Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Rich Katherine: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:612;Page:9094] 
11.  
KATHERINE RICH (National) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: How does he reconcile his statement that the increase of Maori on the domestic purposes benefit was due to “MSD tidying up their records” with his previous statement that it was due to “age structure”; and when did he first become aware of this increase of Maori on the domestic purposes benefit? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 First the statistics do not show an increase of Maori on the domestic purposes benefit; they show an overall decline in domestic purposes benefit numbers. Second the number of people without an ethnicity code dropped from 12386 in 1999 to 1178 in 2003. That renders any ethnicity comparison between 1999 and 2003 meaningless. Third population age structure and fertility patterns combined with labour market participation and marriage status explain most of why young Maori are disproportionately represented on the domestic purposes benefit. 
Katherine Rich 
: In light of the fact that there has been a rise of Maori on the domestic purposes benefit and invalids and sickness benefits and the percentage of Maori on unemployment benefits has increased will he stick to his statement that the rise of Maori on domestic purposes benefit is solely due to “MSD tidying up their records”? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The figures show that back in the 1990s the previous National Government was not asking the department to code people on the basis of ethnicity. Therefore in the years we have been in Government we have been asking for those figures to be cleaned up. We have seen a change in the number of people who are recorded as being Maori who have the domestic purposes benefit. Overall the numbers on the domestic purposes benefit have gone down by 1 percent since we have been the Government. 
Georgina Beyer 
: How has the number of people on the domestic purposes benefit changed since 1999 and what has the Government put in place to assist people on the domestic purposes benefit to move into employment? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The number of people on the domestic purposes benefit as sole parents has declined from 104199 to 102146 since we have been the Government. The annual personal development employment plans and more active case management that we have brought in will ensure we move people into work as family circumstances allow. This is a marked change from ignoring people until their youngest child turns six or 14 as the previous Government did. 
Katherine Rich 
: While the Minister has offered two different explanations in 2 days for rising numbers of Maori on the domestic purposes benefit is he concerned that after 4 years of closing-the-gaps-like programmes the gaps are widening not closing for Maori? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: I know it is complex to hold two explanations in one’s mind at once but it is not that difficult. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: That is not the way to answer the question. The Minister will answer the question asked. 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: It is clear that the explanation as to why there is an apparent change in the number of young Maori on the domestic purposes benefit does need for us to understand how the stats are being collected and it does mean that we need to understand the basic explanations of population change and so on. Both those explanations are needed. But I repeat the number of people on the domestic purposes benefit has gone down since we have been the Government. 
Dr Muriel Newman 
: In light of the rising trend of Maori women on the domestic purposes benefit does he share the concerns of the Chief Youth Court Judge David Carruthers who recently outlined here in Parliament the clear link between increasing fatherlessness and increasing crime; if so given that Maori are already over-represented in crime statistics can he tell the House what action he intends to take? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: There is no rising trend but the Government is very concerned about people who are on a benefit for any length of time rather than earning a living and getting on with their lives. That is why in all cases of beneficiaries we have been introducing a very vigorous programme which has given us the lowest unemployment rate in 16 years.