Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Turei Metiria: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 26 July 2012. Volume:682;Page:4012. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
4. 
METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: Ka whakaae a ia ki ta te Kaikomihana Whanaungata a-Iwi a Joris De Bres i ki ra “Many Maori children are being denied their basic human rights because of poverty and inadequate public services”? 
[ 
Does he agree with Race Relations Commissioner Joris De Bres that “Many Maori children are being denied their basic human rights because of poverty and inadequate public services”? 
] 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 Tena koe kai te Kaiwhakawa. Tena koe Metiria i patai mai i tena patai he patai nui tenei te poharatanga e pa ana ki a tatau iwi. Anei ra taku—ahakoa ko wai te tangata he pakeke he tamaiti ranei mehemea ka noho pohara ka noho ia i te kore mana. 
[ 
Thank you Mr Speaker and to you Metiria who asked that question which is an important one about this poverty that affects our people. This poverty relating to our people is a big one. My view on it is that it does not matter who the person is an adult or a child when one is impoverished one loses status. 
] 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. In the translation—and I think in fact directly—the Minister breached Standing Orders in the way that he addressed a member of the House. I think it is important even when one is speaking in Maori that the same standards apply. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I hear what the member is saying but I do not believe that it was intentionally unfair or unkind. I think the member was actually acknowledging a fellow colleague in a warm way and I would not like to interfere in that although I accept the member’s point that we should refer to all members by their full names. But on this occasion I would not like to interfere because I do not think the member involved took offence anyway at being referred to in that manner. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Thank you Lockwood. 
Metiria Turei 
: Does the Minister consider it acceptable that one-third of all Maori children live in poverty and that the Government has failed to address inequality thereby condemning these Maori children to a life of sickness hardship and underachievement? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: A e maha atu nga tamariki e noho pohara ana. Kare au e tautoko ana ki tena. Na reira na tena na te tono o te Pati Maori kua whakaturia e te Kawanatanga tetahi komiti kia titiro ki enei mea te poharatanga kei roto i te iwi. Ko te Prime Minister Tuarua te heamana a ko Tariana Turia te heamana tuarua. Atu ki tena i raro i taku mahi mo Te Puni Kokiri me te mahi o Whanau Ora he maha nga umanga kua whakaturia e matau kia whakamama ai te poharatanga kei roto i to tatau iwi. 
[ 
There are many children living in poverty and I do not agree with that. Because of that and the request by the Maori Party Government established a committee to look at these things that affect poverty in our people. The Deputy Prime Minister is the chair and Tariana Turia is the deputy chair. Beyond that and through my work with Te Puni Kokiri and the role of Whanau Ora many enterprises have been established to ease poverty amongst our people. 
] 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: He aha te whakatau o te Minita kia taea nga whanau Maori me a ratau tamariki he putea oranga ina e noho ana tetahi hautoru Maori i te pohara me te rawakore me te tokomaha o nga tamariki e haumaru ana i te matua kotahi? He aha nga kaupapa pai mo enei tamariki ki nga kura auraki? 
[ 
What decision has the Minister come to that will enable Maori families and their children to receive a health-based fund given that one-third of Maori are poor and destitute where a sole parent looks after many children? What positive schemes are there for these children in mainstream schools? 
] 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: He maha nga umanga kua whakaturia e matau i roto i te taha mo te matauranga kei roto i nga kura i roto i nga whanau e noho pohara kei roto i nga kainga. Naku i whakatu e 70 nga kaimahi e mahi ana kei roto i nga whanau nga hapori. Ma ratau e mahi ana i te 600 whanau ki te tautoko i a ratau i roto i to ratau poharatanga me a matau mahi Mara Kai. Kua tukuna atu ki te iwi e 300 mara kai kua tukuna atu ki te iwi me era atu ahuatanga. E pai ana te patai koina ta matau. 
[ 
We have established several enterprises in terms of education in schools and in families living in poverty. I have established 70 positions for people to work within families and communities. They worked alongside 600 families to support them through their state of impoverishment. We have our Mara Kai initiative—we granted 300 vegetable gardens to tribes—and other schemes. It is a good question and that is our position on it. 
] 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: He take wero tenei Mr Speaker. Ko te tino ngako o taku patai e pa ana ki nga kaupapa kei roto i nga kura auraki mo enei tamariki pohara enei tamariki rawakore. 
[ 
I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The gist of my question related to initiatives in mainstream schools for children living in poverty. 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The member’s question was somewhat longer than that and being a supplementary question the Minister is not required to answer just the last part of the question. Even though the question may have been in Te Reo the same rules apply to the answering of the question. The question covered more than just that issue. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Ka patai atu ki te Whare kia whakawatea te wahanga maku kia tuku te patai ano. 
[ 
I seek leave of the House for me to ask my question once more. 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought for the member to ask her question again. Is there any objection to that course of action? There is no objection. 
Hon Nanaia Mahuta 
: Tena koutou. He aha te whakatau o te Minita mo enei tamariki pohara enei tamariki rawakore? He aha nga tino kaupapa i roto i nga kura auraki hei awhiawhi i enei tamariki e korerotia ake nei? 
[ 
Thank you collectively. What consideration has he made for these impoverished and destitute children? What are the main programmes in mainstream schools to assist these children referred to here? 
] 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Na matau i whakaturia etahi hotaka mo te panui pukapuka mo nga mea iti kei roto i nga kura decile 1 2 and 3 katoa o te motu. Na mo te poharatanga mo te kai kua tukuna atu tetahi putea ki enei whanau kia whakatu mara kai. Atu ki tena ara nga kaimahi e mahi ana i roto i waenganui a ratau. 
[ 
We established reading programmes for the little ones in all decile 1 2 and 3 schools throughout the country. In terms of poverty and food we provided funding to these families to plant gardens. Aside from that we have workers working amongst and with them. 
] 
Metiria Turei 
: Does the Minister agree with the human rights commissioner that keeping a third of Maori children in poverty infringes their fundamental right to well-being and that one fair way to alleviate that poverty would be to lift the minimum wage to a livable level? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: He maha nga huarahi kia taea e tatau ki te whakamama i te wahanga kei roto i a ratau e noho pohara ana. Ehara ma te Kawanatanga anake engari mo tatau katoa nga hapu nga rohe nga komiti nga whanau katoa mai i nga mema Paremata. Kei a tatau katoa te rongoa kia whakamama ai te taha ki te taha pohara. Kaua e waiho ma te Kawanatanga anake. 
[ 
There are several avenues that allow us to make the lives of those in poverty easier. It is not just up to the Government but to all of us: subtribes regions committees families and even members of Parliament. We have the remedy to ease impoverishment. Do not leave it for the Government alone. 
] 
Metiria Turei 
: Does the Minister then agree that the human right of Maori children to adequate health care is infringed by the Government’s increase in prescription charges when we know that 14 percent of Maori do not pick up prescriptions now because of the cost? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: He wa uaua mo tatau i tenei wa. He ohanga whakaheke i tenei wa. Na reira ko etahi mea e taumaha ana whakataumahatia o tatau iwi. Ko etahi atu e whakapiki ai ta ratau noho. Na reira kare he rongoa atu naku te korero i tena mea anake engari mo nga mea katoa. Mehemea ka taea e tatau ki te whakamama ai ki te whakangawari ai te noho o ratau e pohara ana ka pai ki ahau. 
[ 
This is a difficult time for everyone as we are in an economic recession. Therefore there are some things that make it heavy going for our people or a burden upon them. So there are no solutions but this is my personal view not only for this situation but for everything. If we can make the lives of those living in poverty that much easier and smoother then that would do me nicely. 
] 
Metiria Turei 
: Does the Minister then also agree that the human right of Maori children to decent housing is breached by the Government’s cuts to State and social housing provisions which currently condemn 28 percent of Maori children to living in overcrowded homes? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Ko taku korero ehara mo te Kawanatanga engari mo matau. Kaha matau ki te tautoko i te Kawanatanga kia whakamahanatia etahi o nga whare e makariri ana. E 20000 whare kua awhinatia e matau e te Pati Maori kia noho mahana ai a ratau tamariki. 
[ 
My statement is not on behalf of the Government but for us the Maori Party. We have supported the Government strongly in the strategy to warm up cold homes. We the Maori Party have assisted 20000 homes to ensure that their children are warm. 
] 
Chris Hipkins 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just want to clarify with you. It could be an issue to do with translation but during question time it has been very clear that Ministers are answering on behalf of the Government not on behalf of their individual political parties and twice in question time in the interpretation—I do not speak Te Reo Maori so I just want to check that I am correct here—the Minister has indicated he is replying on behalf of the Maori Party not on behalf of the Government. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member is quite correct that Ministers are replying in their role as a Minister as part of the Government. However they are at liberty to introduce into their answers other material if it helps them answer the question asked. The risk they face in doing that is if they bring into their answer material to do with their party they can then be asked about that when normally they cannot be asked about that. The Minister is not normally answerable in this House for matters to do with the Maori Party. However the Minister has as the member points out on a couple of occasions introduced the Maori Party into his answers and therefore the Minister can be asked about those matters that he has covered in his answers. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora tatau. He aha ta Whanau Ora ki te whakapiki i te ora o nga tamariki Maori? 
[ 
Thank you Mr Speaker. Greetings everyone. What does Whanau Ora do to improve the health of Maori children? 
] 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Ki taku mohio kei roto i te Whanau Ora he huarahi kia whakapiki ai te ora o te whanau ka tahi o te tamaiti ka rua. Ma te mahi ngatahi o nga tari Kawanatanga me te tautoko i te whanau kia noho pumau katahi ka whai wahi era momo whanau kia eke ki nga pukenga kia eke ki o ratau wawata me o ratau hiahia katoa. Na reira hoki aku korero ki era korero e pa ana ki te mahi i tenei momo mahi mo tatau katoa ehara ma te Kawanatanga anake ehara ma Whanau Ora anake. Ka hoki au ki tera whakatauaki Maori “Ma tau rourou me taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi”. 
[ 
I understand that Whanau Ora is a pathway to improve one family health and two the child. Government departments working together and supporting the stability of families will provide opportunities for those kinds of families to upskill and realise all their desires and aspirations. And so I go back to my assertions to those statements relating to this kind of work being done by all of us and not by the Government or Whanau Ora alone. I go back to that Maori proverb “Through your food basket and mine we will ensure that the people survive”. 
] 
Metiria Turei 
: Given that 93000 Maori children have parents on a benefit does he accept that the welfare reforms trap the children of beneficiaries into severe poverty and are therefore an active discrimination against the human rights of the Maori children of those families? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Ahakoa kei a au etahi whakaaro e pa ana ki tena patai ko tena patai te patai mo te Minita mo tera ahuatanga. 
[ 
Although I have my own views about that question it should really be directed at the Minister responsible for that situation. 
] 
Metiria Turei 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This question was set down for the Minister of Maori Affairs. The question directly relates to the impact of Government policy on Maori children. It is within his ministerial responsibility to answer the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the member makes a fair point that the Minister of Maori Affairs has a broad area of responsibility. The primary question asked about the basic human rights of children alleged to be in poverty and the supplementary question that was asked did cover those issues. I invite Metiria Turei to repeat her question. 
Metiria Turei 
: Given that 93000 Maori children have parents on a benefit does he accept that the welfare reforms trap the children of beneficiaries into severe poverty and are therefore an active discrimination against the human rights of Maori children in those families? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Kare ano kia oti te arotake o ena korero tena pepa. Kei te whiriwhiri tonu te Kawanatanga i ena kaupapa engari ko taku korero ko etahi o nga mea hou ka pehi ki runga i tetahi ropu kei roto i te iwi whanui ko etahi atu e whakapiki ai te ora kei roto i a ratau. 
[ 
The review of those comments and the paper are yet to be completed. The Government is still negotiating those policies but from me some of the new initiatives are suppressive of an organisation working in the public domain while others improve the well-being within them. 
] 
Hon David Parker 
: Given that under the National-led Government the interests of low-income Maori are going backwards why is the Maori Party continuing to support the Government in confidence and supply? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Kare au e whakaae ana ki te haere whakamuri i te taha ki nga Maori i roto i nga whare. 
[ 
In terms of Maori in houses I do not agree that it is going backwards. 
] 
Metiria Turei 
: Will the Minister commit to seeking Cabinet approval to replace the discriminatory in-work tax credit with a new child payment for all low-income children regardless of whether their parents have a job or not as one important step towards restoring the basic human rights of Maori children to a healthy childhood and a long life? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I roto i nga tutohinga i waenganui i a matau me te Kawanatanga i tukuna atu o matau korero i tenei take ki te Kawanatanga kia whiriwhiri. 
[ 
In terms of the charters between us and the Government we have submitted our views about this matter for the Government to consider. 
] 
Metiria Turei 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If I understood the answer correctly it was in relation to advocacy by the Maori Party for the issue. I understand that the Maori Party might have a different view from the Government but I am asking him as a Minister of the Government for his commitment. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the member is making a fair point in that the Minister in his answer said that the Maori Party had expressed its view to the Government but I do not think that is actually answering the question. The question asked was whether the Minister would recommend to the Government that it should remove the distinction between the children of parents who are working and those whose parents are not working in respect of the Working for Families tax credit. I do not think it is a satisfactory answer to that to say that the Maori Party has given its views to the Government. So I know that I have not destroyed the member’s question I invite Tariana Turia to repeat her question—I beg your pardon Metiria Turei! My apologies. 
Metiria Turei 
: I do not mind being mistaken for Tariana not at all. Will the Minister commit to seeking Cabinet approval to replace the discriminatory in-work tax credit with a new child payment for all low-income children regardless of whether their parents have a job or not as one important step towards restoring the basic human right of Maori children to a healthy childhood and a long life? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I roto i a matau korero i te tepu ae. 
[ 
In terms of our discussions at the table yes. 
]