edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
11. Question No. 11—HealthSIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 11—Health11. SIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by the restrictions for alert level 2?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Yes. In particular I stand by the balance those restrictions strike between reopening our economy and continuing to keep people safe by for example continuing to use physical distancing and limiting the size of gatherings such as funerals and church services.Simon O'Connor: Why has the Government singled out temples mosques synagogues and churches for discriminatory treatment by effectively banning their gatherings?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I reject the premise of the member's question but what I would say is that in accordance with a cautious approach that seeks to manage the public health risks the limit on gatherings is initially no more than 10. I understand that will limit traditional church services which do have close interaction between people. In fact that is one of the main reasons for them to be held—the fellowship that they have in those worship settings. The intent is to increase the limit over time as we become more confident that that loosening of controls is not leading to an increase in infection. The member will be unsurprised to learn I do not wish to limit church services or other religious services any more than is necessary to protect public health.Simon O'Connor: Are freedom of association and freedom of religion—as described by the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act—still relevant in New Zealand today or are they just a nice to have?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: They are still relevant.Hon Tracey Martin: Did the Minister hear a minister of the cloth this morning on the radio saying how they've been running their church services online and that while they understood that only 10 people could gather they would continue to run their church services online and actually they'd had more people come to their online congregation than they had in the in-person congregations and they would continue to run online services post-COVID restrictions because of that uptick?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I did not hear that particular interview; however I can confirm that the parish that I normally attend has been offering services online in just that fashion.Hon Chris Hipkins: Can the Minister confirm that the restrictions placed on New Zealanders under alert level 2 are far more liberal than many other countries we would compare ourselves to including Australia?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: I can confirm that. We are in the fortunate position of having gone hard and having gone early and having had a public willing to make sacrifices to ensure the success of that approach. When we look overseas to countries like the UK or like Italy or Spain—other countries around the world—they are facing lockdowns and many more restrictions for a time to come and not only the economic consequences of that but also the social sacrifices they're going to have to continue to make all the while facing challenges with people dying from COVID-19
10. Question No. 10—Trade and Export GrowthPAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Minister for Trade and Export GrowthQuestion No. 10—Trade and Export Growth10. PAUL EAGLE (Labour—Rongotai) to the Minister for Trade and Export Growth: What role does international trade have as part of the Government's response to COVID-19?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): Our immediate trade response to this crisis has been to keep trade flowing with supply chains moving in and out and to push back against protectionism. Together with my Singaporean colleague I led a process that now involves 11 trade Ministers including G7 economies Canada Australia and others to push back internationally against rising protectionism. That has evolved into a bespoke supply line arrangement with Singapore and New Zealand. It's also led to other initiatives including a New Zealand - Singapore declaration which eliminated tariffs on goods essential for fighting the pandemic. This practical action is we think stimulating some of the other measures abroad: an initiative with Australia Canada Singapore and Korea where we're working together on similar things—and the eventual movement of essential persons is another example.Paul Eagle: What are the next steps of the trade response to COVID-19?Hon DAVID PARKER: With the measures I've already described behind us we can now focus on the medium-term response which we are terming the three Rs: retooling exporter support by scaling up economic diplomacy with offerings including the trade barrier portal exporter helpline our tariff finder website and expanding market intelligence; we're refreshing our existing trade architecture not just for the World Trade Organization but the China upgrade and the digital economic partnership which we position as signature-ready projects and of course we're looking to launch the free-trade agreement negotiations with the UK; and the third of the three Rs is reinvigorating and refocusing our trade relationships as we turn volume to value and seek to diversify our exports and markets.Paul Eagle: How will Budget 2020 support exporters?Hon DAVID PARKER: The Minister of Finance will announce the details of the Budget on Thursday but I can say today that it's critically important that we reconnect our exporters with overseas markets. It's difficult for them to travel at the moment obviously so we need more boots on the ground as our overseas markets recover from COVID-19 because exports are critically important for New Zealand and our economy and so our Government will provide support for our exporters.
7. Question No. 7—EducationKIERAN McANULTY (Labour) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 7—Education7. KIERAN McANULTY (Labour) to the Minister of Education: What is the Government doing to address low pay and funding disparities in early childhood education?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): Good news: as we respond to the impact of COVID-19 on our society and our economy the Government remains committed to fair pay for lower-paid workers especially the workers who have helped to get the country moving again. Yesterday as part of Budget 2020 I announced that $151.1 million over the next four years will help to improve the pay of up to 17000 qualified teachers working in education and care services. A significant pay gap has built up over time between these teachers and those working in schools and kindergartens following a decision 10 years ago to stop passing on to education and care services the funding rate increases that kindergartens got to meet the cost of pay settlements. Now from 1 July the minimum salary for teachers working in education and care services will increase to $49862 bringing it into line with kindergarten teachers' pay. We've got a way to go but this is a very good start.Kieran McAnulty: What response has he seen to this announcement?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Teachers have welcomed the announcement. The NZEI speaking on behalf of early childhood teachers has described it as fantastic news". They've called it a significant first step towards pay parity for early childhood education teachers and a clear sign that the Government is hearing the call to further invest in early childhood education.Kieran McAnulty: How else is Budget 2020 addressing funding disparities in early childhood education? Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I'm very pleased to say that yesterday in conjunction with my Associate Minister Tracey Martin we also announced that there'll be an extra $3.1 million invested in our Playcentre movement. This will help to increase funding rates for Playcentre from July supporting more than 400 playcentres up and down the country so that they can continue to provide what is a unique early learning choice for 9500 children and their families. That means that Playcentre rates will increase by 7.6 percent the largest increase they have received in a very long time. We consider that the ongoing sustainability of playcentres would be compromised without this additional funding and we look forward to working with Playcentre to ensure their long-term sustainability."
6. Question No. 6—EnvironmentHon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister for the EnvironmentQuestion No. 6—Environment6. Hon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura) to the Minister for the Environment: What confidence does he have that there will be sufficient support in Parliament to pass all stages of his bill to allow fast-tracking of consents for certain projects?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment): It's not for me to prejudge the determination of parties in this House. We do though have the support of governing parties to first reading and further consideration of the bill following the select committee process.Hon Judith Collins: Does he believe that the process of introducing this bill meets the goal of being the most open and transparent Government ever?Hon DAVID PARKER: Yes in the circumstances. I would note that the select committee period which is yet to be determined may be up to 12 days long which in fact is 300 percent times the Kaikōura earthquake select committee process which was just four days.Hon Judith Collins: Does he realise that the Kaikōura process that he's just referred to referred to one project and not to multiple projects over the entire country?Hon DAVID PARKER: Yes.Hon Judith Collins: Is it correct to say that this bill that he would like passed next month has not yet been drafted?Hon DAVID PARKER: The drafting has not been finished but it has been started.Hon Judith Collins: What are the criteria that he will use in deciding which projects would be fast-tracked?Hon DAVID PARKER: The primary criteria will be employment.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I ask the Minister would that be an essential for the Government now if the previous nine years of the previous Government had have done anything whatsoever with the Resource Management Act (RMA)?Hon DAVID PARKER: If the RMA had been earlier reformed it may not well be. In truth the underlying RMA takes too long costs too much—Hon Member: You never voted for it.Rt Hon Winston Peters: You had the majority.Hon DAVID PARKER: —and has not protected the environment.SPEAKER: Order! Would the pair of senior members just let the Minister answer. Former Minister.Hon DAVID PARKER: In truth the underlying RMA takes too long costs too much and hasn't protected the environment and that's why we've got that root-and-branch review of the RMA going on at the moment. I'm expecting a report back from that panel led by retired Justice Randerson QC before the election.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does the Minister expect that the governmental parties will pass this legislation and are not going to throw the responsibility on other parties in the Parliament like the previous one did who blamed members of the Opposition when they had a majority for not passing their own legislation?Hon DAVID PARKER: I'm confident that we will pass this legislation.
COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill — In Committee—Part 1
Woodhouse Michael; Rurawhe AdrianHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National): I thank the Attorney-General for that explanation and I would just make two points if I may before the gong. Firstly I'm aware actually and I appreciate the Minister drawing out clause 4(c) because the obligation is required to be co-ordinated orderly and proportionate;". They are entirely appropriate words except there is a very widespread view one which I share that the current proposed level 2 provisions are neither coordinated or proportionate—not coordinated in the sense that we can have cafes and bars open but not churches. I'm going to instruct my friends at the St Patrick's Church at Macandrew Road in Dunedin to call themselves the St Patrick's Tavern from Sunday and they might be able to get 99 people along to mass. I mean they are serving bread and wine so I'm sure they'll meet their host responsibility under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012.I'm already concerned that this isn't coordinated. I'm certainly concerned that it's not proportionate and those are things that are left to the discretion of the Minister to exercise his or her value judgment in respect of that and that's very difficult to do anything about except by resolution.I'll have more to say—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I'm sorry to interrupt the member. It has come time for me to leave the Chair.Sitting suspended from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Wednesday)"
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General): Dealing with the two main points that the Hon Michael Woodhouse raised. The first was: will there be a resolution before the election? In practice yes. If Supplementary Order Paper 497 is adopted by the House then clause 3(1) says that the Act is repealed on the expiry of [the] relevant period if no resolution is passed" and then the relevant period is defined in subclause (2) to be "the longer of the following: (a) …. 90 days [following] the commencement date or … (b) any other period specified by a resolution [in] the House". Unless there is another resolution before then there will be no other resolution. So you're left with subclause (2)(a) which means it has to be done within 90 days and 90 days from tomorrow is July-August—August isn't it: June July August; 15 August—but it would expire during the interregnum. So we will in effect have to make sure that we're covered during that period of the election and if we didn't bring a resolution to the House before we lifted the legislation would risk expiring during that period. So that would be our intention to do that—to bring a resolution.In respect of the member's second point referring to the purpose clause the member's correct in his description of the purpose as listed at clause 4(a) and (b). I would then note the purpose is further expanded at clause 4(c) to require that the public health response "is co-ordinated orderly and proportionate;" and the words—"proportionate"—are important. And they are then effectively brought forward into the form of order that the Minister can make under section 11 orders by clause 9(1)(d). Clause 9(1)(d) says that the Minister before making the order "must be satisfied that the order is appropriate to achieve the purpose[s] of [the] Act." which includes proportionality. So if we had low levels of infection as we do now in New Zealand and low levels of cases it would not be proportionate to take New Zealand back to level 4 for example and that would be—Hon Michael Woodhouse: You wouldn't be doing that under this Act. You'd be doing it under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act.Hon DAVID PARKER: No in the future we would be doing it under this Act.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Really?Hon DAVID PARKER: We would be. Officials can correct me if I've got that wrong. We would be doing it under this Act for the future.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Not a section 70 notice under the Health Act?Hon DAVID PARKER: It would be done pursuant to this Act. It would still be a section 70 notice under the—sorry section 11 notice instead of a section 70 notice and it would be done under this Act. But unlike the current power it is actually explicitly exercised now by the Minister and the Minister has to be satisfied that he's achieving the purpose of the Act at clause 4 which includes proportionality."
Parker David; Rurawhe AdrianIn CommitteePart 1 Preliminary provisionsHon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General): As I mentioned in my second reading speech we have had some good suggestions come forward from members. I think the most important of them is to require this legislation effectively to be refreshed every 90 days which was a suggestion from the National Party similar in effect to the request by the ACT Party that the final expiration of this be one year rather than two. The position that we've landed in the Supplementary Order Paper is that every 90 days Parliament has to pass a motion that it be extended for another 90 days. Parliament can choose a longer period if it wants and it might want to do that around the time of the election if there was risk that Parliament wouldn't be resitting within that 90-day period but we have that extra level of protection put in. That's an amendment made by Supplementary Order Paper 497 shown in a tracked-changes form on the floor.The other significant change which I'll mention now is to limit the range of people to whom an enforcement power can be delegated to Crown agencies—so like Customs for example—and Crown contractors. But ordinary people cannot be delegated too if they're not part of the Crown. I'm sure other issues will arise during the committee stage which I'll respond to as they arise.Chris Penk: Mr Chair.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Mr Chair.CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I call—I was going to call Chris Penk but he sat down.Chris Penk: I will defer to my colleague.CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I will give the call instead to the Hon Michael Woodhouse.
Mallard TrevorSPEAKER: Order! Order! The member will resume his seat. I am now going to issue a general warning to the House that the bill being debated is the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill. It is a bill I have read and members have to attach their comments to what is in the bill or matters very closely related to it. I want to say that I've shown more tolerance than I felt like but won't from now on.
McAnulty KieranKIERAN McANULTY (Labour): Thank you very much Madam Speaker. I won't take too long to speak in support of this the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill. [Interruption] I thank Mr Bridges for heckling at the back—get used to it mate. Look the point is that we are here to pass a bill that needs to pass and I think most people at home will recognise that. They will also recognise that the National Party haven't had many opportunities to make a point. Those they've had they've squandered and yet they've taken the wrong tack on this.This bill will provide the law necessary for alert level 2. Instead of providing constructive ideas on what that could mean they've talked about alert level 3 and alert level 4 with lots of ifs buts and maybes. This Government however is getting on with it. We're passing laws that need to be passed so that we can stamp out COVID-19 and we can get our economy back on track. I know what's going to work: it is a team effort. It's not whinging it's not heckling from the backbenches it's not coming up with all sorts of conspiracy theories; it's cracking on and doing what needs to be done.
Hipkins ChrisURGENCYHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): I move That urgency be accorded the passing through all stages of the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill and the passing through the remaining stages of the COVID-19 Response (Further Management Measures) Legislation Bill and any bills into which it may be divided.I will deal with the easy one first which is the latter of those two bills in terms of explaining the need for urgency. Members have—just in this debate that we have just concluded on the second reading of that bill—outlined the reasons for it outlined the urgency behind it which is that many of those measures are needed to be put in place in order to ease the burden of COVID-19 in order to particularly ensure that our businesses can get back up on their feet and that the impacts of COVID-19 are as far as possible mitigated. So we've passed the second reading today—normally Parliament will only do one stage of a bill at a time—and urgency is required in order to ensure that Parliament can complete the passage of that particular piece of legislation.On to the more substantive issue though which is the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill. At the end of tomorrow New Zealand moves into the next phase of the fight against COVID-19 when we move to alert level 2. We will move out of the cycle of the renewal of a national state of emergency. This bill the public health response bill establishes a fit-for-purpose legal framework for managing the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 epidemic in a coordinated and orderly way where a national state of emergency may not exist. To this end the bill establishes stand-alone legislation that provides a legal framework for responding to COVID-19 over the next two years or until COVID-19 is brought under control if that is sooner.The need to pass that legislation is self-evident. The legal framework needs to be in place as we move to level 2 from 11.59 p.m. tomorrow night Wednesday night so that the powers and the protections that it creates will be available from the outset of level 2 and so that there will be no opportunity for the virus to regain a foothold in New Zealand because of a legislative hiatus.New Zealand and New Zealanders have gained international respect for our response to and our resistance to COVID-19. This bill offers some assurance that the effort and sacrifice that the country has made will not be wasted and the Attorney-General will talk specifically about the provisions of the bill in the first reading.
Allan KiritapuKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour): That was a rather extraordinary contribution from my friend the member for Epsom who stands in this House and condemns this piece of legislation on the basis that the safeguards that have been introduced to ensure that those directors making extraordinary decisions in such uncertain times—I would have thought that he would have been rather receptive to hearing from within the business community who are seeking those safeguards. He gets up in this House and says Actually I'm not going to vote in favour for this bill on the basis that the officials didn't give me a good enough answer. But"—he says in the same breath—"I am actually happy that this bill is going to pass because there are a whole range of matters within this piece of legislation that are exceptionally and extraordinarily positive."Now I'm one of the members on the Epidemic Response Committee that did contemplate this piece of legislation and I will say that those officials that contributed—who did as Mr Seymour says burn the midnight oil and we do hold them in high regard and every single public servant that has spent the last six seven weeks working extraordinary hours to ensure that we do the best we can in these circumstances to ensure that (a) we can respond as is required through a public health lens and (2) that we can do what is required right now to kick-start the economy.Now this is an omnibus bill which amends 45 pieces of primary legislation. That shows the extraordinary reach of the impacts of COVID-19. That shows how the entire operation of Government whether it be in companies law whether it be in the Resource Management Act whether it be within the courts—this is an incredibly comprehensive piece of legislation. But what my friend can rest assured of is that there are particular safeguards including a time limit that means that this bill expires in September. So I'm disappointed with his contribution this afternoon.I do want to thank the members of the committee and in particular the Hon Ruth Dyson who turned to those officials and commended them for their work. This has been an extraordinary effort by many and I commend this piece of legislation to the House."
Speaker's Statement — Officials—Support of the House and Communications
COVID-19 Response (Further Management Measures) Legislation Bill — Second Reading
Urgent Debate Declined — Newspaper Article—Crown Law Advice on Alert Level 4
COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill — Cabinet Advice
Mallard TrevorSPEAKER'S RULINGSOfficials—Devices in the ChamberSPEAKER: Before I call the Hon Michael Woodhouse I should just indicate to the House that I have agreed to relax normal restrictions with regard to officials supporting the House and the committee and their use of either laptops or phones for text-type communications not for use of phones but for those purposes especially because of the restriction in the numbers that we are applying here. So I thought it was important to tell the House.
Mallard TrevorURGENT DEBATES DECLINEDCOVID-19—Crown Law Advice on Alert Level 4SPEAKER: I've received a letter from David Seymour seeking to debate under Standing Order 389 the New Zealand Herald article purportedly based on Crown Law advice on the Government's decision to move New Zealand to alert level 4 in the COVID-19 alert system. A newspaper article is not a matter for which there is ministerial responsibility. If the subject of the application is the Government's decision to move to alert level 4 on 25 March then the application or an urgent debate on that matter should have occurred before the House sat on 28 April. The application is therefore declined.
Parker DavidCOVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH RESPONSE BILLCabinet AdviceHon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. If I respond to the shadow Leader of the House that paper has now gone to him and to the chief of staff for the Opposition. And I'll actually also check that it's gone to ACT.Hon Gerry Brownlee: It's emailed is it?SPEAKER: Probably email.Question time resumed.
Hipkins Chris; Brownlee Gerry; Parker DavidTUESDAY 12 MAY 2020The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Prayers.BUSINESS OF THE HOUSEHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): I thought it might be useful following discussions across the House for me to update the House on the Government's plans for the rest of this sitting day. The Government intends to follow the Order Paper for item number one which is the second reading of the COVID-19 Response (Further Management Measures) Legislation Bill first up after question time. We will then move urgency to pass through all stages the COVID-19 Public Health Response Bill that has just been introduced and the remaining stages then following that of the further management measures bill. So that's the ordering sequence that we've agreed for this afternoon and this evening's sitting session.Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I thank the Leader of the House for that indication. Earlier in the day there was some discussion about the Cabinet advice or ministerial advice on the second bill that you're proposing to pass through urgency today being provided to the Opposition. I'm just wondering what the progress might be of that arrangement.Hon DAVID PARKER (Attorney-General): I'll make an inquiry during question time and get further feedback on that—it should be coming.
Thursday 7 May 2020 - Volume 745
12. Question No. 12—HealthHon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Associate Minister of HealthQuestion No. 12—Health12. Hon LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō) to the Associate Minister of Health: What impact has the COVID-19 lockdown had on new parents?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Associate Minister of Health): Over 6000 babies have been born since we went into level 4 lockdown. I want to acknowledge the new parents who have had this global pandemic impact upon their lives at this critical time for their whānau. The impacts will have varied depending on each whānau's circumstances but I want to acknowledge that each family and each new parent will have been impacted in some way because of the unprecedented circumstances of COVID-19. I also want to thank midwives and our hospital staff who have gone the extra mile to try and ensure that new parents have had their needs met during this incredibly difficult time. Hon Louise Upston: Does she think it is inhumane to give birth alone and how many women have given birth alone during the lockdown?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: In answer to the first part of the question I agree with the Prime Minister who said that no one should have to birth alone.Hon Louise Upston: Was the Government's policy that not all facilities have the ability for people to stay" as the Prime Minister said on 29 March or that "no one should give birth alone" as the Prime Minister stated yesterday?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: I'm not aware of any mother having to give birth alone in a DHB or other birthing facility. Hon Louise Upston: Does she agree that a petition of nearly 2700 people in support of pregnant women was "largely ignored" by the Government and if not what did she do in response to this petition?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: I'm sorry I'm not aware of which petition the member is referring to."
10. Question No. 10—HealthKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 10—Health10. KIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of Health: What advice has he had about the findings of the rapid stocktake of PPE distribution?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Our front-line health and disability workers take great care of the public and in turn they deserve access to appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic the Ministry of Health took over and centralised the supply of PPE to DHBs which in turn are distributing it to community providers in their district. New Zealand has good stocks of PPE but there have been some reports of community providers not getting the equipment they ordered in a timely way. At my request the Ministry conducted a rapid stocktake of how distribution from DHBs was working. The Director-General of Health has reported back that based on the information provided he is confident that all DHBs have appropriate processes in place to distribute PPE to all their community-based providers to work closely with providers where there is a difference between provider expectations and supply at a point in time and resolve any concerns or complaints." I will continue to seek further assurance on this matter.Kiritapu Allan: Did the stocktake identify any areas for improvement?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: The Director-General's report confirmed there were some issues where provider expectations were not met but many of these have now been resolved. That gives me confidence the system is now working more efficiently. Four areas have been identified where the Ministry will work with DHBs to improve PPE distribution. They will clarify interpretations of clinical guidance on PPE use they will streamline decision making they will ensure timely turnaround of orders and ensure there are appropriate processes for recording and resolving complaints.Kiritapu Allan: What further steps are being taken to provide the public assurance that PPE distribution systems are working?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: As members will be aware the Office of the Auditor-General is conducting an independent review of the management of PPE. I welcome that and look forward to the release of its findings. In the meantime I have also asked Sir Brian Roche to cast an independent eye over information gathered for the stocktake I requested. Sir Brian will also be able to ask further questions of the Ministry DHBs providers and others as he feels appropriate and he will advise me directly of his findings."
9. Question No. 9—JusticeDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Minister of JusticeQuestion No. 9—Justice9. DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Minister of Justice: Is he satisfied with the operation of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Justice): I am satisfied with the policy intent of the Act because that's the part of the Act I'm responsible for; the operations of the Act are the responsibility of the police and the courts.David Seymour: Does he agree with the Hon Simon Power about the policy intent when the latter said in his third reading speech for the then Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Bill that This will make it easier to strip organised crime groups of the assets and profits that they have obtained from serious criminal [activity]."?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Yes I do but I'd rather be guided by the object provisions of the Act which refer to an Act dealing with those who have unlawfully benefited from significant criminal activity that is the mischief to which it is directed.David Seymour: Would the Minister further say that the purpose is to take only the benefits from that activity or perhaps all of a person's assets?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I think that in the situation where the police make application for recovery of criminal proceeds in the end it is a matter for the court to determine what level of proceeds ought to be recovered and therefore which are proceeds relating to the unlawful benefit from significant criminal activity."
8. Question No. 8—EducationHon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of EducationQuestion No. 8—Education8. Hon NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) to the Minister of Education: If the Government announces a move to alert level 2 next week is he confident that schools and early learning centres have the support they need to open in a safe manner?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): Yes. Today the Ministry of Education is putting out a special bulletin for early learning in schools on guidance on what level 2 will look like pending a decision next week. They're also putting out guidance on level 2 today on managing health safety at schools guidance for early learning services guidance for school hostels and guidance for playgroups. This includes guidance from public health on education.The key message for schools and centres—or one of the key messages for schools and centres—is that when we make the decision to move levels we will not be expecting schools to reopen for a greater number of students mid-week. Whenever the decision is made they'll open at the beginning of the following week. So if we make a decision to shift to alert level 2 next week schools and early learning services will have 10 days from now to prepare and we'll be continually talking with the sector and its representatives to help them prepare to open at level 2.Hon Nikki Kaye: Is it mandatory for all schools to ensure a 1 metre indoor rule for adults and children?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: At level 2 no.Hon Nikki Kaye: So can he confirm: if the 1 metre indoor rule is voluntary if schools do not feel that that will lead to a safe environment can they choose not to open?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: No. Schools should follow public health advice.Hon Nikki Kaye: Will he provide additional financial support to schools and early childhood education centres for hand sanitiser cleaning and personal protective equipment given that some schools have said it can cost up to 9000 a week for hand sanitiser?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: I have good news for the member. I can confirm that 30000 litres of hand sanitiser has been purchased by the Ministry of Education and distributed to schools and early learning services already. If she'd like the further breakdown fifty thousand 300 millilitre bottles have been distributed sixty thousand 60 millilitre flip bottles have been distributed and two thousand 5 litre refill packs have been already sent out and paid for by the ministry.Hon Nikki Kaye: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked whether additional financial support would be provided. I didn't get an answer to that.SPEAKER: The member did mention a specific product. Question No. 9 David Seymour.Nicola Willis: Supplementary.SPEAKER: Sorry. I apologise—there's a member way up the back. Nicola Willis—supplementary question.Nicola Willis: Thank you Mr Speaker. Will early childhood education services be required to continue with bigger spacing requirements of one child per 3 square metres when we move to alert level 2?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Clear guidance on that is being issued this afternoon but generally no.
5. Question No. 5—FinanceKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 5—Finance5. KIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of Finance: What will be the focus of Budget 2020 that he will deliver on 14 May?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Budget 2020 will be delivered in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic; we have therefore reoriented the Budget from what we had previously planned. The new spending packages that were planned around our five priorities that were announced in the Budget Policy Statement have been reassessed and unless they are meeting a core cost pressure we have put them on ice. The focus for Budget 2020 now is boosting and supporting our public services and taking our next steps to recover and rebuild from COVID-19.Kiritapu Allan: How does Budget 2020 fit with the Government's wider economic plan to respond to COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Our response to COVID-19 has been characterised by moving swiftly regularly and pragmatically and this will continue. Budget 2020 will set our direction for the next stages in our response plan: recovery and rebuild. But the Budget is just one staging post in our fight against COVID-19. There will be further support for the recovery and rebuild after Budget day. Our response to COVID-19 has to happen every day not just on Budget day. The Budget will be part of a series of ongoing support measures throughout the rest of our COVID response plan.Kiritapu Allan: What is the Government's strategy for managing the cost of the economic response to COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Of course all the support and rebuilding we're doing must be paid for. Fortunately New Zealand's fiscal position was strong going into the COVID-19 pandemic. We delivered on our plan to reduce net core Crown debt below 20 percent of GDP and achieved $13 billion of operating services in our first two years in office. However we will be running operating deficits and allowing an equal Crown debt to increase in the short term; this is because that is the responsible thing to do. Right now investing money to support our people businesses and communities to get through this and to rebuild is the most important thing we can do. In time we will need to return to a more sustainable fiscal path as we've shown we can do but for now the rainy day has arrived and our savings for that need to be used.
Allan KiritapuSITTINGS OF THE HOUSEKIRITAPU ALLAN (Assistant Whip—Labour): I seek leave for the House to adjourn.SPEAKER: Is there any objection? There is none.The House adjourned at 4.22 p.m.
Appropriation (2018/19 Confirmation and Validation) Bill — Third Reading
Nash StuartAPPROPRIATION (2018/19 CONFIRMATION AND VALIDATION) BILLThird ReadingHon STUART NASH (Minister of Revenue) on behalf of the Minister of Finance: I move That the Appropriation (2018/19 Confirmation and Validation) Bill be now read a third time. Bill read a third time.
SpeechCHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): OK the time for this debate has now expired. The question is That the report of the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the annual financial statements of the Government for the previous financial year be noted. Motion agreed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): The question now is That the reports of committees on annual reviews be noted. Motion agreed to.Clauses 1 to 9 and Schedules 1 to 5 agreed to. Bill reported without amendment. Report adopted.
Annual Review Debate
Nash StuartHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): Police operate under social licence and as mentioned in my opening comments I think the direction that former Commissioner Mike Bush took the Police from one where the culture was you know dare I say it an old boys' club towards where it is now which is an inclusive organisation—I do fundamentally believe in the 2½ years I have been Minister of Police that the culture of the organisation has changed dramatically and there are a couple of members in this House who can probably vouch for that cultural change within Police. So one thing I do know about the new Commissioner of Police Andrew Coster is that he understands that police operate under a social licence and they will only be successful—truly successful—when they bring the community along with them. So again when it comes to the review and the evaluation of the armed response teams I have no doubt that Commissioner Coster will undertake a thorough evaluation but the style and the nature of policing really is up to Commissioner Coster.
Davidson MaramaMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green): Thank you Madam Chair. I wonder if I could just extend on that for one further point. It—Rt Hon Trevor Mallard: You're not allowed to.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Sought leave—sought leave.Rt Hon Trevor Mallard: You can't.MARAMA DAVIDSON: Carrying on—thoughts from the former police officer and private investigator Tim McKinnel to that extension of armed response teams (ARTs) who said that the very problem with deploying those ARTs is that once they exist once you pay for them you want to use them whether they're necessary or not and if the Minister has any comments on whether that seems like an extension without social licence of the role of the ARTs.
Nash StuartHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): Thank you. What I would say to that is that as the member has correctly elucidated the armed response team (ART) trial has now completed. It is subject to a thorough evaluation. The new Commissioner of Police Andrew Coster has said to me that it will undergo a thorough investigation and under section 16 of the Policing Act that's actually his role and I'll be interested to see what the conclusion of that evaluation is.One thing I would say though in terms of the ART undertaking certain routine policing activities is that at one point there were actually quite a significant number of police who were in self-isolation due to what they had encountered during their routine policing. Because Police is a mobile and very fluid and adaptable organisation I think what you found is that the ART teams were just doing a number of routine policing tasks simply because there were no other police to do those so they jumped in where ordinarily they wouldn't but due to the number of police in self-isolation they were just called on to undertake day-to-day business-as-usual tasks.
Davidson MaramaMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green): Thank you Madam Chair—just seeking a bit of guidance. I could just lay it all out or I could just roll on through different questions. Is there a preference or shall I just go for it?CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): It's up to the Minister really.MARAMA DAVIDSON: Sure thank you Madam Chair. Firstly I want to commend—Hon Stuart Nash: Just ask questions and I'll answer them.MARAMA DAVIDSON: Sure COVID-19 focused in particular—can I go first to the armed response teams' (ART) trials which I understand finished on Sunday. They did come up through the Epidemic Response Committee that I'm a part of for the COVID response—communities wanting to ask questions about those through the alert levels 4 and 3 response through the police and particularly noting in the review that will now follow that those ARTs were set up for a particular purpose especially around responding to events where a significant risk—significant risk was the threshold—is posed to the public or staff but also supporting execution of pre-planned and high-risk search warrants high profile public events etc. as you know. The question that came through the Epidemic Response Committee was that it appears that the ART use went outside of those official initial guidelines and was also extended into routine policing and traffic stops. The questions that I also have were what is the review going to pick up on in those questions that came from the community particularly through their anxieties through alert level 4 and 3 I will say? Can I just add on to that that the launched strategy of Te Huringa o Te Tai which is supposed to be about police and tangata whenua communities working closer together to form better mutual trust—how does that sit in light of the ART trials having been quite focused in predominantly high Māori and Pacific communities as well? That's my first issue.
Allan KiritapuKIRITAPU ALLAN (Assistant Whip—Labour): I seek leave to extend this particular part of the debate to enable Marama Davidson to ask the Minister a particular question as indicated to this committee. We have just slightly run out of time.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Is there any objection to that leave? There appears to be none.
Nash StuartHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): I said the last comment I made would be the final one on this but what I will say is I'll yet again—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Quickly because we're close.Hon STUART NASH: Yeah. Yet again I'll go back to the mission statement: to be the safest country. As mentioned gone are the days where police run in bang on the door arrest everyone and then ask questions later. Police have a new operating model a new way of dealing with the communities and that is working with communities to ensure that everyone is safe that the law is complied with—I do accept that Mr Hudson but in this case I think that they worked in a really proactive way—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): I'm sorry to interrupt the Minister.
SpeechBRETT HUDSON (National): I agree our police do the right thing as best they can and should always do it in a lawful manner. So then does the Minister have a view that police can or should be able to deem an activity as being lawful when it is not supported under the law of the land and there is no power under that legislation for them to delegate their authority to others?
Nash StuartHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): Madam Chair I think the last thing I'll say with regard to this topic is I have immense trust—and you're a former Minister of Police yourself Madam Chair. CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Don't bring me into it.Hon STUART NASH: I have immense faith in the men and women in the New Zealand Police service and I know the district commander and the area commanders up north as well as a lot of them—not all of them of course—around the country. I know very well the district commander in eastern and I have immense faith in her ability and up north his ability and his area commanders' to work really closely with communities to ensure that what they end up doing is in the best interests of all the communities. Believe me I know that if something that was being done harmed the community or did not have the community buy-in or was in any way impacting in a way that was not safe that did not have community buy-in in any way then the police would have stepped in and taken appropriate action. But in this case I firmly believe—and I have not heard anything to the contrary—that police worked very closely with community members with key stakeholders with councils with elected representatives to keep our communities safe. So I place the faith in the commissioner and his men and women to do the right thing.
SpeechBRETT HUDSON (National): I thank the Minister of Police for those comments. Of course as the team of 5 million we're all concerned for ourselves our families and others in our communities. Those concerns are not limited to specific communities only around the country. There were many more checkpoints than just a few on isolated communities on isolated roads. Northland is a particularly good example of that. But fundamentally I agree with the Minister: the roads weren't closed. But that was my point about otherwise open roads. In that case prevailing legislation would for instance include the Land Transport Act and who is actually lawfully permitted to stop or direct traffic on an open road and who is lawfully permitted to request personal details of occupants of vehicles that have been stopped on an open road. Does he believe that police can delegate those authorised powers to people that hold no special warrant or otherwise official position?