Wagner Nicky: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Wagner Nicky: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:669;Page:15923] 
12. 
NICKY WAGNER (National) 
 to the  
Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage 
: What has the Government done to encourage private philanthropy in the cultural sector? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage) 
: 
 Last year the Government established the Cultural Philanthropy Taskforce to investigate new opportunities to encourage private investment in the arts in New Zealand over the next 5 to 10 years. The task force reported back on 2 December. The Government will now analyse and consider its recommendations before making decisions. 
Nicky Wagner 
: How does private philanthropy fit into the Government’s vision of the arts? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: To quote the task force itself the Government has done its bit directly through grants and indirectly through establishing a favourable tax environment for charitable giving that requires very little refinement. Government support can only ever be one part of an overall strategy for the sector. The task force investigated best practice in philanthropy around the world. It consulted within New Zealand with organisations and individuals— 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: There goes the holiday! 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: Could “Mr Caygill” shut up when I am speaking. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: I am trying to deal with an important matter and throughout the answer he has just been bellowing like an oaf. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The House will come to order. I guess interjections can get responses so members who interject do take risks. But I ask the member to please finish his answer without being unnecessarily reactive. 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: Well the interjections were directed at me. The task force— 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The first transgression that the Minister made was to be aggressively gratuitous and you pulled him up on that. When my colleague Mr Mallard interjected on you he withdrew from the Chamber. But once you had given your ruling the Minister unable to let the issue go had to have another little chip as he began his answer in direct challenge to your ruling. When other members have challenged your ruling today Mr Speaker they have not remained with us. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: In fairness I have to say that I think the degree of challenge to the Chair was somewhat greater earlier on. When members interject Ministers are perfectly at liberty to pick up on their interjections but I ask the Minister to please just finish his answer without further comment. 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: The task force consulted within New Zealand with a number of organisations it consulted around the world and it drew on the extensive expertise of task force members like Dayle Mace and Dame Jenny Gibbs. 
Rahui Katene 
: Is the Minister aware of the statement made by Tu Williams and David Robinson that in the broader society Maori today are virtually invisible in philanthropy in part because the philanthropic sector has failed to market itself as being relevant to them; and what will the Government do to correct this gap? 
Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON 
: No I am not but I can understand where that particular person is coming from. That is the very reason why we have this report and why I am keen to get it out there so that people can in a very positive way contribute to philanthropy.