edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
5. Question No. 5—HousingHon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of HousingQuestion No. 5—Housing5. Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Housing: Does she plan to introduce and pass legislation before the House rises on 6 August to allow for people returning from overseas to be charged part of the costs of undertaking managed isolation?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): As the member is aware the Government has been considering this for a number of weeks now and extensive work has been ongoing. As I have stated publicly this is a complex area and we have to carefully and methodically work through all the implications. The work is almost complete and I'm happy to inform the member that we'll be making an announcement very very shortly. Hon Gerry Brownlee: What is the policy detail that the Prime Minister said yesterday was being finalised ahead of an announcement? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The member will need to wait and see. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Well does she hope to announce the detail of the charging regime ahead of the election? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: As I informed the member in my primary answer the announcement is very very soon. Hon Gerry Brownlee: Does she accept that there is some urgency around implementing a charging regime given that managed isolation is currently costing taxpayers around $10 million a week? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: This is a Government that is well aware of all the different factors that go into managed isolation one of those being what an important line of defence the proper operation of our managed isolation and quarantine facilities have been in our fight against COVID. I know that member is a member of a party that is playing fast and loose with the border but we are a party committed to maintaining a strong line of defence. Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. That is a completely unreasonable thing for the Minister to say in an answer—after all we're not the Government. We're not—SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Order! The member can't get up and say he doesn't like an answer. Hon Gerry Brownlee: No I said it was dishonest. SPEAKER: The member—if the member said that which I missed he will withdraw and apologise. Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise. I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I said it was unreasonable for a Minister to make an accusation like that in an answer and I think it is. We don't control the border; they do. SPEAKER: Does the member have a further supplementary? Hon Gerry Brownlee: Yes I do. Is the real problem of not getting a charging regime in place prior to the election that she's been unable to convince all partners in the Government coalition to agree to it and if that is the case will she reach across the aisle where there is a clear understanding of what needs to be done? Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: In answer to the first part of the question no and in answer to the second part of the question we always welcome the Opposition supporting the wonderful legislation that this Government may put up.
4. Question No. 4—HousingHon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of HousingQuestion No. 4—Housing4. Hon JAMES SHAW (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister of Housing: What recent announcements has she made about the Government's Progressive Home Ownership scheme?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Housing): On Friday I announced the first phase of the Government's $400 million Progressive Home Ownership Fund which will enable up to 4000 families who could not otherwise afford home ownership to get into their own homes. This Government inherited a housing crisis with an increasing number of New Zealanders locked out of homeownership and we're committed to turning things around. One provider in Auckland and another in Queenstown are the first two partners selected due to the severe affordability issues in those cities and more providers will follow. The Progressive Home Ownership Fund is yet another step forward in this Government's plan to address housing affordability.Hon James Shaw: How will Māori benefit from this programme?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The progressive homeownership programme has a dedicated iwi and Māori pathway with a specific focus on providing more secure healthy housing for Māori. We know that the gap that's been created between house prices and what is affordable disproportionately affects Māori. This programme will help these families by sharing the cost of a mortgage and addressing the deposit barrier to getting their own home. The fund will also scale up funding for organisations already providing progressive homeownership schemes with wraparound support services such as budgeting advice.Hon James Shaw: How many families will be supported into homeownership and how quickly?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: The first tranche of funding will support a hundred families into homeownership and I expect the first of these families to have their own home by November this year. Phase one is providing us with a good opportunity to learn what is required to deliver a fully effective fund so we can streamline the systems and the processes as needed and ensure we target the priority groups the fund intends to assist. Ultimately this investment will help up to 4000 New Zealand families buy their own homes.Hon James Shaw: How does progressive homeownership fit in with the rest of the Government's housing programme?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: This Government is proud of its investment and commitment to building affordable housing for New Zealanders and this is yet another milestone in the Government's broader housing programme. In addition to getting families in homes they may otherwise be unable to afford this will also provide confidence to the construction sector and create jobs for Kiwis. This is a Government that has ramped up its public house builds to levels not seen in decades. We have also committed to providing warmer healthier and high-quality homes for New Zealanders to live in. I stand by our record of getting to work and addressing the crisis we inherited three years ago.
1. Question No. 1—FinanceKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. KIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of Finance: What recent reports has he seen on the New Zealand economy in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Today Statistics New Zealand released its latest data on employment indicators for the June 2020 quarter. The data showed that the economy continued to add jobs in June following a strong rebound in May when most lockdown restrictions had begun to ease. The number of filled jobs rose by 2053 in June building on the 14399 rise in May. Although this only partly reverses the drop seen during the lockdown in April filled jobs remain above where they were at the same time last year. We all know that the road ahead for many will be tough but this is an encouraging sign of the economy bouncing back from lockdown with Kiwi businesses and workers now seeing the benefits of our decision to go hard and early to control COVID-19.Kiritapu Allan: What reports has he seen on the performance of New Zealand's exports?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On Friday Statistics New Zealand released overseas merchandise trade statistics for June 2020. These showed total exports were up from the same time last year. Goods exports in June were worth $5.1 billion—up $107 million from June 2019. The rise was led by dairy with milk powder butter and cheese up $90 million or 7.9 percent. The value of log exports was also up by 7 percent since June 2019. This strong performance from our exporters contributed to a monthly trade surplus of $426 million in June. The trade deficit for the year ending June was $1.2 billion—the smallest annual trade deficit since December 2014. All of this effort by our exporters demonstrates the continued strength of that part of our economy despite the difficult prevailing conditions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.Kiritapu Allan: What reports has he seen on the place of the housing market in New Zealand's economic recovery from COVID-19?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I've seen Reserve Bank figures released on Friday which show that first-home buyers took a bigger share of new mortgages than property investors in June for the first time since 2013 when this series began. First-home buyers committed to $1.1 billion in home loans last month taking on 20 percent of all new mortgages while loans to investors dropped to $1 billion or 19.4 percent of new mortgages. This Government continues to be focused on ensuring more affordable housing is available. While growth in the housing market cannot be at the centre of any economic plan after years of struggling to get a look in it's good to see first-home buyers finally getting a fair go.
O'Connor SimonSIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki): A quick question: you talk about interdiction. It turned my mind Minister to obviously what happened around the Spratly Islands very recently with the squadron of Australian—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I'm sorry to interrupt the member. It has come time for me to leave the Chair. The committee is suspended until 9 a.m. in the morning.Sitting suspended from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. (Wednesday)
Stanford Erica; Parker DavidERICA STANFORD (National—East Coast Bays): Thank you Mr Chair. I want to change the topic slightly to climate change if that's all right with the Minister. This Government came into office with the self-imposed title of being the greenest Government ever. And we all have noted that our emissions have continued to rise during this Government's term of office. Now the transport sector is the fastest growing source of our emissions and yet here we are in a perfectly placed country with 85 percent renewable energy to tackle that low-hanging fruit when it comes to the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs). Now in 2016 the Minister will well know that the National Government put in place some very practical steps to increase the uptake. We removed the road user charges and we had a target of doubling the EV fleet every year. The first year 2016 to 2017 it was a 143 percent uptake—an increase. In this Government's term it's increased between 2017 and 2018 by 50 percent and then in 2018 to 2019 by 25 percent. So the increase in uptake is dramatically decreasing. This is despite the Government's policies of 100 percent Government fleet of EVs by 2025 the clean car standard the feebate" which was a poorly thought out highly punitive policy.My questions to this Minister are: via the Estimates what has this Government done in terms of the Government fleet? So how many electric vehicles are in the Government fleet and why has that promise not been met? How many EVs are in New Zealand now and why has the uptake slowed so dramatically? What policies has this Government implemented and what have they spent to increase the uptake of electric vehicles? And would the Minister actually agree that in terms of practical steps to increase the uptake of EVs and reduce our emissions this Government has failed to offer any solutions to increase uptake of electric vehicles in New Zealand despite their hand-wringing and their claims of a climate crisis and this climate change being the nuclear-free moment?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment): Government procurement sits within the portfolio of economic development climate change emissions within the climate change Minister's remit and transport fleets with the transport Minister's remit and I'm none of those. I'm the Minister for the Environment."
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for the Environment): Mr Chairman I'm happy to respond briefly. We have just promulgated a change to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development Capacity which does have the effect of relaxing that urban boundary in respect of planned changes that will be necessary for councils facing high rates of population growth. It both encourages good urban form by encouraging the natural intensification that will occur but for strict plan rules preventing it and also in respect of planning for growth. Growing centres will require councils to consider whether they've got their zone boundaries correct.
Wood Michael; Rurawhe AdrianMICHAEL WOOD (Senior Whip—Labour): I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. My point of order is that this is a debate about the Estimates of Appropriations. I'm not sure that policy issues such as the urban growth boundary do relate to the Estimates hearings.CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): It's a debating point.
Rurawhe AdrianEnvironment SectorCHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Members I understand the responsible Ministers are available to speak to the Votes in the environment sector. Again the question is that Vote Conservation Vote Environment and Vote Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment stand part of the Schedules.
Faafoi KrisHon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Immigration): I seek leave to correct a response that I gave during the immigration Estimates. CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There appears to be none. Hon KRIS FAAFOI: In response to a question from Dr Parmjeet Parmar I would like to clarify that response in terms of partnership visas. Partners of New Zealand citizens and residents are able to travel by themselves to New Zealand if they hold the appropriate partnership visa. This also accrues to dependent children of citizens and residents if the children have a dependent child visa. That corrects the answer that I gave during the Estimates to the question from Dr Parmjeet Parmar. Vote Education Vote Education Review Office Vote Labour Market Vote Pike River Re-entry and Vote Tertiary Education agreed to.
Estimates Debate — Education and Workforce Sector (continued)
Little AndrewHon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety): Thank you to the member who posed the question and I have to say having been in the job now for a matter of a few days I'm not right across the Gavin Jones report what it had recommended. But what I can say in the briefings I've had with WorkSafe to date and my own interaction with them and knowledge of them is that they do have a couple of critical functions they have to perform.One is obviously investigating the notified accidents—and particularly serious harm accidents and fatalities—when they receive those notifications. They have to be thoroughgoing investigations they have to gather evidence and they have to make a judgment call about whether a prosecution is warranted. And just in the way elsewhere in the justice system has to operate they have to work out levels of fault and culpability and distinguish those things that are largely the product of accident or oversight as opposed to recklessness and abject carelessness which will attract if not a prosecution a severe penalty. The other function they have to do is to work with employers or businesses and indeed whole industries—through their improvement notification sort of processes through educated processes—to lift the level of health and safety performance. So they've got to be able to do both. It's not quite carrot and stick; it's sort of big stick and small stick I suppose that they have to use to make that change.Are we making improvements? The indication is that our health and safety performance nationwide has plateaued. If you look at fatalities in the last two financial years workplace fatalities are pretty much the same—82 or 83. In the figures for the year ending 30 June 2020 the fatalities on Whakaari / White Island were counted as workplace fatalities because it was adventure tourism and that counted. So that inflated that level of workplace fatality. But nevertheless we are still pretty high you know. I remember being very concerned when our workplace fatalities were running at roughly one a week. Well we're well ahead of that. So we have work to do.There is no question that good workplace health and safety is a matter of workplace culture and it needs leaders not just in management but in the workforce as well. In order to achieve that it requires a positive relationship between management and the workforce generally and then it needs to allow leaders within each of those sides of the bargaining equation if you like to step up and provide leadership on health and safety. Somebody needs to say to the worker who has a poor health and safety habit Uh-uh you ain't doing that here." And it's not always the manager who's the best person to do that. The most powerful and influential voice in the workforce when it comes to behaviour change to achieve an improved health and safety culture is your peers in the workplace—fellow workers. I think WorkSafe gets that. They're working with both management and unions and workers generally to achieve that level of culture change. That's what will achieve real change and ongoing improvement in workplace health and safety."
SpeechDAN BIDOIS (National—Northcote): I do want to take this moment to congratulate the Minister in the chair Andrew Little on his elevation to workplace relations. I want to start out this discussion—and I know the Minister wasn't in select committee for this but the former Minister we had in the select committee and really good discussion around workplace deaths and workplace incidents the record in the last few years and what it's going to take to actually get this improved. I think in the last couple of months there have been quite a few cases in the media as well—reported in the media—around the way WorkSafe conducts its investigations. The Minister may be aware of the Gavin Jones report of last year. That was an independent report conducted by WorkSafe into the way it conducts its investigations and that report found a significant amount of failings with WorkSafe in the way it handles investigations a lack of staff a poor culture a lack of processes a lack of training a lack of focus and outdated methods.Michael Wood: We're not here to talk about the National caucus.DAN BIDOIS: Ha ha! Good on ya Michael Wood. So my question is really in particular around the public nature of this. In the last few months we've had a number of cases and particular members of the public that have come out criticising WorkSafe and the way it conducts investigations in particular in the last couple of days an investigation into the crash that killed two children. There were significant concerns around the way WorkSafe conducted its investigations. So there's a deep public dissatisfaction with the way WorkSafe is acting in this area.So I want to hear the Minister's perspective on the report. What has been done since 2019? I know that this is an Estimates debate so the key thing here is: how can you convince the public and therefore this House that the actions of your ministry and WorkSafe will in any way improve public confidence in the way WorkSafe conducts its investigations? That's my question to the Minister and I yield to have him answer this question.
Smith StuartSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): Thank you Madam Chair. Congratulations Minister Faafoi on your new role; let's hope you do a good job—better than the other one. Now the latest data I've got is 3 July but up until then 161 employer applications for critical workers—none had been approved not one. Now we are in the most dire economic times that we are going to experience in living memory and may even exceed what occurred in the 1930s. So part of that recovery is going to be an economic recovery. We need our businesses to be able to recover yet critical workers are not able to get into this country—Hon Tracey Martin: Employ New Zealanders.STUART SMITH: —and those—well they can't employ New Zealanders actually.Hon Tracey Martin: Then train them.STUART SMITH: Well I can give you an example if the member is interested. There's a construction company called Rebartec; they have some new equipment that's come into New Zealand. They cannot assemble this equipment without the manufacturer's expertise coming into New Zealand—two people come from Australia. They have not been given an exception to come into the country. That means 10 jobs gone—10 jobs. There are numerous examples of companies that all add up to hundreds of jobs. More importantly giving businesses the confidence to invest to help our recovery out of this deep hole we're in—it's absolutely essential that we get these people in. Now we're not talking about bringing someone in to do a job that a Kiwi can be trained to do. There just simply aren't Kiwis to do it.So my question to the Minister is: what are you going to do about it? What are you going to do to help our economic recovery and get these critical workers in here? They're not applying to fill a role that someone else in New Zealand can do because they can't. There's been very good applications go forward being dismissed by Immigration New Zealand and it's quite shameful. So what are you going to do about it Minister?
Faafoi KrisHon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Immigration): I know you directed the Green member to be a little more tight with her speech but I just wanted to point to and acknowledge the Green Party member and just to give some details in terms of the Estimates in terms of the changes in the appropriations essentially for the issues that she was talking about. In terms of family reunification we're seeing an increase of just a little over $7 million over the next three years in order to increase the capacity of that particular system from 300 to 600 families.Just very quickly while we're at it in terms of increased expenditure—there is now close to $3 million per annum to extend the pilot for the Community Organisation Refugee Sponsorship which was something which up until recently was obviously a pilot but now we're also able to extend that funding. That is where community organisations are able to sponsor refugees over and above the quota in order to look after them and make sure that they land safely here in New Zealand. I think that in the area of refugees it is another good development within this Budget.
Smith StuartSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I think the Green member has taken up most of the Opposition's opportunity to ask questions of the Minister so I seek leave for more time for the Opposition spokesperson at least to have a say on immigration.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Yeah it is unfortunate. That's one of the reasons why five-minute speeches are not desirable in the process but it's entirely up to the Minister in the chair if he's willing to take a couple of questions.
SpeechDAN BIDOIS (National—Northcote): It's a privilege and a pleasure to rise in this Estimates debate. I want to change the focus today to WorkSafe because as we know in New Zealand we have an issue with workplace fatalities and workplace health and safety incidents on the rise under this Government and we heard from the previous Minister in select committee around what—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Sorry sorry—sorry to interrupt the member. We are still on immigration.DAN BIDOIS: Oh Madam Chair I've jumped the gun there—there we go.
Faafoi KrisBRETT HUDSON (National): So Minister are you saying that you haven't decided yet? Here we are a couple of months into this financial year. The appropriation runs through until the end of June next year. It took the Commerce Commission some time to go through the market study. Are you saying that no decision has yet been made as to what study or studies will be undertaken for the money that's been appropriated for the coming year or the current year?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs): No I'm not saying that; that's the member's words. What I'm saying is a number of options have been put to me about sectors that could potentially use some sunlight and as I say when we're ready we'll make an announcement.Vote Building and Construction Vote Business Science and Innovation and Vote Transport agreed to.
Faafoi KrisBRETT HUDSON (National): Well thank you Minister for that very long and comprehensive response but it missed the key point. So what specifically Minister did the Commerce Commission find after expending somewhere between $1.2 million and $1.5 million of taxpayer money? What specifically did they find in terms of recommended actions that was not already found in the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment report which was available to the Minister before he instructed them to expend that amount of taxpayer money?Hon KRIS FAAFOI (Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs): I think we're going to continue to have a disagreement about what was known before retail fuel market study and post. The difference between the information that the member is relying on is that it was done by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment without their full ability to get the information from those players in the retail fuel market to the granularity that they needed to understand exactly what was going on. The member's leader when she was the Minister for Energy and Resources was actually quite frustrated that she could not get to the bottom of and the officials could not get to the bottom of the understanding of why fuel prices were at the level that they were and failed to do anything about it in the nine years in which they were in Government.That's why I stand here again quite proud that not only did we initiate the legislation and pass the legislation which enabled the Commerce Commission to undertake those market studies—and to be frank the Opposition wasn't happy about that—but we are able to get the granularity and therefore have the legislative response that the Hon Dr Megan Woods is taking through the House to ensure that there is more transparency in the market to ensure that there is going to be increased competition in the market. If the Opposition has a problem with that which will mean that increased competition will see more competitiveness in what people pay at the pump I'd like to see them go and campaign on that.
SpeechCHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): OK thank you—thank you Minister. I think we're moving to broadcasting communications digital media commerce and consumer affairs. I welcome the Minister to the chair.
SpeechBRETT HUDSON (National): Madam Chair I think we might have just about one minute left.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): One minute.BRETT HUDSON: So the Minister has said that most of these contracts certainly since COVID may not even be entered into but won't be commenced before the election. He's also said that one Parliament can't bind another. So how is it that the public can have any confidence that the announcements they've been hearing and will continue to hear aren't simply announcements to get those governing members re-elected?Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Regional Economic Development): The answer is very simple: I can see the future.
O'Connor DamienHon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister of Agriculture): Thank you Madam Chair and if I can just take the opportunity I guess to acknowledge the Minister in the chair there the Hon Shane Jones and the great work he's done. But in regard to the discussion that we've just seen from across the committee if the Provincial Growth Fund is to allocate funding—you know quite a lot of funding—to an organisation or say a council that hasn't always had a good track record of financial management perhaps the Minister might like to answer: is the process of oversight of the spending of all of that money robust? Indeed what are his expectations of what that organisation might have to meet if it hasn't had a good track record in the past?Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Regional Economic Development): Far be it from me to identify any delinquent councils but they are numerous in some parts of Aotearoa. But if I could say this: the system operates on the basis of Senior Regional Officials (SROs). SROs are trustworthy senior civil servants and they engage with the recipients. Where the recipient may be a council that has struggled with the delivery of infrastructure or the delivery of other wellbeing outcomes the SROs are totally empowered to manage the pace at which the pūtea is allocated to ensure that the outcomes the Government believes that it ought to be achieving in a collaborative fashion are actually delivered upon. They are called Senior Regional Officials. They report to Mr Robert Pigou who is the director of the Provincial Growth Fund Unit. He is a member to the best of my knowledge of the top team comprising the executive leadership group led by the CEO of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment and that lady's name is Carolyn Tremain.
SpeechCHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): OK colleagues. When we suspended for the dinner break we were debating the Votes in the economic development and infrastructure sector volume (B.5 Volume 1) as part of the consideration of the Appropriation (2020/21 Estimates) Bill. The Hon Kelvin Davis has the call and he has four minutes 30 seconds remaining should he so desire.I understand that the Minister for Regional Economic Development is joining us. Is he going to take any speakers or do you want me to move on with the Vote?
Davis KelvinJONATHAN YOUNG (New Plymouth—National): The Minister said that he wouldn't answer my question because I was referring to outbound tourism but I'd like to ask the Minister because these travel agencies right throughout the country are also agents for inbound tourism and they are conduits and brokers for the tourism industries that we have. As I explained in my first question in terms of the transition fund in terms of offering advice or support to tourism-based companies what response is the Minister anticipating that he can make or the Government can make to ensure that especially past the wage subsidy programme when they will still need to operate—what sort of support will the Government offer?Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister of Tourism): In terms of inbound tourism operators we do have an announcement in the next few days so I suggest that the member waits for that. In terms of the outbound operators again they are businesses that look after visitors who are going internationally. So I am not responsible for international visitation overseas.
SpeechJONATHAN YOUNG (New Plymouth—National): Mr Chair thank you. The Minister of Tourism came in for the Economic Development Science and Innovation Committee and talked about the $400 million COVID response fund which will be used to fund the Tourism Transitions Programme protecting tourism assets etc. I just want to ask the Minister and it's coming more to light that there are travel agencies around the country that are working very hard to retrieve prepayments for overseas travel whether that's flights accommodation or cruises. These travel agencies have virtually no income yet they are involved in retrieving what I understand to be several billion dollars' worth of prepayments for New Zealanders. I just wonder in order to support these businesses what consideration the Minister is making or has made regarding this Tourism Transitions Programme because these businesses are acting in the best interest and benefit of New Zealanders yet they have no income. If they were to collapse right across the country then it's quite possible New Zealanders will not be able to retrieve those prepayments. Often those prepayments are made to companies overseas.
van de Molen TimTIM VAN DE MOLEN (Third Whip—National): I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. Thank you Mr Chair. Earlier and through the previous committee stages operating under the new rules which is short contributions in question and answer - type style we've been repeatedly pulled up on this side of the Chamber for not adhering to that format. Just with the last two contributions we've had a full five-minute speech with no questions to the Minister at all and for the last one it wasn't even in relation to the Minister of Tourism who was in the chair. So I'm just seeking your guidance on how we work through that given the expectation being placed on us to be short with our calls and to ask questions to engage with the Minister. CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): It's entirely up to members. It's the members' time and each party has an allocated amount of time. It is certainly encouraged exactly how the member has characterised the new way of carrying out these debates as an interaction between the Minister and a member on specific issues. But it does not mean that that member cannot stand and make a five-minute contribution—particularly those who are chairs—giving an overview of the reports that they've submitted to the House.
Rurawhe AdrianCHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Members before I call the next member I just say that we now have the Minister of Tourism in the chair if there are any questions around tourism as part of this sector. We have the Hon Shane Jones ready to come to the chair on regional economic development as well.
Bishop Chris; Twyford PhilCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South): Madam Chair oh thank you very much. A question to the Minister of Transport about the National Land Transport Fund—in particular the hole in the fund that's been created not through any fault of the Minister unlike everything else in transport but through COVID-19 and the lack of people driving on the roads and what effect that will have on the National Land Transport Fund. I think the Minister in the Economic Development Science and Infrastructure Committee told us that some work had been done on the quantum of the hole in the fund as a result of a lack of fuel tax revenue. So I was wondering if he could update the committee on how large that quantum is. I think he said in the select committee that he would have some figures soon so I'm looking forward to what that is and secondly what the Government intends to do about that gap in the National Land Transport Fund.Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Transport): The member is quite correct that the COVID economic shock and the effects of the lockdown have for a period of a few months put a big dent in vehicle kilometres travelled which is how we talk about the level of road travel activity. While driving levels have bounced back in recent times—almost to normal actually—those few months really took their toll on the revenues that supply the National Land Transport Fund that is road-user charges (RUC) for diesel vehicles and the fuel excise duty (FED) of course that we pay at the pump. In addition to that we've seen some other costs that Waka Kotahi has had to pick up. In my earlier contribution I mentioned public transport. Local government without Waka Kotahi stepping up would simply not have been able to continue ensuring that public transport was running and they had to step into the breach. Some of those costs will continue actually for the next few months.In addition to that a third extra impost in that is that during the lockdown a number of big construction projects weren't able to operate in spite of actually pretty successful efforts by the Transport Agency through advanced payments to some of the contractors which enabled them to keep their workforce on—they were genuinely fearful of losing a lot of their workforce during those weeks. And remember at the time we had no idea how long the disruption to the economy was going to continue for that time. So those three things—the public transport costs the additional costs to some of the big infrastructure jobs and also falling revenues from FED and RUC—have meant that there is a very significant pressure on the National Land Transport Fund. I want to reassure the member that the Government will be protecting the fund. We're going to strenuous efforts now to put in place a number of different kinds of infrastructure projects to stimulate the economy and boost jobs. The last thing we want to do is see our core transport infrastructure programme falter. So I'm not able to give the member details today on exactly how big the hole is and what the Government's doing to fill that hole but I want to reassure him that we will be making that information available publicly before long.
van de Molen TimEconomic Development and Infrastructure SectorCHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Members I understand that responsible Ministers are available to speak to the Votes in the economic development and infrastructure sector volume (B.5 Volume 1). The question is that Vote Building and Construction Vote Business Science and Innovation and Vote Transport stand part of the Schedules.TIM VAN DE MOLEN (Third Whip—National): I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. I understood we were going on to the State services finance and Government administration sector at this point.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Well you have a different understanding to the schedule I have. Let's get it resolved so that we're all on the same page.Tim van de Molen: All right sure. Madam Chair.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): So you are speaking to what?Tim van de Molen: Oh I'll have a crack at building and construction.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Economic development and infrastructure? Normally the chair of the committee is called first and the chair—Jonathan Young: Madam Chair.CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): —now is seeking a call.
Hipkins ChrisAGNES LOHENI (National): Thank you Madam Chair. I'd just like to acknowledge the Minister in the chair the Hon Chris Hipkins. I'm pleased to be a new member on the Health Committee; I wasn't a member at the time of these Estimates hearings. My question really to the Minister is—you talked about I guess the expectations you'll have on DHBs. I've got a very local issue of Counties Manukau. Given the significant funding that's gone into the additional support for DHBs I've been asked to come in and I guess provide a pathway in terms of the Nga Hau birthing unit in Māngere which was opened just over a year ago to provide a model of care for an area of need. So if you were in Māngere prior to this birthing unit you would be having your baby either at Middlemore Hospital or at Papakura or Botany Downs which is still a significant distance for those mothers giving birth there.So my question I guess to the Minister is in terms of the expectation in terms of the level of engagement that this birthing is a privately funded birthing unit—and I understand that they have tried to engage with Counties Manukau District Health Board to see a way through into getting some sort of support. At the moment it doesn't get a single cent. I would just like to get some clarification from the Minister on perhaps whether there is an expectation that there will be a reasonable level of engagement in terms of this model and could there be a pathway of some sort of part funding or shared funding in this new amount that's been allocated? Thank you.Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Health): Look very briefly for the member I am aware that there are a number of private birthing units popping up around the country. Of course the Government's expectation is that district health boards through their publicly funded facilities should be supplying the birthing services that is required for local communities. Where they're not able to do of course they can talk to third-party providers but our first expectation is that DHBs will be providing those services and will have arrangements in place to provide those services.
SpeechHealth SectorCHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): So we are actually at the end of the time that was agreed for education. The Minister responsible for the next sector which is health of course is in the chair. I'm just not sure whether we—we're going to move on the whip's nodding. OK. So we move on to the Vote in the health sector (B.5 Volume 6). The question is that Vote Health stand part of the Schedules.
Hipkins ChrisDr PARMJEET PARMAR (National): Thank you Madam Chair. I would like to focus on digital delivery during COVID-19 which was discussed during the Estimates hearing and I appreciate that 80000 houses were identified where students didn't have access to the internet and then modems 50000 modems and 23 laptops were dispatched. We also heard that 404 were returned because of mis-delivery. At that date we were told that we didn't have the total number—the Minister didn't have the total number—of how many were mis-delivered and how many were returned. So I would like to actually know from the Minister of Education how many have been returned; how many mis-deliveries happened; and once these modems or laptops are collected what is going to happen to these modems and laptops—where are they going to be utilised; and what has been done? So there are several questions here. The next question is: originally 80000 households were identified where students didn't had access to the internet so obviously these many modems were mis-delivered so what is being done to identify it so that we have this data for where houses don't have the internet for any future requirements? And then we were also told that the Ministry of Education is contacting schools as well to see if there were any surplus units which they had received that they didn't need. So what's happening there? It would be good to have an update to see what progress has been made to collect that information or to collect those modems or units back which were dispatched since that time since the Minister appeared before the Education and Workforce Committee. Thank you Madam Chair. Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): I think as I indicated in my previous answer we're now talking about several thousand; it's in the low thousands but there are a number of modems where work is being done to redistribute them. It's useful though to clarify for the member the process here. The Ministry of Education are contracting with ISPs—internet service providers—for successful connections. So only once a household has been connected does the Ministry of Education end up paying for that. So if there are modems floating around out there that need to be redistributed only when they have been successfully connected would the Ministry of Education then pay for that connection.
SpeechEducation and Workforce Sector (relating to education)CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Members I understand that the Minister of Education is available to speak to the relevant Votes in the education and workforce sector volume (B.5 Volume 2). The question is that Vote Education Vote Education Review Office Vote Labour Market Vote Pike River Re-entry and Vote Tertiary Education stand part of the Schedules. TIM VAN DE MOLEN (Third Whip—National): I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. Thank you Madam Chair. Just seeking clarity there: obviously we're in a different environment now with the committee stage not being set five-minute calls and so in terms of the allocation of time I understand we've got some support to measure that but are the questions and responses from the Minister part of our allocated time? For example if I made a two-minute contribution and the Minister responded and then I took another two minutes is his response to my contributions part of my time allocation? CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): The question is part of your time as a member of the National Party. The Minister's answer is also part of his time as a member of the New Zealand Labour Party. So everyone is on a time and that's why I say it behoves people to—but the whips can apply for that on a daily basis. Sorry I will give the call. I've got another one little bit to read: in accordance with the leave of the House other responsible Ministers will be available to speak to the remaining Votes in this sector later in the debate.
SpeechESTIMATES DEBATEIn CommitteeCHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Kia ora tātou colleagues. Look bear with me while I go through some rather lengthy explanations of what we are about to embark upon. The House in committee for consideration of the Appropriation (2020/21 Estimates) Bill. The Standing Orders provide for 11 hours of debate on the Estimates divided into 10 separate debates covering the sectors set out in the Estimates of Appropriations for 2020-21. The time for the debate has been allocated to parties on a proportional basis and may be taken as parties see fit during the 10 sector debates. New Zealand National has four hours and 59 minutes New Zealand Labour has four hours and 15 minutes New Zealand First has 50 minutes the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand has 44 minutes ACT New Zealand has six minutes and Jami-Lee Ross has six minutes. Each debate will be led by a call from the chairperson of the select committee nominated by the Government as the major committee reporting on the sector. At the end of each debate the question will be put that the Votes in each sector stand part of the Schedules. The time taken on each question is in the hands of members depending on the parties' use of their allocation of time. However this debate expires after 11 hours—and we have a bank of people here who are keeping track of each party's time taken and members can check with them at any stage as to how much time is available. The Estimates debate should be relevant to the Government's current spending plans as contained in the Estimates of Appropriations. All of the Votes are available for debate. A compendium of the reports of select committees on the Votes is available on the Table.
Land Transport (Roadside Drug Testing) Amendment Bill — Introduction—Leave Declined
Appropriation (2020/21 Estimates) Bill — Instruction to Committee
Smith Nick; Mallard TrevorLAND TRANSPORT (ROADSIDE DRUG TESTING) AMENDMENT BILLIntroduction—Leave DeclinedHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): I seek leave of the House for the Land Transport (Roadside Drug Testing) Amendment Bill to be introduced and set down as the first members' order of the day on the next members' day of 29 July.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that? Yes there is.
Hipkins Chris; Mallard TrevorAPPROPRIATION (2020/21 ESTIMATES) BILLInstruction to CommitteeHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Following discussions across the House and to facilitate the availability of Ministers to answer questions I seek leave for the committee's consideration of the education and workforce sector to consist of two debates one on the Votes related to education and one on the Votes related to immigration and workplace relations and safety and employment with all questions on all Votes in the sector being put at the conclusion of the second debate.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being taken? There is none.
Hipkins ChrisTUESDAY 28 JULY 2020The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m.Prayers.SITTINGS OF THE HOUSEHon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): I move That the sitting of the House today be extended into tomorrow morning to continue consideration in committee of the Appropriation (2020/21 Estimates) Bill.Motion agreed to.
Wednesday 22 July 2020 (continued on Friday 24 July 2020) - Volume 748
Te Ture Whenua Maori (Succession Dispute Resolution and Related Matters) Amendment Bill — In Committee
VoteParts 1 and 2 Schedule and clauses 1 and 2The question was put that the amendments set out on Supplementary Order Paper 559 in the name of Joanne Hayes to Part 1 be agreed to.A party vote was called for on the question That the amendments be agreed to.Ayes 35New Zealand National 34; Ross.Noes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand 8.Amendments not agreed to.Parts 1 and 2 the Schedule and clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.House resumed.The Chairperson reported Te Ture Whenua Maori (Succession Disputes Resolution and Related Matters) Amendment Bill without amendment.Report adopted.
Taumata Arowai—the Water Services Regulator Bill — Third Reading
Doocey MattMATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri): Thank you very much for the opportunity to take a call on the Taumata Arowai—the Water Services Regulator Bill. I really just wanted to take this last call to say that I had the last word. I support this bill. Thank you Mr Speaker.Bill read a third time.The House adjourned at 12.57 p.m. (Friday)