6. Question No. 6—Prime MinisterDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 6—Prime Minister6. DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements and policies?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes. I especially stand behind this Government's decision to further support Ukraine against the illegal invasion committed by Russia through the deployment of a New Zealand Defence Force Hercules C130 with a 50-strong team and an additional eight-person logistics specialist team that together will assist with logistics and supplies throughout Europe. I further stand by the $7.5 million contribution from this Government to procure weapons and ammunition via the UK who is working closely with Ukraine on their needs; the $4.1 million to support commercial satellite access to the Ukrainian defence intelligence; and the $1.5 million contribution towards human rights and justice. The contributions announced yesterday are in addition to the comprehensive support we've offered to date which covers every aspect of this conflict including contributions to the NATO trust fund. New Zealand stands proudly with its partners and with the people of Ukraine.David Seymour: Why whenever she's asked this question and can choose any policy at all to stand by does she never ever choose KiwiBuild?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: If the member would like me to talk about the more than 8000 houses that this Government has built the work that we've done to ensure that Kiwis' homes are healthy and dry—and I note today the child wellbeing report that we've tabled that demonstrates the impact that's having on the health and wellbeing of children—the fact that we have now record consents and the Government's house-building programme includes the impact that it is having on the market and KiwiBuild has been part of that then I am more than happy to do that. I welcome any other patsy questions the member might have.David Seymour: Why if the Prime Minister's policies are so successful does the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) now forecast that 50000 Kiwi citizens will leave the country in the year as the border opens—Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Mr—David Seymour: —up from—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member finished.David Seymour: Mr Speaker I did not finish; I paused for effect. SPEAKER: The member will sit down for effect now.David Seymour: I don't think you'll get the same effect Mr Speaker.SPEAKER: Order! The member will sit down.David Seymour: Point of order.SPEAKER: If the member's going to dispute my ruling I'll regard that as grossly disorderly.David Seymour: Well I certainly wouldn't want to dispute the ruling but I would like to ask you if I could finish the question.SPEAKER: You can on your next supplementary.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I note with interest that the question comes from a member who spent some time in—if I recall his curriculum vitae correctly—Canada and is being asked to myself who spent some time in London. It has been part of our history as a nation to frequently have New Zealanders come and go as part of our overseas experience building skills and talent. If we come to this period here and now I'd point to the fact that we've had forecast by I believe including the Reserve Bank that over the coming years we're likely to have net migration increase in the coming years. So whilst New Zealanders may come and go the overall impact is likely to be an increase.David Seymour: Is MBIE then wrong when they say in this recent advice to her Government that it won't be the OE that drives the increase in outflow from New Zealand but rather factors such as Australians earning $38 an hour on average and New Zealanders $28 an hour on average?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I welcome the member's support for increases in minimum wage fair pay agreements and other initiatives that are all geared towards ensuring that we have improvements in our terms conditions and wages relative to our neighbours. Again I'd come back to the wider point. The forecast has been from those who of course operate in this space whether it's economists or indeed the Reserve Bank that we'll have net positive migration in New Zealand because we have always had an inflow and outflow of New Zealanders. But what we want to do is make sure that our businesses have the access to the skills and talent that they need. That is what all of our immigration rebalance work is about and it's also in the period of COVID what our border exceptions scheme has been geared towards as well.Hon Chris Hipkins: Has the Prime Minister seen any reports of politicians promising to close the wage gap with Australia and how did that pan out?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes. Again I would point members in this House towards tangible policies that will make a difference and things like fair pay agreements are squarely focused on closing some of those gaps.David Seymour: How have the Prime Minister's tangible policies that will make a difference" made it more attractive for young New Zealanders to stay in the country when on her watch the average house price has gone up 58 percent or $387000? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: All the more reason why we need to continue to invest in every aspect of a building programme that increases the number of homes and the supply that we have. Part of that has been making sure that we have the skills to do that. You've already heard the Minister of Education talk today about the significant increase in apprenticeships that we have in this country as a result of our targeted regimes to make apprenticeships free and to support employers with the cost of having apprenticeships. That means we have equivalent I believe to the population of Ashburton—possibly Timaru—in apprenticeship programmes now as a result of that investment. That's all part of the work we've been doing across the house-building programme to make sure that we have the skills and talent we need to build the houses that we need.David Seymour: How have this Government's policies on law and order made it attractive to stay in New Zealand when people hear stories of shootings and ram raids near where they live nearly every day now and young people feel unsafe enjoying city life going out after dark in our main centres? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again across this side of the House you'll see us investing in those very initiatives that make a difference in ensuring people feel safe: the presence of police; targeted organised crime groups; a thousand fog cannons installed across those small businesses that may have felt vulnerable; and on top of that in the last month the Police responding to what they see as some patterns of behaviour across retail by having a specific retail investigation unit within the police force to support retailers. I also note though that over the past period of time we've actually seen in some areas decreases in some categories that relate to thefts and robberies. But what we want to see is people feeling safe and that's why those increases in Police matter. David Seymour: Does the Prime Minister think that the number of citizens emigrating permanently from this country over the next two years will be closer to the 35000 a year pre-COVID or the 60000-person-a-year brain drain that we saw after the global financial crisis? Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: What matters is what's happening with net migration and what also matters is whether or not people are able to meet the skills gaps that they have. As I've already noted the member himself has spent time offshore; many members in this House will have. That has been part of the New Zealand culture for many years. What matters though is whether or not net migration numbers mean that our businesses are able to access the critical workforce that they need. We know that there's more to do on that front but unlike perhaps the member's perspective on New Zealand New Zealand is a very highly desirable destination for workers and that's why we've already seen thousands of people applying for working holiday visas to come on to our shores."