1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime Minister1. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's policies and statements? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister) on behalf of the Prime Minister: It's terribly nice to see Mr Bridges here on a Thursday. On behalf of the Prime Minister yes. Hon Simon Bridges: Was her statement yesterday that we have employed an extra 263 front-line staff to ensure that we are case-managing and working alongside those on benefits." correct? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister yes. Hon Simon Bridges: Why has Carmel Sepuloni confirmed that only 170 of the 263 might be introduced this year and there's no guarantee they'll make it to 170 at all? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Because the Government is an aspirational one and we are working our way through the process which takes some time. We're only two years into this process not nine years though we expect in the fullness of time for those commitments to be fulfilled. Hon Simon Bridges: Given she was emphatic that an extra 263 front-line case managers had been hired yesterday can she give us the actual figure? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister if he sets that down in writing we'll make sure he gets the actual figure. Hon Grant Robertson: Why was it necessary for there to be an additional 263 front-line case workers employed by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) and could it have anything to do at all with the fact that there was a gross under-investment in that part of work in the last nine years? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister I am terribly grateful to the Minister of Finance for putting his finger on the problem that we have had to deal with and that is again another example of the desert of neglect that we inherited. Hon Simon Bridges: Doesn't in fact the last MSD annual report make clear that the staff are going much more on hardship grants emergency electricity grants and the like than getting New Zealanders into work? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister obviously as anyone with a financial grasp of this country's economics would know people by their own declaration say they're better off now after two years of this Government than they were under the last nine years of the previous Government and that would go for all beneficiaries as well. Hon Simon Bridges: When will there be an extra 263 front-line case managers in place as she claimed yesterday? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister just as soon as we can get the process completed—Hon Simon Bridges: Ha ha! Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Well actually if it was a matter of humour and jeering that would probably describe the last nine years of that administration in which he prevailed. But the Prime Minister—Hon Simon Bridges: Oh it's only funny if he does it. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Oh no look this will not help. I suppose we've got Mr Luxon to thank for you being here on a Thursday but the shouting and jeering at me won't help. In fact it's quite the contrary—I mean this is like having a duel of wits with an unarmed opponent. But my point is the process will take time and obviously it's aspirational but we will get there. Hon Grant Robertson: In light of the questioning from the Leader of the Opposition about the 263 front-line case officers for MSD can the Prime Minister confirm that the Opposition voted against the employment of those people? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister alas sadly that's what happened. Hon Simon Bridges: When will she be correcting her parliamentary answer from yesterday? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister it's a matter of ensuring the process for the full graduation of those new employed people in the interests of social welfare and when that process is completed the Prime Minister will tell you how she's done it. Hon Maggie Barry: All fired up from the court appearance. Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: Is that it? SPEAKER: Order! That is not a matter to be referred to in here and the member should know that. Hon Simon Bridges: Are these 263 MSD staff just like the 1800 net new police instances where she got the detail badly wrong? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister starting with the second example there was never anywhere a statement of being net new. Words matter. What the coalition agreement says is "strive to ensure that there are 1800 new front-line police" and can I just say on that score right now here we are on 7 November 2019 and we've already got 1765 graduates. We're way ahead of the programme. But here's the great news confirmed by the Minister of Finance: eventually there will be 1800 net new but that wasn't the commitment or promise that the Prime Minister or anybody over here made. And for a trained lawyer it's a disgrace to try and use evidence that is not a fact. Hon Simon Bridges: Are there two different 1800 police targets as her police Minister has said or not? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister I'll take the Leader of the Opposition through this very very slowly. The coalition agreement said "new front-line police". That means people who will be taken and trained and who will graduate and right now we've got to 1765 graduates and it's not even the third year. So we are doing marvellously well and I would have thought anybody interested in law and order would be cheering this Government every day. I would have thought Mr Hudson would be writing to Mr Nash every day and saying "Mr Nash thanks for doing what my party could never do." Hon Simon Bridges: Why has her police commissioner said there's only one target of 1800 net new police which takes into account attrition? Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS: On behalf of the Prime Minister as much as I admire Police Commissioner Bush by adding the word "net" he got it wrong."