Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brownlee Gerry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:635;Page:6418] 
9.  
GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: Was the closing the gaps policy successful? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 The results speak for themselves. They include the lowest level of Maori unemployment on record and the highest wage growth for Maori. Maori participation in early childhood and tertiary education is the highest on record. More Maori are involved in business. There are strong efforts to make a go at improving Maori health. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Minister stand by his statement in the House on 25 May of this year that “this Government has achieved a 30 percent decline in Maori poverty” given that the Ministry of Social Development has shown that the number of Maori living in severe hardship has increased 243 percent under his ministry? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Yes I do. Using two internationally recognised income-poverty measures with poverty thresholds set at 50 and 60 percent of the median household income the Ministry of Social Development has estimated that after the full implementation of Working for Families there will be a 70 percent reduction in child poverty at the lower threshold and a 30 percent reduction in child poverty at the highest threshold. 
Pita Paraone 
: Tena koe Madam Speaker. How has closing the gaps assisted in addressing concerns regarding the escalating rates of diabetes thus minimising any possible threat of Maori becoming extinct before the end of the century as warned by Professor Paul Zimmet director of Monash University’s International Diabetes Institute? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Building on the closing the gaps policy the Government’s initiatives to help New Zealanders into homeownership—including the Welcome Home Loan package and the establishment of Kiwibank KiwiSaver and the homeownership education programme—are very clear and the Government can do a lot more in relation to diabetes and all those sicknesses. But we do not see miles and miles of long lengthy queues outside the food banks as we did when that party was in Government and we do not see people sleeping in cars any more as they did then. We are doing something about it. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. I enjoyed that answer enormously but unfortunately the Minister is required to address the question. My colleague Mr Paraone’s question was about diabetes— 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Paraone not Pareone. 
Rodney Hide 
: The Minister can interrupt if he likes but he should let me have a shot. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: There are no interruptions during points of order. 
Rodney Hide 
: The question was actually about diabetes not about KiwiSaver or homeownership or getting into houses. Maybe if the Minister could draw it together a bit and say that somehow that will pick up diabetes the House might be somewhat— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank the member. I got the gist of his point of order and towards the end of the Minister’s answer although I will say that members were starting to barrack again I did hear him address the matter of diabetes. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Does the Minister accept that diabetes currently accounts for one in every five Maori deaths compared to one in every 25 non-Maori deaths and the Ministry of Health reports that if current Government policies remaining the same by 2020 one in every three Maori will die of diabetes compared to one in every 20 non-Maori; if so what is he doing to fix that? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: What has to be understood alongside that is that Maori are decreasing in the negative statistics three to four times quicker than Pakeha. The percentage gap the member is using is painting a dastardly picture. We understand that that is the case and this Government’s policies are certainly trying to ensure that that percentage is not real. I can tell the member and the person who has gone further than dictating—like a certain person talked about the derivation of our blood—that we will still be here in 50 years’ time irrespective of the mauiui. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: What specifically is the Minister doing to address the current appalling statistics for diabetes among Maori; and what will he do to ensure that by 2020 one in every three Maori is not dying from diabetes? 
Shane Ardern 
: Just say “Free exercise bikes.” 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That is right exercise is part of this. The Government is committed to that in the sense of Fruit in Schools better regulating forms of obesity getting New Zealanders off the couch and into being more active including us too—getting us off the couch and being more active. We are putting a lot into it. At the end of 2007 we will be injecting $1.6 billion in Working for Families which will make a difference with better housing standards and ensuring that health improves. 
Hon Pete Hodgson 
: Can the Minister confirm that under his Government there has been a substantial increase in the “Get Checked” programme enrolments from Maori; a substantial increase in the Care Plus programme enrolments for Maori; that the primary health care strategy is designed to take a population-based approach to disease especially as it reduces inequalities that exist in our society; that last month the policy on very low fees was rolled out to those primary health organisations that often deal specifically with Maori populations; and that for the most part these moves have for years been staunchly opposed by the National Party opposite? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: It is impossible to hear. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: Proudly most certainly yes. In areas like Wairarapa where diabetes is high let that lot over there remember that they sold 13000 State houses put people out on the road and set a market rent. This Government brought that down. We share and care for our people in relation to diabetes so do not come at that. 
Rodney Hide 
: Point of order— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: There is no need for a point of order. 
Rodney Hide 
: I think there is Madam Speaker. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: No I just want to remind members including Ministers when they are addressing questions that shouting does not necessarily aid the hearing of the answer. I also ask members who both ask and answer questions to do so succinctly. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. You addressed a bit of my point of order but it goes like this. We saw several breaches of the Standing Orders. The first thing was that the Minister of Health who asked the question actually answered it. I am sure that if members of the Opposition were in a position whereby they could ask a question and answer it at the same time they would take that opportunity. The second thing is that the Minister is required to answer a question briefly and to the point. When the Minister said yes he had done so. He did not need to go into a long rant as interesting as it was about State housing and what the National Party might have— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I thank you Mr Hide but you have made your point and as you said I had addressed it. I hope members heard it. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: How can the Minister claim that he has closed the gaps for Maori when the employment gap between Maori and non-Maori has widened under Labour and when the Ministry of Social Development—the very organisation whose figures he just quoted—reported this year that the employment rate for Pakeha has increased 88 percent faster than the employment rate for Maori and if one randomly picked an unemployed New Zealander off the street the chance that that person will be a Maori is now greater under a Labour Government? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: That difference in relation to the labour market has been there for a long long time. The closest the gap has ever been is right now. When we came into Government the unemployment register for Maori was 50000. What is it now? It is 13500. That is about skills and knowledge and about making sure that our people get a better life— 
Hon Member 
: And they’re all dying of diabetes. 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: No. The minimum wage has been increased seven times. So there has been a real prop up in relation to employment. I ask that member to go back and check his record in his Government’s time. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. The Minister might want to clarify his answer. Did we hear him say that the cure for Maori diabetes was to repurchase 13000 State houses? 
Madam SPEAKER 
: That is not a point of order. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: What does he say to Tahi and Marama social workers in Hamilton who told the  
Waikato Times 
 on 12 August that they have been forced into a generational poverty trap; talked of their anger that their oldest son could get ahead only if he was to cut his ties with his family and his wider whanau by moving to Melbourne to get a decent wage; that they have yet to see any benefits in their community from the Working for Families programme; and that the best thing they thought the Government could do for them and other low-income New Zealanders was introduce some decent tax cuts? 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
: I find that a bit rich coming from that member because a lot of people go to Melbourne. I do not know the case but if he refers it to me I will certainly look at it. I want to talk about the tax cuts. This Government wants to ensure that the benefit of its expenditure is used to make sure that less well-off families are well cared for—not like that member who tries to look after his rich mates.