Mark Ron: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMark Ron: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 17 March 2016. Volume:712;Page:9874. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]9.RON MARK (Deputy Leader—NZ First) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all his statements where the interests of young New Zealanders are concerned?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Leader of the House) on behalf of thePrime Minister: Insomuch as they are accurately quoted or reported yes.Ron Mark: If the Prime Minister in 2009 said: “We simply can’t afford to leave our young languishing on a benefit.” why are there now 37700 Māori and Pacific Island youth not in jobs education or training?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: We have some of the lowest levels of unemployment for people in that category in New Zealand’s history. If the member is serious about supporting young people into work then he would support the expansion of the economy and immediately sign up to the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.Ron Mark: How will young New Zealanders access affordable rental homes and ownership when they face competition from a net 65900 migrants a year into New Zealand?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: I am not at all pessimistic about the future for young New Zealanders in a country that is led by a Government that is progressive that does want the economy to grow and does have an international focus towards the world that those young people will eventually lead.Ron Mark: Reflecting on his answer to supplementary question No. 1 what on earth is he doing to help young New Zealanders get ahead when our rate of young people not in jobs education or training is worse than that of Poland and the Czech Republic?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The statistic that the member is putting in front of the House is the lowest it has been in New Zealand’s history and the whole programme that this Government is running is about expanding the size of the New Zealand economy to create the sort of opportunity that those young people will want. But do not be pessimistic about the whole of the young people who fit into that neat group. The vast majority of them are in work or training making progress in their lives and will make big contributions to New Zealand. It is a shame that the member’s party does not want to do the same.Hon Steven Joyce: Can the Prime Minister confirm that the levels of 15 to 19-year-olds not in employment education or training are the lowest in New Zealand history since that series has begun?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: I can confirm that. That would be the third time today that I have confirmed it. I hope the member who asked the question on the Order Paper has heard that.Ron Mark: To the Prime Minister—in waiting—why argue that you have the interests of young New Zealanders at heart when your Government has issued over 92000 work visas to foreign students who are doing these young New Zealanders out of the opportunity of working?Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: We do not see the doors of New Zealand shut and closed to the world as the member’s party does and as he demonstrates by his lack of commitment to New Zealand’s trading opportunities.Ron Mark: Why is the Government allowing these foreign students to squeeze out unskilled Kiwis from jobs in garages supermarkets and hotels because as he knows they will accept substandard working conditions and lower pay rates and for that matter has he forgotten the young people—Mr SPEAKER: Order! The question is long enough.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: The international education sector brings in $3 billion - plus into the New Zealand economy each year and the net employment from that investment by those young people in themselves gives this country an extra 30000 jobs. The member really should take a look beyond the closed shop of New Zealand First.