Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 27 May 2014. Volume:699;Page:18302. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]3.Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Leader of the Opposition) to thePrime Minister: Talofa lava andsoifua. Does he stand by all his statements?Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes particularly the one that says it would be superfluous using the Samoan language if you would not let any migrants in from Samoa.Hon David Cunliffe: In light of that answer is he aware that the Salvation Army reports that more than twice the number of New Zealanders of Pacific origin are unemployed now than when he took office?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I have not seen the particular report but what I can say is that the Government is working hard to make sure everyone has a job.Hon David Cunliffe: Is he therefore satisfied that under his Government only 18.5 percent of Pacific people own their own home compared with 49.8 percent for the general population and 56.8 percent for those of European origin?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: One of the things the Government has been working very hard on is ensuring that people from the Pacific can participate in our education system as we would hope for everyone. That means a much greater focus on early childhood education. It means Pacific students are actually doing a lot better. And the very reason why all that is important of course is that as you know as people get better and higher levels of education they can afford to buy their own homes. But I am surprised that the member is in Parliament today pretending like he cares about the people of the Pacific because he does not. [Interruption]Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! This is a point of order. It will be heard in silence.Grant Robertson: My point of order is that the Prime Minister—he did sit down just as I raised it—was moving into material that was outside the question which was about housing. He was attributing policies to the Opposition that are simply not correct.Mr SPEAKER: On this occasion the Prime Minister addressed the question to my satisfaction.Hon David Cunliffe: Does the Prime Minister if he does not wish to comment further about housing stand by his statement that the timber processing industry is not shrinking; if so what does he say to the 180 people who recently lost their jobs at Southern Cross Forest Products in South Otago?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I do not know the exact details of why that particular mill is closing but what I do know is that forestry overall has actually been booming. What I also know is that for forestry processing to be successful two things are actuallyrequired: a reform of the Resource Management Act is one of those things that would substantially help and the second thing is a stable electricity supply—neither of which would occur under a Labour-led Government.Hon David Cunliffe: Why did the Prime Minister not take up the Labour Opposition’s offer to split the Resource Management Act amendment bill and speed up by bipartisan consensus the processing dimensions while preserving the core principles of the Act for future generations?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Because it would not be possible to achieve the outcomes of cheaper and more affordable housing by doing that. And secondly we actually did not need his help to do that; we already had that from the Māori Party and United Future. If he wanted to have a proper and serious bill the member would have joined in the debate but he did not. He should be careful reading too much into the John Armstrong column at the weekend.Hon David Cunliffe: Eat your heart out Mr Prime Minister.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Can I just invite the member to start his supplementary question.Hon David Cunliffe: Does the Prime Minister know that Red Stag Timber in Rotorua has committed to almost double its current production if Labour is able to implement its forestry upgrade package of tax deferrals a pro-wood policy and secure wood supply thus providing higher-paying and better jobs?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I have been to Red Stag Timber and I am quite aware of its operations. Actually its operations have been expanding anyway irrelevant of what goes on. Secondly the Government is supportive of the use of wood but it is not actually going to tell every building in the country that it has to be built out of wood. We do not think that makes sense.Hon David Cunliffe: Is he concerned that New Zealanders in other industries are also suffering like the 48 staff who were laid off recently at Griffin’s or the 125 who are going to lose their jobs atCerebos Gregg’s; and when will he show vision and a plan for growing better jobs and higher wages in the New Zealand economy?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: It is a little hard to take that comment seriously when the economy generated 84000 new jobs in the last 12 months. It is on track to create 170000-odd jobs as we said it would. Anybody who knows anything about the labour market knows that there are always companies that close or shed employees and that at exactly the same time in a fast-growing economy there are plenty of jobs that are created. In fact in New Zealand as Treasury documents show we are on track for a much lower level of unemployment.Louise Upston: Has he seen any statements regarding immigration?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I have. I have seen a statement that says: “Migrants from all over the world play a vital role in the economic transformation and wonderful diversity of this country. … that role is set to increase in the future as our need for skilled talented people continues.” I’ve also seen this: “We know that we can’t sustain the economy we want without the skills investment and international connections that migrants can bring.” Finally I saw a statement that said: “So fostering immigration is a no-brainer.” Those statements were of course from the then immigration Minister David Cunliffe.Hon David Cunliffe: In light of that excellent response with which I thoroughly agree does he support the right of every young New Zealander to aspire to own their own home and of every parent to want that for their children and does he believe that a well-managed immigration policy should contribute to that goal?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Yes. The Government is working hard to ensure that as many New Zealanders as practically cancan own a home. The way to fix that is actually tobuild more homes. But if the issue is solely one of migration well then why did 43000 leave under Labour? Why did Labour do nothing to reform the supply side of the housing issue? The reality is that when you are looking down the barrel of 30 percent and falling what you do is you have a whack at your core constituency. I remember when that member became the leader of the Labour Party. What happened? Someone came up with a Pacific lei—Mr SPEAKER: Order!Rt Hon JOHN KEY: —and put it around his neck.Mr SPEAKER: Order! This answer has now gone on for long enough.