Paraone Pita: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Paraone Pita: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:632;Page:4306] 
PITA PARAONE (NZ First) 
: 
 Tena koe. It is a privilege to speak to the Appropriation (2006/07 Estimates) Bill particularly in terms of the bill asking that $156.990 million be appropriated for Vote Maori Affairs. I want to preface my contribution to this debate by making mention of former colleagues of mine in the Department of Maori Affairs because this will provide the tenor of my contribution to this debate. In that regard I want to mention Jim Pou Herepo Harawira Oti Te Rangi Hilda Busby Hei Rogers Taku Trotman Barbara Devonshire Matarehua Wikiriwhi John Dargaville Moana Raureti Boy Tomoana Anne Delamere and Bill Herewini all former Maori welfare officers who I believe would be turning over in their graves if they could see the plight of Maori in the year 2006. 
A recent report entitled  
New Zealand Living Standards 2004 
 published by the centre for social research at the Ministry of Social Development highlighted the plight of many New Zealanders not least of all Maori. It makes for sobering reading even though some in this Committee proffer the excuse that the report is somewhat dated in that it covers only the period 2000-04. However the events of recent weeks—in fact recent years—with regard to the abuse and eventual death of young children suggest that the period of 2005 to the present is no better. Sadly the situation is more pronounced among Maori. A cursory glance at the social indicator statistics confirms that Maori are still clustered at the bottom of the heap. 
I would like to reflect today on the sad reality of 21st century New Zealand and suggest some ways that those statistics might be turned around. Maori social statistics are an embarrassment to New Zealand and until they improve we cannot in all honesty say that we live in an egalitarian society. Overall it is a pretty grim picture. The reasons for this are complex and cannot be separated from the wider context of economic and social conditions. 
Employment tells a similar story. Recent employment figures show a disturbing disparity between ethnic groups. At the present time 2.5 percent are unemployed in the European-Pakeha group while the unemployment figure for Maori is 7.6 percent. That of course is 7.6 percent too much. I remember some of the employment programmes during the 1970s and 1980s under the responsibility of the then Department of Maori Affairs that were successful in training young unemployed people and many young Maori in skills that employers were looking for. Such programmes I believe offered the salvation from long-term unemployment and all the negative consequences of that. We need more of them. It is not good enough that in times of high employment significant numbers of people are missing out. The unemployed need to be encouraged into the Modern Apprenticeships programme and more programmes need to be implemented to ensure that none of our young are left behind. 
There has been much ado about the Minister of Maori Affairs not seeking extra funding in this year’s Budget and I ask myself why. For me what was more important was the suggestion that this signals. Is it because his ministry underspent last year or because there are no new programmes intended for this year or is there a failure of the current projects that his ministry is responsible for? What happened to the programme Local Level Solutions? I understand that this is now being replaced with a new programme called Realising Maori Potential. What about those Local Level Solutions projects that were considered commenced and not yet completed? 
What has become of the findings and recommendation from that much-touted gathering here in Wellington that was to provide economic policy for this Government in terms of Maori development? I believe the Hui Taumata itself was a good thing. But what has come of it? It was a good thing for Maori to be able to participate and to express their views. Unfortunately the results have meant a request for extra funding of just over $2.5 million to allow a group to travel around the country reporting to Maori the outcomes of Hui Taumata. I tell the Minister that there are more important issues confronting Maori than having a small and well-paid group repeat what was said at that Hui Taumata. While it may have seemed laudable for Maori to have this Hui Taumata the fact is that people were asked to pay to go to that hui to give their advice and so many months down the track we have yet to see the fruits of that hui. 
What needs to be considered is a return to the old programmes that were once the responsibility of the Department of Maori Affairs. Therein we had a programme called “community services” where experienced staff were allowed to go out amongst the community to make contact and deal with the issues that were confronting Maoridom at that time. 
Hon Member 
: Back to the old ways. 
PITA PARAONE 
: I heard the comment “the old ways.” Well perhaps if we look at the old ways we will get the answers for the issues that are confronting Maori today. I want the Minister to seriously consider the programmes that once were the responsibility of the Department of Maori Affairs to address the social and economic issues that are confronting our people today. 
As has been said in this Committee earlier today any criticism of the social indices that affect Maori not only bears some weight on members of the Government but all Maori members of this Parliament. I am sick and tired of being tarred by that brush when in fact I know that the solutions facing our people can be well dealt with in a way that was once a successful and very profitable programme for our people. Serious consideration needs to be given to revisiting those programmes but I believe there has to be a political will and I ask the Minister to consider those programmes seriously. I am glad that the Minister also now has an Associate Minister to help him with the problems that are confronting the Maori people. Kia ora.