Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:608;Page:5824] 
7.  
KATHERINE RICH (NZ National) 
 to the  
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF) 
: Will she confirm that girls under the care and protection of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services have been working as prostitutes and why is its investigation not complete after 11 days? 
Hon RICK BARKER (Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
 on behalf of the  
Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment (CYF) 
: No I cannot confirm that. The department is working in close cooperation with the police to identify all the young people reportedly involved and to ensure that they are kept safe while the joint Department of Child Youth and Family Services and police investigation is undertaken and completed. 
Katherine Rich 
: When allegations were made as early as 8 May that girls under the care of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services were prostituting themselves on Christchurch streets how can the Associate Minister be confident that appropriate actions have been taken when as late as 17 May the South Island manager of the department is quoted in the Christchurch  
Press  
as saying: “I don’t know whether they are in our custody or care. Will someone find out and quick.”? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: My advice from the department is that people did act immediately and that doubt remains as to who is actually involved. The identity of all those young people is not absolutely known to the department or to the police. An investigation is being undertaken and as soon as the facts are ascertained the police will act on them. 
Lynne Pillay 
: What action has been taken to ensure the safety of children and young people allegedly involved in the sex industry? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: The Department of Child Youth and Family Services advise that the moment its staff were advised of this matter they acted. They worked closely with the police to identify the young people allegedly involved to ensure that those people were closely supervised and placed in secure care as appropriate. Until the joint investigation by the police and the Department of Child Youth and Family Services is being completed it would be unwise to jump to conclusions. 
Barbara Stewart 
: Is the Minister satisfied that the Department of Child Youth and Family Services has the resources to investigate allegations such as those in a timely manner or does he support this Government’s view that the maintenance of a large Budget surplus is more important than our young people’s welfare? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: I can assure the member that this Government takes its responsibilities very seriously. I am able to advise that the Department of Child Youth and Family Services has a significant increase in its budget baseline for 2003. That is $93 million higher than it was in the year 2000. 
Sue Bradford 
: In the light of the recent revelations about young people in Christchurch working as prostitutes while in the care of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services supposedly can the Minister advise what is happening in Auckland and south Auckland; is the Department of Child Youth and Family Services looking closely at the situation there to ensure that the same thing is not happening? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: I do not have any specific advice on that matter. However I can assure the member that the moment any allegation of that sort comes to the attention of the department it acts upon it immediately. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: Why is it that the department and the Minister do not appear to know what has been widely reported in the media and is that not just another example of Government failure? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: I reject that entirely. The paper is about speculation. The police are conducting an investigation and when they have concluded their investigation we will know with some certainty what has happened. Speculation in the paper is not always reliable. 
Katherine Rich 
: In the light of the Commissioner for Children’s statement regarding the failure of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services to respond to his notification that “My letter has done sweet bugger all and of these dozen or so girls”— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That phrase is not permitted in this House. I know that it was used by the commissioner. That does not make it right in this House. I would like the member to rephrase her question without the use of the word which I do not agree with. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This House spent some time this afternoon recalling the occasion of Sir Edmund Hillary’s triumph on Mount Everest and I would just ask you to reflect for a few moments about the words he broadcast to the world on that day. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Yes and they were never repeated in this Parliament. 
Hon Richard Prebble 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This is as good a time as any to raise it and I am a bit sympathetic to the ruling you are making but language changes. If I understood the question correctly—and maybe I could be corrected—and the Commissioner for Children said that and if the phrase is in general use and appears on advertisements for motorcars on television every night I think that the phrase “bugger off” must be now within common parlance. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member might think that. I do not; I have a different point of view. I have a respect for the English language that indicates there is not a need to have to use that sort of phrase in this House. I am sure the member can rephrase the question and I invite her to do so. 
Katherine Rich 
: In the light of the Commissioner for Children’s statement regarding the failure of the Department of Child Youth and Family Services to respond to his notification that his letter had done not much and “of these dozen or so girls who knows which of them might have got some sexually transmitted disease while the investigation takes place?” will he give this House the assurance that those girls are safe and will not spend another night on the streets? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: I am aware of the comments made by the commissioner. He is entitled to that opinion. However it is not the advice that I have. The advice that I have is that the moment the issue was raised the department acted. I am also assured that the children who are supposed to be in the care of the department are still in its care and I am advised in a safe place.