Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 22 October 2013. Volume:694;Page:14052. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]5.Hon DAVID PARKER (Deputy Leader—Labour) to theMinister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement regarding the employees of theTachikawa sawmill that the “opportunity for those workers will be better than it has been at any time in the last six or seven years”?Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance): Yes because we are seeing encouraging signs of higher business confidence better investment and hiring intentions. I could draw to the member’s attention that in every 3 months between 100000 and 200000 jobs in the New Zealand economy disappear and a slightly greater number of jobs are created with the effect that there are now 65000 more jobs in the economy than 2 years ago. But there are always jobs disappearing in the economy. That is why it is so important that they are replaced by businesses that are confident enough to invest.Hon David Parker: Given that the level ofMāori unemployment is now at 12.8 percent double what it was 6 years ago and that the majority of the Rotorua sawmill workers areMāori how is opportunity for those workers or the workers at the Shannon fellmongery better than it has been at any time in the last 6 or 7 years?Hon BILL ENGLISH: Well first of all we do not think that beingMāori destines you to unemployment. I know that that is what Labour thinks—that because these workers areMāori they do not have much chance of getting another job but actually that is wrong.Jami-Lee Ross: What policies would damage the prospects of theTachikawa Forest Products workers and other job seekers in regional New Zealand for finding new jobs?Mr SPEAKER: In as far as that is his ministerial responsibility I call the Hon Bill English.Hon BILL ENGLISH: New jobs are created when businesses have the confidence to invest another dollar and hire another person so anything that undermines that confidence makes it less likely that workers who lose their jobs will find another one. For instance the abolition of the 90-day trial period would make it more difficult for people who have lost their jobs to get another one. Imposing an emissions trading scheme tax at twice the level it currently is would have the same effect and those are Labour’s and the Greens’ policies.Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. At the very end of that answer the Minister of Finance introduced material that he is not responsible for and that was not relevant to the question that he was asked. I ask that you ask him not to do that and rule that out.Mr SPEAKER: No I will just make a ruling on Grant Robertson’s point because I think it is a reasonable point. It certainly is not reasonable to use question time as a means of attacking an Opposition. The question was asked about policies and although the Minister in my opinion is quite legitimately able to outline those policies to then deviate to an attack on another political party is an unnecessary situation and will lead to disorder in the House.Hon David Parker: Is the level ofMāori unemployment now 12.8 percent and is that double what it was 6 years ago?Hon BILL ENGLISH: I cannot verify that number except to say that 6 years ago was prior to the global financial crisis and the recession but it was at a time when the New Zealand export economy had gone into recession because of excessive Government spending and very poor economic policy on the part of the Labour Government. So 6 years agoMāori unemployment would have been rising.Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Mr English remarkably could not answer a very direct question and then went on to include a lot of irrelevant material.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I as Speaker will determine when the answer is long enough.Rt Hon John Key: Has the Minister seen any reports that the labour markets are actually very fluid and that in any given 3-month period there are 100000 to 200000 jobs lost or created and that that has been true for a very long period of time and has he seen any particular reports about job losses in the regions in 2008?Hon BILL ENGLISH: It is the case that there is a continual process of some jobs being lost and new jobs being created. For instance for a sample in the second half of 2008 three Feltex plants were closed—170 jobs lost. There were 430 jobs lost at Fisher and Paykel Appliances and 466 jobs were lost at theŌringi freezing works. I think that is in the regions. There were 249 jobs lost at Silver Fern Farms. That is in the regions. There were 323 jobs lost at Sealord. That is in the regions. There were 145 jobs lost at Cadbury and 316 jobs lost at Carter Holt Harvey. And those are just the ones I found in about 10 minutes of looking.Hon David Parker: Given his knowledge of these statistics can he tell the House what is the total number of job losses in the timber processing industry since he took office?Hon BILL ENGLISH: No I cannot.Hon David Parker: Why did he suggest that workers losing their jobs at the Rotorua sawmill should find construction jobs in Auckland and Christchurch and does not this demonstrate the complete lack of vision this Government has for the regions?Hon BILL ENGLISH: No and as the member will know if he sees a transcript of the interview I specifically rebutted the idea the interviewer had that that was what had to happen. But I did point out that the growth of construction in Christchurch and in Auckland now that we are getting on top of the planning law will create jobs across the whole country and that there is hope for those people who have lost jobs. We do not share Labour’s view that because those people areMāori they cannot get jobs.Hon David Parker: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. What recourse does a member have when in the face of doublingMāori unemployment we are accused of being uncaring?Mr SPEAKER: I am not sure what the point of order is that the member is raising I am sorry. If the member wants to—I think we will move on to question No. 6.