Lole-Taylor Asenati: Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Lole-Taylor Asenati: Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 18 July 2012. Volume:681;Page:3677. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Le’aufa’amulia 
 ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR (NZ First) 
: 
 I rise on behalf of New Zealand First. I am going to take a very brief call on the Social Security (Youth Support and Work Focus) Amendment Bill because I think it is very important. The title of the bill I think should be something like the “Minister Benefit Missing in Action Benefit Bill”. I think that should be the title of this bill. It is a very important— 
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga 
: I raise a point of order Chairperson. The member has referred to Minister Bennett as “Minister Benefit”. I object to that. In this House the rules are that you have actually got to refer to members by name specifically. Using that slur is— 
Dr Rajen Prasad 
: Point of order. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy) 
: We have a point of order. You wish to speak to the point of order? 
Dr Rajen Prasad 
: Thank you. Maybe so but certainly that reference to “Paula Benefit” was made at the Social Services Committee— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy) 
: Order! I have heard enough. [ 
Interruption 
] I am on my feet. This is not the select committee and there are clear rules in this House where all members must be referred to by their appropriate names and titles. The member who was making her speech should do so. 
Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR 
: Thank you. Just so that it is clear I was not actually referring to the Minister; I was actually referring to the actual title— 
Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga 
: I raise a point of order Chairperson. She is arguing the point of order. The point has been made and we have got to move on. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy) 
: Yes. Once a point of order has been ruled on we move on and the member should not refer to it. The member should continue with her speech. 
Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR 
: Thank you Mr Chair. As I was saying before the title of the bill which is what I was saying should be the “Minister Benefit Missing in Action Benefit Bill”. I was referring to a title of a bill. The reason why I am saying that is that it is important for us to know that the private delivery of a State function simply based on a profit motive creates no savings for the public or the taxpayers and it is something that this Government should not be allowed to do. I hope that the chair of the Social Services Committee is listening to this. Ninety-nine percent of submitters are opposed to this bill. It is important that we make sure the people of New Zealand are aware of what this bill is actually about.  
Tim Macindoe 
: Which bill are you taking about? 
Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR 
: We are talking about the title. Yes that is right Tim Macindoe. I can hear you. That member has got a black and white memory. I mean that member has got a far-away look. And the further away you are when I look at you the better you look Tim Macindoe. 
I will now come back to the bill in front of us. I am baffled that after the Minister for Social Development released the Green Paper For Vulnerable Children she would suggest that solo parents are to work part-time when a child reaches the age of 5. That is a concern and that is to do with the actual title of this bill. Would it not then be fair to say that this is a form of institutionalised—I say that again—institutionalised child abuse? Did you get that Mr Peseta Lotu-Iiga? 
Tim Macindoe 
: I bet he gets that. 
Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR 
: Of course. The dynamic of being a solo parent is hard enough let alone facing a non-existent job market. All right? So I have said it before and I will do it again. This bill has a really good idea. There are a lot of really good ideas behind it. The intention is good. The problem is that we do not have jobs. There are no jobs available for the parents. Overall we all want people to come off the benefit. I understand that. I acknowledge that. We do not want them to be on a benefit forever. But we must make sure that there are jobs for them to move to. There is no point telling them to get off the benefit if you do not provide them with a safety net. Where is the safety net in this bill? Where is it? 
Tim Macindoe 
: If there’s no job nothing will change. 
Le’aufa’amulia ASENATI LOLE-TAYLOR 
: There is nothing and there is no strategy Tim Macindoe to ensure that there is continuity when they get off the benefit and go into jobs or job training. It is all very well to say there are 1000 jobs out there but as mentioned by some of the members before they require specific skills. You do not ask an engineer to go and do childcare jobs. You do not ask mothers who have been on a benefit for 50 years or so to go and look for office work because that would be ridiculous—absolutely ridiculous.  
I hope that those members across the Chamber actually ensure that their own families from Penrose and Glenn Innes and Maungakiekie are not all in the same boat because I believe that the majority of Maori and Pacific Island people in that area especially the Cook Island people will be the ones who will be heavily affected by this bill.  
This was a brief call I wanted to make. I wanted to make sure that New Zealand First got its view across. Our minority report has been tabled and it clearly states where we stand with this bill. The title is completely deceiving and people need to understand that. What we want to make sure of and what we are suggesting is that the bill needs to provide a safety net for women coming off the benefit to do community work and community initiatives. They need to be involved in some community work. They need to be given projects and in that way they are contributing to the community in a positive way. That way they can also feel better about receiving the benefit on the other hand because they know they are doing something for the community. From there they will be able to get some skills and relevant experience in order for them to be employed by some of our local businesses.  
To the Minister for Social Development I would like you to consider this. Perhaps it is time for you to engage and get a buy-in from local businesses and employers who will then provide opportunities for these people when they come off the benefit. Yes it is a very realistic approach because if you want our votes you need to consider this genuinely. A more one-on-one relationship is crucial in the future of any child too. It is not fair to expect a mother when a child reaches the age of 5 to go and have a job because nowadays you cannot expect just anybody to take care of your child. There are a lot of things that we talk about such as child abuse. We have also been talking about abuse in so many environments in different areas. This is what we need to also look at because that is what can happen as well.  
So Minister I think it is a very good suggestion that I am making. Also it is important that you give these people a fair go especially those people from South Auckland because that is where there is a large number of people who will be affected. Yes I do want them to come off the benefit and get into some very good jobs that will ensure long-term sustainability for their welfare as well as for their families. Thank you.