Mackey Moana: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Mackey Moana: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:615;Page:10928] 
MOANA MACKEY (Labour) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to rise to speak in this debate and it is especially a pleasure to follow my colleague the Hon Dover Samuels a master of the whai korero as we have just found out. I am proud to speak in this debate to support the Prime Minister and her statement to this House. I am proud to stand here as a member of a Government that has kept its word. I am proud to stand here as a member of a Government that has resolved not to leave a single New Zealander behind. As the Prime Minister put it it is a Government that will ensure that the rising tide will raise every boat. 
I am proud to be a member of a Government that knows where it comes from. With an appreciation and respect for its past it knows where it is headed. I am proud to be a member of a Government that has principles and is not afraid to stand up for them and to defend them; a Government that believes that inciting fear is no way to lead a country to prosperity and happiness and stands up to those who in the absence of real leadership and principles are shameless and gutless enough to pit New Zealander against New Zealander in a farcical debate based on sweeping generalisations and absolutely no facts whatsoever; a Government that thinks that the real issues facing this nation are those that put food on the table a roof over people’s heads and provide New Zealanders with sustainable and long-term employment; a Government that provides services and assistance where it is needed and will continue to do so designing and targeting programmes for Maori Pacific peoples women men youth superannuitants regional New Zealand urban New Zealand and the list goes on. In short it is a Government that is not so lazy that it has to come up with a one-size-fits-all policy to avoid doing any detailed work. 
While that Opposition whines this Government has been working. Nowhere is the fruit of this Government’s efforts more evident than in the area of job skills employment and industry training. That is the powerhouse of this Labour-led Government and those are the issues I want to talk about—real issues that affect real people every day in every part of New Zealand. We are busy running this country while the Opposition is interested only in running it down. 
This Government has been committed to assisting all New Zealanders into long-term employment and training. I am sure that all political parties lay claim to such a lofty goal but only the proactive approach the Hon Steve Maharey has taken in this area has actually delivered results—results that have impacted on the lives of the 176000 extra people in work since Labour formed a Government in 1999. Our unemployment rate now stands at 4.6 percent. That is lower than in Australia the United States lower than the OECD average and in fact lower than all our major trading partners. Maori unemployment now stands at around 10 percent. That is a significant drop from when we took office. 
I doubt whether anyone would argue that that result is not great for the entire country. More New Zealanders working is good for the economic and social well-being of our country. That is what happens when one is not afraid to target need. Would National and ACT remove the initiatives that have produced that result? Would they rather have Maori unemployment back up kicking around 15 percent or higher? I do not really think they care. They have painted themselves once again as parties that rule for the few and not for all Kiwis—in fact not even for most Kiwis. As our time goes on and our demographics continue to change they will represent even fewer. That is fine by us. The Labour Party says “Bring it on.” We will continue to shoulder the privilege and the responsibility of governing for all and of acting in everyone’s best interests. 
New Zealanders of all persuasions should take considerable comfort that they have a Government that will listen to all people on all issues regardless of whether they are the majority interest and make decisions based on the merits of the case and the need of the individuals and the communities involved. After all at some point any one of us could find himself or herself in a minority. Those of us from regional New Zealand who endured the 1990s know that only too well. They can rest assured that under this Government their interests will be looked after just as carefully as everyone else’s even if it does not deliver the most votes. 
 Speaking from personal experience nowhere has the huge positive impact of this Government’s skills and industry training initiatives been more evident than in my hometown of Gisborne. Gisborne has always been a great place to live and visit. It has good weather great beaches and friendly locals but it always carried a yoke around its neck born of a public perception of failure based on high unemployment and low regional growth. Thanks to this Government’s policies to assist regional New Zealand and its commitment to industry training and the upskilling of our workforce Gisborne is thriving. The change is tangible. The city is humming. It is vibrant and excited and for the first time in as long as I can remember it is optimistic and hopeful. Tourism is booming and unemployment figures for the Gisborne - Hawke’s Bay region stood at 5.5 percent at the end of last year. In the year ended September 2003 unemployment on the East Coast alone dropped by 19 percent. 
For the first time in a long while the East Coast is approaching equality with the rest of New Zealand. Why? Because we let communities deliver services in ways that suit their different needs and deliver results. It is not one rule for all and I make no apologies for that because what the Opposition is alluding to would not work on the East Coast—not that we would ever know for sure of course because there is no detail behind the rhetoric. Goodness no! That might involve actually thinking about it and working through what it has suggested and I suspect that Opposition members know that they might not like what they find. 
This Government was elected in 1999 with a social deficit. We did not even get to start from zero. As per usual following a Tory Government we were deeply deeply in social negative and nowhere was this felt more acutely than on the East Coast. For this Government to have done so much in such a short time is testament to its commitment to regional New Zealand and its ability to think outside of the one-size-fits-all square. We are healthier. We have better housing and secure jobs. That is what matters. That is what this Government will continue to focus on. I thank the Hon Steve Maharey and the Hon Jim Anderton for their efforts and initiatives and for the difference it has made in my home town. 
The Leader of the Opposition says he gets a lump in his throat when he flies back to New Zealand and that that is what makes him a New Zealander. Please! Four days and that is the best the National Party’s research unit could come up with? Well I get a lump in my throat when I see the communities I grew up in finally able to hold their heads up because they are contributing to the social well-being of their families their community and their country. I get a lump in my throat when I see our stories the stories of the East Coast and ultimately the stories of all New Zealanders told in print and film and bringing the world to its knees with the power of the pride and culture of tiny settlements like Whangara. It is knowing that wherever I go in the world nothing says “New Zealand” more than a bunch of Kiwis throwing their shirts down and performing an impromptu haka with such passion that it gives me comfort to know that no matter what our shared heritage and our cultural ties run too deep for Don Brash to ever take that away from us. That is what it means to be a New Zealander—not a particularly nice Merlot in business class. 
It is because this Government understands what makes Kiwis tick that we have had so much success and it is because members of this Government are prepared to measure ourselves on the outcomes and effects of our policies and hold ourselves accountable to the electorate that we continue to have the trust of New Zealanders. This Government is not afraid to set goals and be judged on our achievements. The most significant of these for me is the ambitious goal of ensuring that by 2007 all 15 to 19-year-olds are engaged in appropriate education training work or other options that will lead to long-term economic independence. 
Make no mistake—this will not be easy. The last census indicated that anywhere between 10 and 17 percent of our 15 to 19-year-olds may not be in any form of full-time education or training. There can be complex reasons why these young people need a range of support to get themselves on the right track. There are two programmes already playing a significant role. Modern Apprenticeships is well under way and will continue into 2004 with 6000 placements nationwide to be extended to 7500 by 2006. The Gateway programme is currently being offered to senior secondary students through 63 schools nationwide. The programme allows students to embark on a national qualification in their career of choice and apply general skills in that work context. The programme is being progressively expanded to all decile 1 to 5 secondary schools with opportunities being offered at an additional 63 schools this year alone. By 2007 the Gateway programme will be available in just over 200 schools nationwide. 
Across all industry training there is record participation. At September 2003 there were 88777 industry trainees. We have worked to keep tertiary education affordable. The Prime Minister’s speech highlighted the intention to increase eligibility to student allowances giving more students from low-income families the opportunity to participate in tertiary-level education. This is where the need exists and we have responded accordingly. For those in paid work we have increased the minimum wage four times in 4 years and strengthened minimum standards to provide security opportunity and certainty in employment. It is not just more work but quality of work. 
We have made huge gains for women in paid work. We introduced paid parental leave. More than 14000 people have already used the scheme and we are looking at further improvements to it. Benefits to families are obvious as well as the opportunity it provides for parents especially women to continue their commitment to the workforce.