Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:645;Page:14283] 
Hon LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Minister of Pacific Island Affairs) 
: 
 Kia ora talofa lava and warm Pacific greetings to everyone. It is a real pleasure to be able to follow the National MP who has just spoken. At least I can be a proud New Zealander and stand tall to say that I come from a Government and a party Labour that has a great track record great policy and great results. We have yet to see any policy coming from that side of the House. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate and I am really proud to participate in it. Listening to our Prime Minister’s address on Tuesday made me very proud and very excited. I am proud of our solid track record I am proud of all the achievements that our Government has made and I am excited about our vision and our ongoing plan of action for the future. 
Over the last 8 years we have had major achievements that have improved the living standards of our families and strengthened the New Zealand economy. A huge investment has been made in primary health care which is now affordable for all families with lower doctor costs and prescription fees of $3. Early childhood education is more accessible and affordable with 20 hours’ free early childhood education for our 3 and 4-year-olds. Over 400000 Kiwis have joined KiwiSaver and are planning for their secure future. Our families are receiving tax relief through Working for Families and with our 4 weeks’ annual leave they have more time to spend together with their loved ones. We have the lowest unemployment rate on record and the labour force participation rate is the highest ever recorded. The Pacific Island unemployment rate has reduced from 12.2 percent in December 1999 to 4.7 percent in December 2007. The minimum wage has gone up eight times in 8 years with a further increase this April to $12 an hour. 
We are supporting economic development regionally and nationally and our economy is a third larger than it was when we were elected in 1999. Only last night I had the pleasure on behalf of the Minister for Economic Development to launch Grow Wellington the new Wellington regional economic development agency that is about a collaboration of central government regional councils local councils and the business and private sector in order to absolutely boost and increase capability in our businesses and increase export potential. 
There are many more achievements that I could talk about and I could spend a lot more time talking about those because our Government’s record of delivery is a fantastic one. What is exciting now is that we are taking the next steps with our policies focused on long-term change. These new initiatives build on what we have achieved for New Zealand. We are recognising the enormous contribution of our non-governmental sector our community and voluntary sector by boosting and guaranteeing funding for it. We are improving pathways for harnessing the potential of our young people. Every young person in New Zealand is our child and our young person. We are establishing a plan for increasing the supply of affordable housing for our Kiwi families. We are investing in New Zealand’s roads railways and public transport and evidence of that is right around our country. We are moving forward and taking the lead on sustainability. This programme is a positive one. It is about developing New Zealand’s potential and opening up opportunity for all. 
As the proud Minister for Pacific Island Affairs I say that for our Pacific peoples who are energised youthful and optimistic about the future this provides an exciting opportunity. We are encouraging programmes that utilise this potential and establish a skilled and versatile Pacific workforce. The Pacific population is growing faster than the New Zealand average population and will be a considerably larger proportion of the New Zealand working-age population in the future. Last year Prime Minister Helen Clark launched the Pacific Economic Action Plan and the Pacific Women’s Economic Development Plan. They aim to significantly increase our Pacific peoples’ contribution to the New Zealand economy and therefore increase the prosperity of Pacific families. The goals are education leadership workforce development business development entrepreneurial culture and creative emerging and growth industries. We are already achieving results through this whole-of-Government approach in working with the private sector and the community. We are seeing exciting potential with the young Kiwi Pasifika brand and with our young people doing well in the arts in music in film making and in fashion. The list goes on. 
Another example of the Pacific economic plan concerns a number of our women who hold nursing qualifications gained in Pacific countries and who either are unemployed are working in low-level positions in New Zealand or have allowed their registrations to lapse. These women will gain New Zealand qualifications if they pass through the international English language testing system. This is a programme to increase the participation of Pacific women in nursing. It provides flexible tailored foundation learning and there is training. A partnership has been formed with Counties Manukau District Health Board to employ these women with further pastoral care to be provided to ensure they remain in employment. But they can also apply successfully for higher-paid nursing jobs. These plans are not just plans; they are plans in action and the evidence is there for all of us to see. We are very excited about this road map that harnesses and will continue to harness the potential that lies within Pacific people and communities to develop sustainable and existing businesses careers and educational opportunities. 
Our young people are another important investment for all of us. Lifting their participation and achievement levels in education and training is vital so that they can contribute to and share in New Zealand’s success in its economy and its society. We need to realise the enormous potential of our youth and not send them to boot camps. We put the boot in boot camps! Having all young people in some form of education or training until the age of 18 is particularly good news for our Pacific youth and communities. In 2006 10 percent of Gateway students were young Pacific students engaged in work experience with their school-based study. This has had wonderful results in terms of those young people getting back into sustainable work. 
The other fabulous thing is the non-governmental organisation funding package. We are really excited about that because this sector the civil society sector comprises the groups that are the lifeblood of our community. They play a very important role in supporting our families and our communities. They provide enormous social capital and it is good that we are providing resources for them so that they continue to exist in a sustainable way but also to support the most vulnerable in our communities. That is the Kiwi way and I am so proud that our Labour-led Government has made this wonderful contribution to the non-governmental organisation community. Groups like the Cannons Creek Fanau Centre in my Mana electorate will benefit enormously because they love and they give unconditionally. Pacific providers such as the Pacific Island Safety and Prevention Project in west Auckland will also benefit from this. This is all good news for New Zealanders and more important for our Pacific Kiwi communities. 
I am very excited about all these opportunities. I am very proud to be part of the Labour-led Government and I look forward to continuing for another 9 years under a Labour-led Government.