King Annette: Debate on Prime Minister’s StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeKing Annette: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement[Sitting date: 28 January 2014. Volume:696;Page:15565. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon ANNETTE KING (Labour—Rongotai): Mr Assistant Speaker Tisch can I first of all wish you a very happy new year and say how much I enjoy it when you are in the Chair. I would like to respond before I give my contribution to this debate to Dr Smith on one point. Dr Smith I suggest that you read the article by Professor Graeme Aitken the Dean of Education from Auckland University—someone who I suppose knows a little bit about education—who wrote in theNew Zealand Herald today: “the Everest of research … shows that socio-economic status is the strongest predictor of achievement.” So maybe Dr Smith you might like to start with this.In April 2011 the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister Sir Peter Gluckman released a seminal paper on the better use of evidence in policy formation. He said this: “policy formed without consideration of the most relevant knowledge available is far less likely to serve the nation well”. He then went on to say this: “evidence-based approaches must also lead to greater efficiency in the provision of public services. One suspects that there are many Government-funded programmes now in place that when properly assessed would not meet objective tests of effectiveness; such evidence of non-performance would allow both the public and politicians to accept and indeed require redirection of effort.”The Children’s Commissioner appointed by this Government set up an expert advisory group on solutions to child poverty in New Zealand. It reviewed both the international and New Zealand literature. It spoke to overseas experts and to local experts. It talked to officials and to civil society groups. It heard submissions. It even listened to members of Parliament.In November 2013 the Health Committee released a comprehensive report on improving child health outcomes from preconception to 3 years of age. We listened to officials. We read international research and local research from groups like the Brainwave Trust and others. We came to the conclusion—we the members of the select committee: the National Party the Labour Party New Zealand First and the Greens—that the Government needs “to put more focus on and investment into the pre-conception period to three years of age”. We said: “Such policy is not only backed by science equity and ethics but also makes sound economic sense.” I repeat that—sound economic sense.So why would this Government or any future Government not listen to the science the evidence the ethics and the economics of investing in our kids—investing in our kids? You see we have heard passionate speeches from the Government today about all that it is doing for children. Nick Smith nods. So how is it Dr Smith that one of Parliament’s select committees the Expert Advisory Group on Solutions to Child Poverty the Prime Minister’s own science adviser and others are saying: “Listen to the evidence.”? The evidence in New Zealand is telling us that we are not doing well by children in New Zealand.This Government says members on this side of the House have learnt nothing. I have to say it is sad—it has learnt nothing. It learns nothing from evidence and nothing from science. Well I have to tell you that a Labour-led Government has and will. New Zealanders have had enough of cheap words and flash slogans about the value and the importance of our children. We hear the platitudes. They are rolled out all the time—lines like “Children are our greatest gift.” “Children are our future.” “We value children.” and “We are already doing so much for children.” Well the evidence shows that that is hogwash.We have some of the most appalling statistics relating to children in the OECD—the OECD countries we like to compare ourselves with. Well I am disgusted and distressed when report after report shows that this country is failing its children. This is a country that has so much. The Prime Minister has said it is an egalitarian country. When did he connect with New Zealand? This country has not been an egalitarian country in that way probably for 30 or 40 years. We have seen slowly the destruction of that egalitarian society accelerated under this Government. We see statistics about the high rate in this country of child accidents of child abuse of child poverty of youth suicide and of failing educational achievement. You have got to ask yourself: where did we go wrong?The Prime Minister likes to say he was brought up in a State house but this Government although it is building 1000 extra does not tell you about the ones it has knocked down the ones it has closed up and the thousands it has sold off. It does not tell you how it treats State house tenants—as worthless citizens. The Prime Minister likes to say that he was brought up on a widows benefit—plus the family benefit and maybe it could have even helped pay for their first own home. But “benefits” is now a dirty word. Beneficiaries especially those caring for children are worthless in the Government’s eyes. They are judged for their predicament.Homeownership is now out of the reach of thousands of New Zealanders and as for giving a universal payment for children that is now called an election bribe—the very universal payment that helped Mr Key when he was a kid. Paula Bennett likes to crow about how she got off the DPB and made good. She got a degree and she got it with a training incentive allowance but she got rid of that allowance. Why has the Government not stopped and asked itself a few questions? If the Government supports families and if these policies supported the Prime Minister Paula Bennett and others within the National Party why is National denying those very policies for New Zealand kids today? If those polices helped those members as children why are they not appropriate to help children today?You see it is all about priorities. The reality is that the priorities have changed in New Zealand and children are no longer as important to this Government as they were in the past. Instead of seeing the future of our country in healthy well-educated motivated children and families this Government does not believe they are a priority. It is now dog-eat-dog. Top dogs get the top dollars and the rest get the leftovers. It has to change. It is going to take a Government with courage with commitment and with priority.I can assure New Zealanders that Labour members are totally committed to turning round the position of children in New Zealand. Yesterday we announced Best Start based on evidence research and what New Zealanders say needs to happen for children. Why will that Government not open its ears and its eyes and for once look and see what is happening to our kids and instead of opposing everything support it?