Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeArdern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 11 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9296. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]10.JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) to theMinister for Social Development: Does she stand by her statement that the Government does not measure child poverty as 29 other OECD nations do because “… while the Labour Party is worried about what those measures are we are getting on and actually doing something about it”?Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development): Aye.Jacinda Ardern: Does the Government have a plan to reduce child poverty in New Zealand?Hon PAULA BENNETT: Yes we do and it is a long one. We have insulated over 204000 homes already; we have seen immunisation rates increase over the past 5 years from 67 percent to 92 percent; Well Child has got an extra $21.3 million for 18000 mothers needing additional support; there is $24 million on rheumatic fever over 5 years; $1.4 billion has been going into early childhood education; and an additional $48 million is going into early childhood education equity funding which supports priority learners in communities and we are already seeing results from Māori and Pacific children. On top of this we also spend $180 million a year on childcare subsidies guaranteed child assistance payments and early learning payments $60 million for positive behaviour programmes including Incredible Years $140 million on Whānau Ora which is working with all of those—Mr SPEAKER: I think the length of the answer is quite satisfactory.Jacinda Ardern: In light of that answer why did the Children’s Commissioner say this morning that “New Zealand does not have a plan for child poverty. I believe we should.”?Hon PAULA BENNETT: With all respect to the Children’s Commissioner he and his expert advisory group have put forward a paper to the Government with over 78 recommendations and the Government is working through that. I think he sees that as the plan. We certainly see the economic development. I would love to read out the other half—I got only halfway through my list but I will not test the patience of the Speaker.Jacinda Ardern: In light of her claim that the Government has a plan to reduce child poverty how much has she reduced child poverty by?Hon PAULA BENNETT: We are already seeing results. We have certainly seen them in the last 3 years. [Interruption] Well they are numerous actually when we look at immunisation rates and when we look at the number of home insulations that have gone on where we are seeing some results. But no one denies that there are children who are living in poverty and are doing it hard in this country.Jacinda Ardern: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked a very straight question—how much has the Government reduced poverty by. I did not get an answer from the Minister. She mentioned immunisation rates. I clearly asked about the poverty rate in New Zealand.Mr SPEAKER: The difficulty I have is that I could not hear the answer because of the noise coming particularly from the Labour side of the House. If we could have the question put again I will listen very carefully to the answer. I literally could not hear it and I am as close to the Minister as anybody in this House which clearly demonstrates that the level of interjection and background noise today is at an unacceptable level. I ask the member to put her question again.Jacinda Ardern: Certainly I will repeat the question. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order!Jacinda Ardern: In light of her claim that the Government has a plan to reduce child poverty how much has she reduced child poverty by?Hon PAULA BENNETT: I believe that we are making progress in a number of areas and that would depend on which measure one used.Jacinda Ardern: What measure is the Government using for child poverty?Hon PAULA BENNETT: What this Government is doing is working along on a number of complex issues that we think will fundamentally make a difference. The Labour Party may be caught up in measures; we are caught up in results.Jacinda Ardern: Mr Speaker if I could just ask for your assistance. In one question the Minister said “It depends which measure”. I asked which measure then and then she said there is a whole range—Mr SPEAKER: Again the problem I have got is because of the noise from your own colleagues I could not even hear the answer. The only way forward is for the member to ask the question again but on this occasion I want to have the chance to hear the answer. If I do not hear it satisfactorily that will be the end of the matter—if the interjections from this side of the House do not allow me to hear the answer.Hon PAULA BENNETT: Speaking to that point of order Mr Speaker—Mr SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.Hon PAULA BENNETT: Well the member did have a point of order.Mr SPEAKER: You can raise a point of order.Hon PAULA BENNETT: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. For the second time that member’s party has not allowed me to actually answer so that members could hear it so you have had to ask me to repeat it. If they wish to hear the answer then that is exactly what they should do.Mr SPEAKER: I have made that point perfectly—Hon PAULA BENNETT: So should that happen—Mr SPEAKER: Order! I have made that point perfectly clear to them.Jacinda Ardern: What measure is her Government using for child poverty?Hon PAULA BENNETT: There is not a Government measure for poverty.Jacinda Ardern: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just ask for your assistance. If the Minister has said earlier in an answer “It depends what measure you’re using.” and then says “We don’t have one”—Mr SPEAKER: No. You are now—[Interruption] Order! Order! We are now at a stage when you are litigating the quality of the answer through a point of order. The Minister answered your question quite adequately and I would have thought to the satisfaction of the member.Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga: What evidence has the Minister seen on teen pregnancy rates?Hon PAULA BENNETT: In this country after looking at the Unicef report that was taken from data from 2009 and 2010 we have seen teen parent birth numbers fall for the last 3 years despite them rising previously. The birth rate for teen parents is at its lowest since 1962—that is since records began. Although it is early days it is likely that this drop has been due to better use of more effective forms of contraception and an increasing number of mums in particular or teen girls in education—exactly the areas this Government has made a significant investment in.Hon Peter Dunne: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I apologise for interrupting the flow of question time but I think that last question demonstrated a problem that has been apparent in the House for some days. There is something wrong with the sound system. In this quarter of the Chamber—and I say this with no disrespect to the two members involved in that questioning process who have both got reasonably clear voices—once the level of sound of other hubbub starts to rise it effectively deadens out the sound of those principal speakers. There is something not quite right with the modulation of the sound process and we simply cannot hear clearly enough what isgoing on. I think over the weekend it might be appropriate to get someone to have a look at that balance before the House resumes on Tuesday.Mr SPEAKER: I thank the member for that point of order. There has been a lot of work going on with the sound system because I think it is evident to every member that we are having significant problems with the sound system. But fundamentally the other part of the problem is the level of background noise coming from right across the House. If members want to have the opportunity to question Ministers and to get answers that I can hear so I can make rulings on the quality of those answers I need to be able to hear both the question and the answer.