Horomia Parekura: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Horomia Parekura: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:674;Page:20459] 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rawhiti) 
: 
 Kia ora Mr Chair. E mihi kau ana ki a tatou katoa ki te Minita ka nui te mihi. 
[ 
Thank you Mr Chair. I greet us all and you in particular Minister. Huge greetings to you. 
] 
Since the Government came to power another 16500 Maori have become unemployed. The unemployment rate has nearly doubled to a disgraceful 14.6 percent. The last time it was as high as this was when we took over from the previous National Government after it had done 9 years and unemployment was running at 21 percent. One of the shocking things at the moment—and I can understand how the Minister of Maori Affairs has to struggle because everybody ignores him—is that there has been no addition to the budget of the Minister of Maori Affairs. There is a mythical $600 million drifting around somewhere but all that it is is a budget that is embedded in every other budget. What the Minister has done well is to follow on from us. He has had follow-on policies and follow-on expenditure and he has done very very well. 
But there are some things that really make one wonder what this Government has been doing. You know between 29 and 33 percent of Maori aged 15 to 24 are unemployed—that is one in three. That is a disgrace and it is the most shocking situation that our people have been in for generations. We know that from about 1945—the Minister was around then—though to 1950 1960 1970 and 1980 most Maoris worked from the age of 16. They paid their taxes and they made sure that they contributed to the growth of this country. What have we seen just recently? Instead of the Government supporting the budget of the Minister of Maori Affairs a whole lot of rich people collected $16.7 billion and that was offset against making life better for the working class. A lot of that working class is Maori. Mr Flavell understands that—a lot of that working class is Maori. He knows where they are in Te Arawa he knows where they are in Whakatane and he knows where they are in Maraenui I say to that gentleman over there. They have been done out of their work. 
There are now 20000 more Maori on benefits than when Labour was in power—20000. For the first time since the previous National Government there are 100000 Maori on benefits. That is nothing to be proud of and I do feel for the Minister in the chair Dr Pita Sharples. He is being ignored as the Government’s supposed partner. His budget is not attributed to any of that progress. The people have been put asunder all through this Government’s thing. [ 
Interruption 
] No the issue is not about the wages because the Maori Party supported policies like the 90-day fire-at-will bill and the new sick leave policy. Nobody is trusted any more; they have to put a docket in. Where is the fairness between employer and employee? 
The point I am making is that Maori suffer. The Government is preparing to launch new attacks on beneficiaries and all sorts of things. We heard the Prime Minister today when he was asked in relation to early childhood education whether he would continue the support for 20 hours’ free early childhood education and he said yes. Then when he was asked a second question about it he said no. 
One of the issues here is that there are great movements in this country—and I am pleased that the Minister continues to support them—like the Maori Wardens Association like the Maori Women’s Welfare League— 
Hon Shane Jones 
: Not the kohanga! 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA 
:—but not the kohanga reo—and like early childhood education. The Maori Party supported the differences in early childhood education; it did that. Shame on it—shame on it for doing that! The Minister of Education has flip-flopped twice in the last 48 hours promising to amend the issues relevant to Playcentre. 
Do members know that the kohanga reo movement is one of the most solid developed historical organisations in this country driven by the whanau and driven by the community? I would stand with the Minister to ensure that kohanga reo are looked after and that the whanau-led nuances are categorised and understood. They are no different from the 80 percent of teacher-led numbers that the Minister of Education was huffing and puffing about. 
Why did I say that kohanga reo are doing so well? I watched the Parliamentary Rugby Team practising outside there—there is a bit of hope for them. The only thing that Maori contributed to the “Maori World Cup” was that “Tupperwaka” up there. I will not say too much about that; Mr Jones made comments about that and I will not. But I do want to say that the kohanga reo needs a good flick. And Piri Weepu—who knows Piri Weepu? He is a great man. He was a kohanga reo baby Piri Weepu—he was a kohanga reo baby. That is why the ball goes straight; that is why he shows ingenuity in putting the team together. He is well organised he knows how to plan and he knows how to ensure his team wins. Why? Because it was imbued in him in the kohanga reo. Piri Weepu is no different from Desmond Allen who is a famous architect now. He is very good at it. He is no different from Taika Waititi and he is no different from all the other people who came through kohanga reo. And what is happening? 
I tell the Minister not to let the kohanga reo be hung out and strung out. Everybody will want to claim Piri Weepu when the Rugby World Cup is won by the All Blacks—touch wood—but remember that he is a kohanga reo baby. He has shown spirit and we are treating the kohanga reo at the moment as a second-rate organisation. The kohanga reo is a great organisation— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I have no doubt it is but the time has expired. Members the time for this debate has expired. 
Vote Maori Affairs Vote Community and Voluntary Sector Vote Revenue the preamble clauses 1 to 12 and schedules 1 to 7 agreed to.