Brash Don: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brash Don: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:632;Page:3895] 
1. Dr DON BRASH (Leader of the Opposition) 
 to the  
Prime Minister 
: Does she stand by her reported statement that yesterday Cabinet agreed to seek a multiparty accord on ways to stem the rising tide of child homicide; if not why not? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK (Prime Minister) 
: 
 Ministers have agreed to pursue a multiparty initiative in good faith. We hope that will be reciprocated. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Why is the Prime Minister now proposing that such an accord will start in several weeks’ time after her Government releases yet another report when on Sunday the Minister of Maori Affairs phoned the deputy leader of the National Party and told him that the first multiparty meeting on this issue was to be held last night? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Firstly I can say that Ministers will be inviting other parties to a meeting this week. It will be possible to have a well-informed meeting when the ministerial task force reports. The Government is keen to share that information with other parties. 
Sue Bradford 
: Will the multiparty working-group be solution rather than research focused and will it be given any real power to get any cross-party solutions implemented in terms of Government funding and policy priorities? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: We would welcome the Greens’ suggestions on how to take it forward. We are proceeding on this in good faith and I am sure from the tone of the member’s question so is she. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Why has her Government decided that getting multiparty agreement and urgent action on the issue of child homicide is no longer important? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: As I have said in the House today Ministers have agreed in good faith to pursue a multiparty initiative. I think it is rather unfortunate that the first statement made by the Leader of the Opposition on this tragedy has been to try to politicise it. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Was the Minister of Maori Affairs correct when he said: “I intend to lead a cross-party team to look at it from a whole-of-Government approach and really push it along.” or will the accord be led by another Minister? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: The Minister of Maori Affairs has taken the initiative to say that he will lead such a cross-party initiative. He will be working with other Ministers and spokespersons from other parties who want to participate in good faith. I do hope the member’s statements are not an indication that the National Party does not wish to participate. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Will the cross-party accord focus only on Maori family violence; if not why is the Minister of Maori Affairs and not the Minister for Social Development and Employment or the Minister with responsibility for Child Youth and Family Services leading an accord on child abuse? 
Rt Hon HELEN CLARK 
: Of course the problem is not confined only to one group in the community. It is very appropriate that the Minister of Maori Affairs has taken an initiative. He will be joined by other Ministers. As I say this is being pursued in good faith. We have had many indications of good faith from other parties. We simply wait to see whether the National Party is more intent on politicising child homicide than finding constructive ways forward.