3. Question No. 3—Prime MinisterCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 3—Prime Minister3. CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Prime Minister): Yes particularly the decision to initiate a market study into personal banking services to ensure the market is working well for New Zealanders. The Commerce Commission study will be completed by the end of August 2024 with a preliminary issues paper expected in August this year. It'll examine barriers to new competitors the introduction of innovative products and services and consumers' ability to switch between banks.Christopher Luxon: Does he stand by his admission last year that the Government needs to do more to tackle gang crime" and has he failed when gangs are taking over State highways and shutting down schools?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: In answer to the first part of the question yes I absolutely do and I am very proud of the work that the Government did to bring a bill to the House to give police more powers to crack down on gangs. That bill that new law was used for the first time in Ōpōtiki and the gangs are facing the consequences of their actions because of the law change that we have put through Parliament.Christopher Luxon: When he said "gang convoys suck for everybody [who's] disrupted by them" why won't he give police dispersal powers so they can actually stop gangs from taking over a State highway in the middle of the day and blocking law-abiding Kiwis from going about their business?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: As I indicated we went through the process of identifying what the best tools were that were going to help the police whilst also protecting the safety of police as well and the law change that we put through the Parliament is giving them extra tools in their fight against gang crime.Christopher Luxon: Why does this Government continue to allow gangs to shut down a State highway for two hours when he said last year "gang activities have been totally unacceptable and our communities deserve [so much] better"?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I absolutely stand by my statement that that type of activity is totally unacceptable and we are backing the police to do the difficult job that they have ahead of them.Christopher Luxon: Well then why despite all his talk on gangs is violent crime up 33 percent gang membership up 66 percent and Kiwis don't feel safe in their own homes their own businesses their own communities?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I note when the member talks about violent crime and Kiwis not feeling safe in their own homes one of the biggest drivers of the increase in violent crime has been increased reporting of domestic and family violence something the National Party pretends doesn't exist.Christopher Luxon: What responsibility does he take for the record number of Kiwis turning to foodbanks because his Government increased spending by 80 percent driving inflation and interest rates up through the roof and now has driven the economy into recession?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: The question asked simply is not credible. In fact New Zealand's rate of inflation has been below the OECD average for much of the period in question. There is an international inflationary pandemic at the moment. New Zealand is supporting people through that including those on the lowest incomes. I note that the members opposite think we have done too much to support people on the lowest incomes through the current cost of living crisis.Christopher Luxon: Doesn't he understand that his spending which has pushed up inflation and interest rates and now driven New Zealand into recession means that Kiwis can't meet their debt payments they're lining up at foodbanks in record numbers and they're cancelling their kids' activities to pay their mortgages?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I do note the member's trying to rewrite history here in the sense that as the inflationary spike started the National Party continued to argue for more and more Government spending. In fact we can go through the time line where they were saying we weren't doing enough to support New Zealand through the events of COVID-19 and we needed to spend more money. Despite the fact that the warning signs of inflation were already there the National Party at the time didn't seem to take much notice of those and was arguing the Government should spend more.Christopher Luxon: What does he say to Kiwis actually skipping meals because they can't afford food prices that his inflationary policies have driven up?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I would remind them that the National Party hasn't supported any of the measures that this Government has put in place to support those on the lowest incomes through the current cost of living crisis.David Seymour: Whakarongo mai kōrero te reo Māori. He Māori ahau mō ngā kaupapa hauora. [Listen up as I speak in te reo Māori. I am a Māori for health contexts.]SPEAKER: Is that a supplementary question?David Seymour: Yes Mr Speaker.Rawiri Waititi: Point of order Mr Speaker. I didn't hear a question in that.SPEAKER: No neither did I—that's why I asked. I heard a statement.David Seymour: I'm very happy to repeat it.SPEAKER: If you have a supplementary please ask it.David Seymour: He Māori ahau mō ngā kaupapa hauora? [I am a Māori for health contexts?]SPEAKER: He Māori hoki ahau engari ehara tērā i te pātai. [I am also a Māori but that is not a question.] Are there any more supplementary questions?Nicole McKee: Is it acceptable to him that as a Māori woman I could be placed higher on a surgical wait-list than someone of a different ethnicity even if our clinical need time spent on the wait-list location and deprivation levels are the same?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: The member misses the whole thrust of the debate that's been had in the last 24 hours. We are talking about people who have been on a wait-list for more than two years where there is clear evidence that if someone is Māori if someone is a Pacific Islander if they are from a rural community or if they are from a low-income background they have been languishing for longer on the wait-lists than people who don't fit those descriptors. The fact that the health system is ensuring that those with clinical need who fit those four descriptors are not being discriminated against is surely something the member should welcome.Karen Chhour: Is it acceptable to him that my Cambodian husband could be placed lower on a surgical wait-list than me even if our clinical needs are the same our time spent on the wait-list location deprivation level are the same; and if not why is ethnicity a factor on the surgical wait-list equity adjustor?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: To speak to the member's personal circumstances I think it's wrong that that member will have previously been placed lower on the list than her husband. I don't think that's acceptable.Hon Nanaia Mahuta: Is it acceptable that a New Zealander with co-morbidities living in a rural area will be treated differently; and is that the case under the current system?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: There is clear evidence that people who are Māori who are Pasifika who are living in a rural community or who are from a low-income background have been disadvantaged by the health system wait-list. They have been on the wait-list for the same clinical reasons for longer than other New Zealanders who don't fit those descriptions. That is discrimination; it's not acceptable. The fact that the health system is working to remove that discrimination is a good thing.Dr James McDowall: Is it acceptable to him that my five-year-old half-Chinese daughter could be placed lower on a surgical wait-list than someone else with the same clinical need time spent on the wait-list location and deprivation level due to her ethnicity; and if not why is ethnicity a factor on the surgical wait-list—Hon Marama Davidson: Point of order Mr Speaker.Dr James McDowall: —equity adjustor? Thanks for letting me finish.Hon Marama Davidson: Mr Speaker I asked for your guidance back on 12 May 2021 and through you Mr Speaker—it was from David Wilson—an update to all of us from the Speaker then who talked about a ruling of people taking care as they express themselves to think of the wider consequences when they do. The nature of these questions are absolutely intended to raise racist opinions amongst the New Zealand public and I ask you Mr Speaker—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order!Damien Smith: Supplementary—SPEAKER: No sit down. I'm going to rule on this. That is a very serious accusation that the member has made. The first part of it I disagree with in this instance. To carry on to make an accusation as you did I'm contemplating sending you out. It's a discussion that perhaps this House should have one day but you cannot make that accusation in this House. You will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Marama Davidson: I stand withdraw and apologise. Point of order—SPEAKER: No do it properly. No no no. I'll give you one more chance. You do it properly you can stay.Hon Marama Davidson: Point of order Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: No you're going to apologise correctly.Hon Marama Davidson: I stand withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: You can leave the Chamber.Hon Marama Davidson: I withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: You will leave the Chamber.Hon Marama Davidson withdrew from the Chamber. SPEAKER: Dr McDowall can you ask your question again?Dr JAMES McDOWALL: To the Prime Minister is it acceptable to him that my five-year-old half-Chinese daughter could be placed lower on a surgical wait-list than someone else with the same clinical need time spent on the wait-list location and deprivation level due to her ethnicity; and if not why is ethnicity a factor on the surgical wait-list equity adjustment?Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: My answer to that question is the same as to the last one although I will correct that and say that generally speaking I have not commented on members' family situations in answers to questions and I was wrong to do so in the last answer and I won't do so again.Damien Smith: Is it acceptable to him that the migrant workers—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! I've had this ruling before it's really important that members ask—are able to scrutinise everything that the Government does. If the Government doesn't want to be scrutinised that's the message you are giving right now by interrupting interjecting while questions are being asked. DAMIEN SMITH: Is it acceptable to him that the migrant workers without whom the health system would collapse could be deprioritised on surgical wait-lists because they don't have a Māori or Pasifika ancestry and if not why is ethnicity a factor on the surgical wait-list equity adjustor? Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I notice the member has not yet raised anyone from rural communities or low-income backgrounds and the ACT Party don't seem to be raising any examples in that regard. I think it is wrong that people from Māori backgrounds from Pacific backgrounds from rural backgrounds from low-income backgrounds have been discriminated against in the wait-list system. I think it is correct that the health system ensures that segments of the population are not being discriminated against. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Point of order. Kia ora thank you e te Māngai. I refer to the House rules which prevents members conducting debates in certain ways that create disorder and lead to disorder because of racism or implied racism. It is not Māori's fault that we die seven years earlier; it is not Māori's fault that we live in systemic racism. This is a debate that is about systemic racism. It is not about the Government being held to account and Te Paati Māori object to the way that it is going.SPEAKER: This is not a debate; this is question time where members of this House get to ask questions of the Government and the Government has the opportunity to answer them which it has been doing. David Seymour: Ki a koe he Māori ahau mō ngā kaupapa hauora? [To you in regards to health issues am I considered as Māori?]Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: There was no translation.SPEAKER: Well ki taku nei mōhio [Well as far as I know] this is my interpretation of what the member is saying. The members can listen to the—but I'm going to preside over as if the member has said to you "Do you consider me to be a Māori?"Rt Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: The member can make his own judgment about what ethnicity he is."