Horomia Parekura: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Horomia Parekura: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:652;Page:1148] 
11.  
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rawhiti) 
 to the  
Minister of Maori Affairs 
: Did he make any submissions to the Minister of Labour on the minimum wage review; if not why not? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES (Minister of Maori Affairs) 
: 
 Tena koe. Tena tatou. Yes I did. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Does the Minister understand that Maori workers will feel short-changed by the $3.78 per week increase and by the fact that the Prime Minister John Key has confirmed that the Maori Party was told of the decision after it was made—hardly a mana-enhancing process? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I am not sure which part of the question I should answer. 
Hon Members 
: All of it! 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: OK. My submission was for an increase in the basic wage to $15 an hour incrementally—in two steps. Of course I understand the value of the minimum wage. If there is an increase it gives an incentive for Maori to stay in employment. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: I therefore suggest and remind that Minister— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I do not think I need to hear the point of order. The member will resume his seat. He should remember that he is no longer a Minister. He does not suggest; he asks questions. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Would the Minister agree with me that the last time the National Party was in Government it took the minimum wage up 86c over 9 years and that the previous Labour Government took the minimum wage up nine times? 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Maori Party is interested in this sort of discussion but I did not actually hear the question. Could you ask the member to repeat the question please? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If members did not hear it I am prepared to ask the honourable member to repeat it so that all members can hear it. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Does the Minister appreciate that the last time National was in Government it took the minimum wage up by 86c over 9 years and the previous Labour Government took it up nine times— 
Hone Harawira 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That was not the question that he asked the first time. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will resume his seat. I must say to members that I am very impressed that Hone Harawira could determine that because I could not. It was very difficult for me to hear the first version of the question and therefore it is extraordinarily difficult for me to rule on it. I would ask the Minister if he is prepared to answer the question to please answer it. 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If you reflect on that question you will find that the Minister has absolutely no responsibility for any matters raised in that sort of question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: In the interests of fairness I am prepared to allow the member to rephrase his question. But I would point out that Ministers have a custodial responsibility for factual information about their departments’ activities that go beyond the current Government’s term but they have no responsibility for policies of another party. In the interests of fairness I am prepared to allow the honourable member the chance to ask his question and— 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just seek some clarification of that last point. Clearly the Minister has no responsibility for another party’s policies but factual information about what happened under a previous Government is a somewhat different matter I would suggest. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: As I understand the member’s point of order that is correct. Factual information about what transpired under a previous Government is material that the current Minister has custodial information about but he is not responsible for another party’s policies. I invite the honourable member to ask the question. Given the confusion in fairness I think he should have a chance to ask his question. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Does the Minister agree that the previous National Government took the minimum wage up by 86c over a period of 9 long years and that the previous Labour Government took it up nine times and is the Minister prepared to say what effect that will have on Maori workers? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member has asked for information going back a couple of Governments ago. I do not think he can expect the current Minister to have that information at his fingertips. It goes back beyond the 9 years of the previous Labour Government as I understood the member’s question. I do not see how he can expect the current Minister to have information going back as far as that. In the interests of fairness to the member I will give him one more chance to ask a question but I make it clear— 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am happy to answer the question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: If the Minister feels comfortable answering the question I will allow him to do so. 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: My answer is no and no. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Do we take from that answer that the Minister made a submission on the minimum wage in complete ignorance of— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member knows as one who is most knowledgable about the Standing Orders that that is not a point of order and it is not appreciated when he raises that kind of point of order. 
Te Ururoa Flavell 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Kia ora tatou. Is the Minister concerned that after 9 years of a Labour Government the Maori unemployment rate which is 9.6 percent is over twice as high as the general unemployment rate? How does he think lifting the minimum wage will change this? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Yes I am concerned and our commitment is to lift the minimum wage and to ensure that there is sufficient incentive for Maori to stay in the Labour market and not to opt out. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Does the Minister agree that when the previous Labour Government came in the unemployment rate was running generally at 21.2 percent and that the previous Labour Government brought unemployment down to 4 percent for the mainstream and 7 percent for Maori and also kept Maori in the workforce a lot more than any other people? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I stress that that question is getting a fair way away from the primary question. 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Unfortunately it still is a high rate for under-24-year-olds at this time—18 percent. 
Hone Harawira 
: Tena koe Mr Speaker. Why did you make a submission to the Minister of Labour to advocate for lifting the minimum wage to $15 an hour? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Although I am sure you do lots of things I doubt very much that you made a submission to the Minister of Labour. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I appreciate the honourable member’s concern but interrupting a question is— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Mr Speaker you made it clear last year as a result of a submission by the Hon Bill English that you would be strict about this matter. I think it applies to Government members and their—what are they called-supporters as well as to Labour members. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I accept the member’s point. I invite the honourable member to state his question again so that the Minister can hear it afresh. 
Hone Harawira 
: My apologies Mr Speaker. Why did the Minister of Maori Affairs make a submission to the Minister of Labour to advocate lifting the minimum wage to $15 an hour? 
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES 
: Because it is my role as Minister of Maori Affairs to advocate Maori aspirations for an optimal quality of life.