Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Power Simon: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3914] 
9.  
SIMON POWER (NZ National—Rangitikei) 
 to the  
Minister of Youth Affairs 
: Is the Ministry of Youth Affairs carrying out any work in the area of Maori youth welfare dependency; if not why not? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE (Minister of Youth Affairs) 
: 
 The Ministry of Youth Affairs is engaged in or contributes to a range of Government initiatives including those led by the Ministry of Social Development. They seek to reduce the welfare dependency of young people and their families including Maori. 
Simon Power 
: Has the Minister instructed his officials to look into serious policy reforms for Maori youth along the lines of those outlined in his speech distributed to the Knowledge Wave Conference particularly in the light of the recent support of his Labour Party colleague the Hon Dover Samuels who said that his speech marked him out as “a visionary”; if not why not? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: As part of a fulsome work programme with the Ministry of Youth Affairs a wide range of work is under conduct. 
Mita Ririnui 
: What is the rate of participation by young Maori in youth development programmes administered by his ministry? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: For the year ended 2001-02 51 percent of all Conservation Corps members and 56 percent of Youth Service Corps members were of Maori descent. Those programmes aim to reduce the risk of welfare dependency of young people by increasing self-esteem motivation skill levels and opportunities for further education training and employment. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: Is the Minister concerned that in spite of favourable economic and unemployment conditions as well as millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money having been spent on closing the gaps capacity building and dubious employment schemes under a Labour Government youth unemployment has increased by 29 percent of the average rate and Maori unemployment has increased by 19 percent; if so can he tell the House precisely when he intends to submit a paper to Cabinet to turn round those disastrous statistics? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: No. 
Sue Bradford 
: Given the very high unemployment rates among young Maori what specific practical steps is the Minister taking to help the Mayors Task Force for Jobs achieve its goal of having all young people under 25 years of age in work training or education by the year 2005? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: I regret to advise that that matter falls outside my delegation. 
Judy Turner 
: What mechanism exists to identify young people who have been raised in families where long-term unemployment is a feature to ensure that additional vocational support is given to those young people? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: A whole raft of policy work is under way with regard to exploring a range of policy and programme developments to that end. 
Simon Power 
: Will the Minister be standing by the comments in his speech to the Knowledge Wave Conference and in the  
Sunday Star-Times 
 regarding Maori youth and welfare in the light of the strong support he has received from newspaper editorials letters to the editor and talkback radio and in the light of the clear support he has received from his colleagues the Hon Dover Samuels and Clayton Cosgrove; if not why not? 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: I agree with the Prime Minister’s comments. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Mr Cullen can say “Not again!” but with respect the Minister was asked a very very complex question about what he stood by and reference was made to what he had said. A Minister cannot get up and say as a reply: “I stand by the Prime Minister’s comments.” Comments on what? Frankly this is a waste of Parliament’s time if a Minister having got himself into a hole is allowed to get himself out with the greatest of ease. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister did address the question quite specifically. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I ask for a point of clarification. What in the words: “I stand by the Prime Minister’s comments.” could in any way clarify the question asked by Simon Power? I want to know. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: It is not for me to judge whether—[ 
Interruption 
] That is the last time—the very last time. I am on my feet. The Minister was asked a question. He addressed the question. He might not have satisfied anyone in this House but he addressed the question and that is what he is required to do.