tell you what—it is not important because no one has taken a call. Maybe Mr Faafoi who has just entered the Chamber may take a call to talk about what success you have had. But this is what we are doing—this is what we are doing. Education youth skills and employment are very important. Our young Pasifika community is important to us. 
Kris Faafoi 
: What about the unemployment rate for Pasifika? 
ALFRED NGARO 
: Mr Faafoi will always talk about the unemployment rate but what he does not talk about is the alternatives—what we are doing and the difference that we are making. [ 
Interruption 
] Yes they are excited now. Why? They may just take a call. If it is important take a call. If it is important stand up and take a call. Tell us what you have been doing. This Government is making a difference through the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. 
In regard to housing we are seeing improving economic well-being and living standards with housing alternatives through the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. What is it? It is the Tongan churches and the Tongan communities up in Auckland getting $4.3 million for alternatives to social housing. Why? Because what this Government wants is for our Pasifika communities to have opportunities to develop their own solutions. That is the difference that this Government is making to our Pasifika communities. Stop labelling them as underprivileged. Stop labelling them as impoverished. You do no service to our communities. It is time to stop. If you have got any alternative then give us the solutions that make a difference. Under this Government we have increased early childhood education participation. Under this Government we are addressing all the social health issues such as rheumatic fever. That is what this Government is doing. 
Report noted.