Goff Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Goff Phil: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:675;Page:20721] 
Hon PHIL GOFF (Leader of the Opposition) 
: 
 It is just as well that the question was asked of the Leader of the Opposition because the Prime Minister does not give answers. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I ask members why it was difficult to see me on my feet. There was absolutely no reason to give an answer like that at all given the question was asked of the Leader of the Opposition. Actually I should point out that things have changed a bit since the Leader of the Opposition was last a Minister. 
Hon PHIL GOFF 
: The answer is that at the time that Labour left office youth unemployment was a third of the level that it is now. It was at that level because a Labour Government actually invested in skills training for people a Labour Government created 350000 new jobs and a Labour Government reduced the number of people on unemployment benefits to 17000 and that is a track record I am really proud of. The Prime Minister would do better to halve that. 
Chris Tremain 
: Supplementary question Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No no. The House did not grant leave for supplementary questions. 
Hon John Boscawen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked the honourable Leader of the Opposition a specific question. He did not answer that question. [ 
Interruption 
] He was— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Let me deal with this problem. I say to some members that I have warned them once already. If I evict someone today they will be out for the rest of this week. Points of order will be heard in silence. 
Hon John Boscawen 
: Thank you Mr Speaker. I asked leave of the House to ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. That leave was granted. I am entitled to have my question answered. The question specifically asked what responsibility the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues take for the dramatic rise in youth unemployment since the minimum wage for 16 and 17-year-olds was dropped. The Leader of the Opposition pointed to the dramatic rise in youth unemployment. We already know about that. What I am asking is what responsibility he and his colleagues are prepared to take for the dramatic situation that young New Zealanders find themselves in.  
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have heard the member’s point and in fairness to the Leader of the Opposition he cited figures for unemployed young people if I recollect correctly when his Government left office and he made further comments about the changes in levels of unemployment. In other words he was in many ways refuting the question of the member which he is entitled to do in answering a question. I do not believe that I can pull him back any tighter to the question than that. 
Chris Tremain 
: Supplementary question Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No there are no supplementary questions. Is this a supplementary question to question No. 1 to the Prime Minister? I thought we had moved beyond question No. 1 because the House gave leave for a question to a member. I suppose leave was sought without my having moved to question No. 2 so I will accept a supplementary question on question No. 1. 
Question No. 1 to Minister resumed. 
Questions to Ministers 
Youth Unemployment—Rates