Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3775] 
6.  
SIMON POWER (NZ National—Rangitikei) 
 to the  
Minister of Youth Affairs 
: What progress if any has his Ministry made since he became the Minister of Youth Affairs to help disadvantaged youth in New Zealand? [ 
Interruption 
]  
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will stand and withdraw. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE (Minister of Youth Affairs) 
: 
 Heaps. 
Ron Mark 
: I seek the leave of the House to allow John Tamihere to take his muzzle off so he can answer in a fuller manner. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I will regard that as mildly humorous but not in order. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It had better not be in relation to this. 
Rodney Hide 
: I could not hear the answer. Did he say he received heaps or was giving it heaps? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: This is the last warning to that member. 
Simon Power 
: Does he intend to allow his ministry to cooperate with the Ministry of Social Development in the future especially on issues regarding disadvantaged Maori youth given his comment: “It is clear that our potentials can never be realised or released by an all-knowing all-caring centralised bureaucracy called the Ministry of Social Development.”; if so why? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: Yes because it is good policy. 
Darren Hughes 
: What strategy guides the Government in its work in the youth affairs portfolio? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: Over the past 2 years the Youth Development Strategy Aotearoa has been developed following wide consultation with young people and the agencies dealing with them. Strategies for children and for youth health combine with the youth development strategy to provide the best policy foundation for young people in New Zealand.  
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: What image and example does the Minister think he is setting to disadvantaged youth in this country when he as a Minister makes a speech—supposedly one that was genuinely made and heartfelt—then backtracks on it the next day denies its existence on the website and hides behind the skirts of a woman; what young Maori would be pleased with that? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The comment made during the last part of that question was not appropriate. I am perfectly happy with the first part of the question—that was all in order. But the implications of the last part of that question are not appropriate in this House. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. You might think it is inappropriate but I can tell you as someone who knows something about Maori background and culture there is no better—[ 
Interruption 
] I point out to you that in Maori culture the very idea that someone particularly a male would cower behind the skirts of a woman is an affront and an insult that is frequently given and one that I have seen in the last few days in respect of this Minister and he cannot deny it. It may not be the norm in our culture to accept that but I can say as those people over there claim to have the Maori seats and to have the interests of Maori at heart that that is exactly how the Maori people feel and I am certain that Dover Samuels will back me up. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Let me say that as far as I am concerned I will have questions asked within the Standing Orders as I determine them to be. The question was in order until right at the end. The Minister may comment on it. 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: I am grateful to represent the Maori communities that I do represent and I stand by everything I said. 
Paul Adams 
: Is the Minister concerned that a pilot programme that aims to turn round the lives of disadvantaged youth with substance abuse problems appears to be failing miserably when the police report that 80 percent of the 15 to 17-year-olds passing through the youth drug court in Christchurch have reoffended? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: Any evaluation and monitoring report that throws up those sorts of figures is a source of concern and we are investigating the matter. 
Simon Power 
: Did the Minister just say that he stood by everything he had previously said; if so would he care to confirm that position again? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: I was responding to a number of issues raised by the member for Tauranga and I stand by matters that I stood by in what he was talking about. 
Simon Power 
: I seek leave to table John Tamihere’s speech entitled “The Reform of Welfare and the Rebuilding of Community”. 
Document not tabled. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That last answer was not complete. Could the member allow the Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia to explain what he actually meant? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No. The member knows that is outside the Standing Orders.