edithatogo/nz-hansard-corpus huggingface dataset:
9. Research and Development—Public Consultation on Tax CreditDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour—New Lynn) to the Minister of Research Science and InnovationResearch and Development—Public Consultation on Tax Credit9. Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour—New Lynn) to the Minister of Research Science and Innovation: What progress has been made on the implementation of a Research and Development tax incentive?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS (Minister of Research Science and Innovation): Submissions on the Government's research and development (R & D) tax credit closed on 1 July this year. We received 214 submissions from businesses and other stakeholders and I'd like to thank everybody who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences with us. We've listened with an open mind about how to make the R & D tax incentive a world-class open and efficient system to finally increase New Zealand's investment in research and development. Since submissions closed the Government has been working hard to further develop the policy based on the feedback we've received. Legislation will be introduced in October this year so the R & D tax incentive can be in place by 1 April 2019. Eligible businesses paying tax will be able to benefit from this policy from that date.Dr Deborah Russell: What were the main themes in the submissions?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: During the consultation period we received invaluable technical feedback on how the tax credit could be used to further incentivise research and development. Among other issues submitters agreed with measures to ensure the scheme was transparent and included mechanisms to control expenditure. That was a particular area that was received positively. There were also suggestions for how to expand the proposed definition in the New Zealand context and this is something we're continuing to consider closely. Another theme identified in the document was the challenges of pre-profit businesses and the need to recognise additional encouragement into R & D. The submitters agreed with the measures put out in the consultation document and we're committed to further work in this area. This invaluable feedback has been crucial in the discussions we're now having about the final design—SPEAKER: Order! The member's gone well beyond the question.Dr Deborah Russell: Does the Minister anticipate that changes will be made to the design of the tax credit as a result of the consultation process?Hon Dr MEGAN WOODS: No final decisions have been made but as I said earlier we've listened and engaged in an open-minded consultation process. We're confident that the final design will receive wide support. We're committed to achieving our ambitious target—SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat.
6. Fire and Emergency—International AssistanceDARROCH BALL (NZ First) to the Minister of Internal AffairsFire and Emergency—International Assistance6. DARROCH BALL (NZ First) to the Minister of Internal Affairs: What plans does the Government have to assist with international firefighting efforts?Hon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister of Internal Affairs): At the weekend Fire and Emergency New Zealand received a formal request from the United States to assist it to combat the wildfires ranging across the north and north-west of the United States. Later this week Thursday or Friday a team of up to 40 New Zealand fire personnel will head for the US as part of the Anzac team. Team members will spend up to seven weeks in the US and after being inducted at Boise Idaho are likely to deploy to northern parts of California. The request illustrates the high regard in which our fire personnel are held internationally.Darroch Ball: Is the Minister aware of any other requests?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Overnight we received a formal request from Canada to assist with the growing number of wildfires in Ontario British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. A New Zealand liaison officer is heading to Canada this afternoon to work through the detail of the request and we aim to have a team headed for Canada early next week. The Canadian deployment will also be a joint exercise with Australia. Since 2000 we have participated in 20 overseas deployments to the US Canada and Australia. With climate change we anticipate more such requests in the years ahead.Darroch Ball: What benefit is there for New Zealand in these deployments?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: They provide great development opportunities for our personnel they come at no financial cost to us—the countries to which we deploy meet the costs—and they build our international relations. Because the assistance is provided through a reciprocal agreement we know that the US Canada and Australia will come to our assistance if we need help. Deployments like this give us invaluable expertise managing large wildfires.
3. Job Creation and Employment—Future of Work ForumDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of FinanceJob Creation and Employment—Future of Work Forum3. Dr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central) to the Minister of Finance: What progress has been made on establishing the tripartite Forum on the Future of Work?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I'm pleased to say that the first Future of Work tripartite forum will take place tomorrow here at Parliament. The forum brings together leaders representing business workers and the Government to collaborate and feed into both Government and private sector work programmes spread across four key themes for the future of work: technology productivity learning for life and just transitions. This forum represents a major opportunity for all the key social partners in the economy to discuss how we can work together to meet the challenges and take the opportunities of a rapidly changing world of work.Dr Duncan Webb: Why has the Government organised the forum?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: While in Opposition I chaired the Future of Work Commission which looked at how we would ensure New Zealanders prepared for and are able to adapt to the challenges and opportunities presented by the changing world of work. We all know that technological advances and forces such as automation outsourcing and globalisation are transforming our world and our economy. New Zealand will stay ahead of the challenges and opportunities of the future of work only if we bring together the expertise and knowledge of business Government and workers and that is exactly what this forum will do.Dr Duncan Webb: How does the Future of Work Forum fit into the Government's wider economic strategy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: This Government is transitioning to a modern economy where we work smarter make better use of our resources and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate and succeed. The forces of change that we face present us with an opportunity to achieve this vision but we know that we can't achieve this alone. Starting tomorrow the forum will champion practical programmes to harness the potential of new technology and innovative ways of doing things and educate and upskill our workforce to lift productivity and transition to an economy that is sustainable inclusive and productive and not just reliant on population growth and housing speculation.
Brownlee GerryHon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): There have been numerous questions raised in the committee this evening that essentially relate to section 16 of the bill. There have been numerous examples given by members on this side of the Chamber as to how it is possible to drive a bus through some of these provisions.Debate interrupted.House resumed.The Chairperson reported the Appropriation (2018/19 Estimates) Bill without amendment and progress on the Overseas Investment Amendment Bill.Report adopted.The House adjourned at 9.56 p.m.
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): Responding to the questions from the Hon Amy Adams in respect of the exemptions for large developments that could be made up of dwellings that include single dwellings or multi-unit buildings that provision is found at clause 20 of replacement schedule 2 which is headed Exemption for large developments with shared equity rent-to-buy and rental arrangements". The member will see that this can apply where collectively the buildings consist of 20 or more residential dwellings so I think that deals with that point. In respect of the member's—Hon Amy Adams: That's all I was asking about.Hon DAVID PARKER: Well that's why we'll be voting against your amendment to schedule 3—because it's unnecessary. In respect of the various amendments that have been brought forward for exemptions for activities less than 1000 hectares which are photocopied with different fruit types put in them I would make the point in addition to those that the Hon Shane Jones has already made I don't know of one strawberry farm of 1000 hectares in New Zealand. I don't know of one kiwifruit activity of 1000 hectares. I don't know of one cabbage farm of 1000 hectares. I don't know of one blueberry farm of 1000 hectares. I don't know one strawberry farm of a thousand hectares. There may be the occasional apple farm of up to a thousand hectares and maybe there are in respect of viticulture but they would be enormous operations in respect of those fields of endeavour in horticulture and I would absolutely oppose there being such a high threshold for those activities.In respect of the 5-hectare rule being applied in profit à prendre in horticulture that 5-hectare limit was chosen because that's the existing limit in respect of freehold and leaseholds in respect of those classes."
Patterson MarkMARK PATTERSON (NZ First): Thank you Madam Chair. It's great to have the opportunity to speak to Part 2 of the bill and I hope the Hon David Parker will feel free to circulate this around the good people of Clutha-Southland afterwards. I'm sure I'll be carried shoulder high by the nurses and the schoolteachers and the good working people of New Zealand as they see us trying to take some measures to help their cause. I would also say—[Interruption] Well I was called a communist. Maybe being a communist isn't so bad. I suppose that is a step up on being the angry hamburger guy" or as Nick Smith said "Who?" but anyway I am here to talk about the carve-out for forestry. The ex-Minister Nathan Guy claimed to have seen my Part 1 speech but obviously he did not because he has totally misunderstood and misrepresented the main drivers of this clause. The reason we are having to take this step is that the National Party "Paula Benefit"—sorry Paula Bennett—and John Key liked swanning around on the international stage signing us up looking good in front of the great and the good overseas and they came back with not one plan. In fact no that's not true. They did have a plan. They were going to send $1.4 billion a year overseas to buy carbon credits to outsource our responsibility and guess what? A lot of those credits were shonky. They were proved to be shonky. We were paying good hard-working taxpayers' money for fraudulent electronic transactions that did absolutely nothing. CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Part 2. MARK PATTERSON: Part 2 of the bill—Part 2 of the bill. So that is why we have to take these measures in Part 2 of the bill. Of course there will be some effects to that. We may lose some farmland to forestry but I'm sure Mr Bennett would not be converting his dairy farm to forestry. I mean these people are savvy investors. They are not going to be putting pine trees where they could put avocados but we may leave some of our land for sheep and beef. So I'm thinking maybe that's true but we need to go value not volume and we should not be scared of what that measure will take. So this carve-out for the forestry in Part 2 is an absolutely necessary step for us to take to meet our international obligations. We will not shy away from that. The Minister will not shy away from that. These are the measures we've got to take and we will take them. Thank you."
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): I want to respond to Stuart Smith's reference to his amendment which I have read. I took advice from officials who confirmed my understanding that as a consequence of the law which was clarified by the High Court decision in the Crafar farms case the fact that a foreign buyer under the existing legislation might be willing to pay a higher price than a New Zealand buyer is not a criteria for consent.Stuart Smith: I made that point.Hon DAVID PARKER: Sorry I heard you saying the opposite—I'm sorry. [Interruption] OK I apologise. I didn't mean to misrepresent you. We think that that position at law is correct and we're not proposing to change it by this bill. Therefore we will be opposing your amendment.Stuart Smith: But that wasn't my point.Hon DAVID PARKER: Well I don't understand then the reason as to why you say that these factors should be considered in light of the international offers because that would be to effectively change the Crafar farm decision in a way that we would disagree with.In respect of vineyards and pastoral farms this legislation does not change the law. This legislation has no effect in that regard.Hon Amy Adams: Yes it does—profits à prendre.Hon DAVID PARKER: No it—oh a profit à prendre.Hon Amy Adams: That's what we're raising.Hon DAVID PARKER: Well profits à prendre—the reason profits à prendre are being included is that there have been a small number but perhaps a growing number of vineyard transactions that have been structured as the purchase of profits à prendre rather than freehold or leasehold interests and we thought that for reasons of regulatory consistency they should be included in the regime.
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): I repeat an earlier point that's been made repeatedly: unless forest registration rights are included in the regime New Zealand has no future ability to control overseas investment in forest land. By including forest registration rights New Zealand can now or in the future control overseas investment in forest land. At the moment we want more foreign direct investment in forest land. It is a sector that is reliant on overseas investment and we welcome more of it.The inconsistency of the Opposition criticisms of this were shown by the last two speakers. The Hon Nathan Guy said that China would be upset because of the signal that we're sending them in respect of forestry because somehow we were closing it down. Then the Hon David Bennett said that we were loosening it. In fact what we're doing is making for a coherent regime by including forest registration rights. We are loosening the overall rules that apply to the screening regime but those rules can be changed again in the future if we or another future Government want to tighten those rules. If we do not include forest registration rights now we as a country in practice lose the ability to do so in the future.The final point I would make in respect of China being offended is that China has their own controls on foreign buyers of their residential land assets and indeed they already apply them against New Zealanders in some of their larger cities.
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): Dealing with the Hon Amy Adams' point about exemptions the criteria for exemptions are set out in Part 3 of the bill not Part 2.
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): I just want to correct an issue that the Hon Judith Collins has the wrong end of the stick on. Forest land is not exempt. Forest land is included. The problem with the existing screening regime was that forest registration rights were not within the regime. They are being now included in the regime—Hon Member: Didn't you have to make this point earlier?Hon DAVID PARKER: —so that we have a common-sense approach across all forestry assets. It's a similar point to one that was made in an earlier part of the debate in response to an earlier incorrect point by the Hon Judith Collins. So just to be clear forestry land is not exempt from overseas screening; it is actually made a coherent regime by including forest registration rights in addition to leasehold and freehold estates in forestry.
Russell DeborahDr DEBORAH RUSSELL (Labour—New Lynn): Thank you—it's a bit better than shouting. I suppose I've been finding a lot of the speeches quite puzzling so far this evening: speeches on Part 1 which addressed issues in Part 2 and now the speeches on Part 2 which are addressing issues to do with the bill as a whole. I wish to draw the attention of the committee to Part 2 of this bill in particular activities that Part 2 is concerned with. Now we are fair and reasonable people on this side of the House. Hon David Bennett: Yeah right! You're a communist.Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL: We actually want to achieve a balance—CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Order! Sorry for interrupting the member. The Hon David Bennett it is inappropriate to be interjecting while you're wandering around the Chamber. Return to your seat and sit down.Dr DEBORAH RUSSELL: Thank you Mr Chair. We do actually want people to be able to come here from overseas as always and to be able to purchase property here for a variety of reasons. Now people who want to come and live here in New Zealand who are ordinarily resident in New Zealand of course they can buy property here. We want people to be able to come and live here and we do actually want to enable the sorts of investment we want. What we don't want is people not coming here but nevertheless holding property here.So what happened with Part 2 was we did have a number of people come to the Finance and Expenditure Committee and ask us for particular exemptions and where they had good reason for those exemptions we looked for ways to achieve it. So for example we had a fascinating submission from the Waihī goldmine where they happen to own some houses as a result of some of the consent conditions around their mining activities and those houses happen to be incidental to their mining activity. So we've worked a way in so that where activities are incidental in fact residential property can be owned. We've done exactly the same thing with respect to utilities companies—so Spark and other utilities companies—and we've tried to find a way that they can purchase land as needed without being caught up in the conditions of this bill because we are keeping the bill focused on its real purpose: that is who gets to own residential property in New Zealand.So looking at Part 2 and keeping the debate quite strictly on Part 2 I think we should thank the members of the committee who worked quite hard on forming these exemptions. Even if they didn't agree with the political purpose they nevertheless worked hard on getting these particular exemptions right and they helped us to get those consent pathways right for this bill and that's what we're looking at in this particular part of the bill. Thank you to the members of the Opposition who nevertheless worked hard on this and I'm looking forward to hearing what they say about Part 2 of the bill.
Overseas Investment Amendment Bill — Speaker Recalled
Rurawhe AdrianCHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Members there are 39 amendments proposing changes to the definition of residential land" to exclude land of various values and in various districts. These amendments are so similar in substance that I think I must test the will of the committee putting the question on a random selection of these very similar amendments."
Sage EugenieHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green): Kia orana Mr Chair. Thank you. The Rt Hon David Carter is better than that and I am really surprised to hear the tenor of that speech. The fact Mr Carter is that this Government has a fundamentally different approach to overseas ownership of land and housing in New Zealand because it is a privilege if you're an overseas person to own land here. That is why one of the first things this Government did was to change the ministerial directive so that it did apply to all land over 5 hectares not just to very large farms.In terms of the Queenstown issue I've been really surprised by the National members particularly Mr Walker and their putting up the arguments of those who have access to a lot of income and wealth that Queenstown should somehow be in a different position from everywhere else. This Government wants the legislation to apply consistently across New Zealand because if you had an exemption for Queenstown that would drive overseas speculation there and if anyone's been to Queenstown lately they would realise that the pressures on housing there are significant. It is very difficult for average households to afford housing there. You won't make it worse by putting in this law. What this bill does is ensure that we don't have the luxury housing market which you've got around Queenstown contributing to driving up prices further contributing to soaking up demand for builders for residential construction materials as it would if you made an exemption as Mr Walker is suggesting.We recognise that land price pressures are one of the major drivers of housing price increase but if you're going to allow land in the Queenstown area to be used for the development of luxury housing to be owned by overseas interests that's going to contribute to driving up price increases in housing. If you exempt the luxury homes around Queenstown that will also drive up prices and it will increase the demand in that luxury market. So it doesn't make sense for Mr Walker to be arguing that Queenstown should be exempt. It was self-serving by the submitters who put that—that their particular region should be exempt. And it's also a nonsense just to suggest that the regime should apply to Auckland. There are other areas where there are housing pressures. We want a consistent regime across New Zealand.So Mr Carter your comments calling into question the integrity of Ministers who are putting in place a regime now because otherwise as Minister Parker said we lose the opportunity to get this law in place before the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement comes into effect—National in Government was quite happy to have extensive overseas ownership. It's quite happy to have speculation in the housing market driven up by overseas ownership. This Government has a different vision. It's a privilege to own land in New Zealand if you're based overseas and we want to ensure that housing is affordable. That's why this bill is going ahead. That's why it's consistent across New Zealand and it hasn't got the special exemptions that some members in the Opposition are arguing for.
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): Could I take the opportunity to respond to those comments by Mr McKelvie which I thank him for. I agree that future Governments need the power to control excessive levels of overseas investment in forestry and that's what this bill does. Indeed if this bill is not passed because any forest and any land to be used for forest can be acquired as a forest registration right it can be vacant land sold as a forest registration right—Hon Amy Adams: So they'd have exempted it all out. You've made it unworkable. Hon DAVID PARKER: No. Amy Adams you're absolutely—Hon Amy Adams: 1000 hectares—is it not 1000 hectares? Hon DAVID PARKER: No you're absolutely wrong. I'm surprised that after having sat through at least half of the select—Hon Amy Adams: Well which part's wrong? Is it not 1000 hectares? Hon DAVID PARKER: If the member had sat through and listened to her select committee and read her papers properly she would understand that if this bill is not passed—Hon Amy Adams: Is it not 1000 hectares? Are you saying I'm wrong? Hon DAVID PARKER: If this bill is not passed—listen please—then New Zealand loses for ever the right to control overseas purchases of forest land purchased as forest registration rights. Every freehold forest every leasehold forest every piece of land to be planted as a forest can alternatively be sold as a forest registration right for multiple rotations for 90-plus years and at the moment that is not within the screening regime.So I accept Mr McKelvie's concerns. I accept that it is possible that foreign direct investment in forestry can go so far but the logical mistake that has been made by the National Party is that unless this bill is passed that is the status quo under the existing law and New Zealand loses for ever. If we don't fix this before the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership comes into effect New Zealand loses for ever the right to control foreign ownership of forests because every forest in New Zealand—every one of them—can be transacted as a forest registration right and they are not currently covered by the screening regime.In respect of the points that Mr McKelvie makes in respect of urban land markets we agree: this is not the be all and end all of curing the housing crisis. We agree there are land supply issues in Auckland. The answer to that does not lie in this legislation; it lies in other legislation and policy measures that the Government are proceeding with.
Parker DavidHon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Trade and Export Growth): I'll just take a brief call to correct the misunderstanding that the Hon Judith Collins showed in that contribution. In fact the Labour-negotiated New Zealand – China free-trade agreement allows New Zealand to ban foreign buyers from China of New Zealand residential property and allows them to ban New Zealand buyers of homes in China and they've done so.The point I was making was a different one which is that because of the clause that the National Party negotiated in what was then the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and what became the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) the prohibition on new investment classes to be screened like residential land that is found in CPTPP—formerly TPP—flows through to China. Now that might be too complex for the Hon Judith Collins but she's got it completely the wrong way round despite having been in the Cabinet that theoretically was keeping an eye on the provisions of the CPTPP.
Logie JanJAN LOGIE (Green): Thank you Mr Chair. I wanted to talk about two things—I'm not sure if I'll manage it in a minute—welfare and domestic violence; two things close to my heart. So I'll start with domestic violence. We heard a lot from the Opposition recently about how much they did in Government. They just neglected to mention a few things they did that weren't so great and that they failed to do in addressing family violence and a really really critical thing was they neglected to fund our women's refuges—Matt Doocey: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I'd like to seek leave of the committee that Jan Logie be given a 5-minute call.CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I'm sorry but the Business Committee decision along with Appendix A of the Standing Orders means that cannot happen.JAN LOGIE: I'd like to thank the member for the spirit of that though. They didn't fund our women's refuges. For nine years there was no increase to their core funding. They actually cut staff at a time when there was increased demand and more reporting—terrible.CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): I apologise to the member for interrupting her but members the time for this debate has now expired.
Bidois DanDAN BIDOIS (National—Northcote): Thank you Mr Chair. It's a great privilege to be back here and I'm going to continue on this theme of education because what we expressed in the Social Services and Community Committee—Chlöe Swarbrick: This isn't the education debate.DAN BIDOIS: —what we expressed in the—let me finish please—what we expressed in the select committee was that we haven't thought around the investment in schools around these intensified housing developments. Now I want to talk about one development in particular in my area called the Northcote Development. We've got some KiwiBuild homes—we've got about 400 KiwiBuild homes—going on in this area but unfortunately there's no planning for schools around this intensification area. So what we've got is that the Government's made an announcement on Onepoto College in my electorate which is fantastic news but unfortunately that investment in itself is not going to be enough for the extra uplift in residents that are coming into the intensification area because of these developments.So we expressed in the Estimates discussion with the Minister that they need to actually put some pressure on Auckland Council to make sure that this council is taking into account the investment in schooling that is required in these housing developments and we urge the Minister to make sure that Auckland Council reviews its unitary plan in order to make sure that these housing developments go ahead. So that is in a nutshell what we've talked about with respect to education. It dovetails quite nicely into our previous debate where quite frankly this Government has failed to achieve in education. Thank you.
Rurawhe AdrianESTIMATES DEBATEIn CommitteeDebate resumed from 31 July.Social Services and Community Sector (continued)CHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Members we come first to the Estimates debate. There are 23 minutes remaining in the debate. When we were last considering the bill the committee was debating the social services and community sector. The question is that Vote Arts Culture and Heritage Vote Building and Housing Vote Oranga Tamariki Vote Pacific Peoples Vote Social Development Vote Social Housing Vote Sport and Recreation and Vote Women stand part of the schedule.
Urgent Debates Declined — Deputy Commissioner of Policy Inquiry—Resignation of Pauline Kingi
Points of Order — Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill—Leave to Publish Select Committee Report
Bishop ChrisPOINTS OF ORDERUrgent Debates—Leave SoughtCHRIS BISHOP (National—Hutt South): I seek leave for the House to hold an urgent debate on the resignation of Pauline Kingi from the position of chair of the independent inquiry into the appointment of Wally Haumaha as Deputy Commissioner of Police in light of the fact that this was brought to the House's attention just moments ago in question time. There was no time of course to mount an urgent debate in the normal way to you through correspondence.SPEAKER: Well I think my understanding is the normal way of doing that is to get a letter to me. I have actually written such letters; I don't think I've ever had one accepted during question time. But it is a matter of leave. I'm not going to make a habit of this because it will be disorderly but in these circumstances I will put the question to the House. Is there any objection? There is objection.While we're on that matter I want to make an apology to the House: I did not pick up the member's spelling error in his question.
Smith Nick; Mallard TrevorPOINTS OF ORDERLeave to Publish Draft Select Committee Report—Electoral (Integrity) Amendment BillHon Dr NICK SMITH (National—Nelson): I seek leave of the House for the draft Justice Committee report on the Electoral (Integrity) Amendment Bill to be published under the authority of the House under Standing Order 373.SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that? There is objection.
Tuesday 31 July 2018 - Volume 731
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That Vote Agriculture Biosecurity Fisheries and Food Safety Vote Forestry and Vote Lands be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Votes agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That Vote Māori Development and Vote Treaty Negotiations be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Votes agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That Vote Attorney-General Vote Corrections Vote Courts Vote Justice Vote Parliamentary Counsel Vote Police and Vote Serious Fraud be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party 8.Noes 56New Zealand National 56.Votes agreed to.
VoteA party vote was called for on the question That Vote Health be agreed to.Ayes 63New Zealand Labour 46; New Zealand First 9; Green Party 8.Noes 57New Zealand National 56; ACT New Zealand 1.Vote agreed to.
12. Health Services—Nurse Staffing LevelsDr LIZ CRAIG (Labour) to the Minister of HealthHealth Services—Nurse Staffing Levels12. Dr LIZ CRAIG (Labour) to the Minister of Health: What recent progress has been made if any to address safe staffing for nurses working in our hospitals?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK (Minister of Health): Mr Speaker kia orana. Yesterday the Ministry of Health district health boards (DHBs) and the Nurses Organisation signed an accord and agreed to jointly tackle longstanding concerns about nurses' workloads and safe staffing. Safe staffing is not optional; it is fundamental and must be a priority. This accord sets a clear path forward to ensure that we get the right number of nurses in the right place at the right time.Dr Liz Craig: So how will safe staffing levels be determined?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: The accord commits DHBs and the Ministry of Health to work with the Nurses Organisation to implement the agreed safe staffing tool Care Capacity Demand Management. I accept that nurses don't feel that DHBs have always delivered on previous commitments. As Minister of Health I will be requiring them to make good on all staffing commitments and clear accountability mechanisms will be in place.Dr Liz Craig: What measures will be taken to ensure there are sufficient nurses available?Hon Dr DAVID CLARK: The accord also includes a commitment to develop a strategy to help keep existing nurses and midwives in the public health service and attract others back to work in our hospitals and we will look at what more we can do to support our graduate nurses into employment and training. These are realistic steps we can take right now to start addressing the issues of safe staffing and workloads that have developed over many years of underfunding.
10. Social Development Ministry—Industry PartnershipsPRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour) to the Minister for Social DevelopmentSocial Development Ministry—Industry Partnerships10. PRIYANCA RADHAKRISHNAN (Labour) to the Minister for Social Development: What recent announcements has she made that highlight this Government's industry partnership-focused approach to employment?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI (Minister for Social Development): Kia orana e Te Vaa Tuatua. Last Thursday I announced the launch of the online interactive tool Restaurant Tycoon that allows small and medium business owners to learn about the services offered by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) BNZ and Xero. This tool is the result of hard work from MSD's industry partnership team in conjunction with BNZ and Xero to provide new and innovative employment opportunities for MSD clients. Restaurant Tycoon is one of a series developed by Joy Business Academy and will be sent to almost 500000 small to medium business customers of BNZ and Xero. Through this tool these customers will learn how they can work with MSD for free to recruit staff access relevant products and services and utilise mentoring and support when hiring an MSD client.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: Why is the industry partnership between MSD BNZ and Xero important?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: The online interactive tool developed out of this industry partnership not only provides small and medium businesses with a better way to engage with MSD; it also provides MSD clients with the opportunity to explore self-employment and business ownership. This tool can be used by clients who are interested in starting up their own business so they can see how this can be done and learn important tricks of the trade. This tool is also just one of a series being developed. Interactive tools are also being developed for building and construction as well as tourism. As we know these are areas currently in need of more workers. This initiative reflects how industry partnerships with Government can respond.SPEAKER: Order! Order! The answers are getting longer and they're already long.Priyanca Radhakrishnan: What other recent accomplishments have there been as a result of the Ministry of Social Development's industry partnerships?Hon CARMEL SEPULONI: Earlier in July I attended the signing of a memorandum of understanding between MSD and XLam in Nelson. XLam is an innovative building manufacturing and construction company that is creating entry-level manufacturing and construction opportunities. In the same week another one of our successful industry partners the Downer Group celebrated hiring 1000 MSD clients over its time. MSD and Downer have had a relationship since 2007 and we are continuing to grow this—SPEAKER: Order! OK OK. I'm recommending a press statement.
7. Schools—Teacher SupplyJAMIE STRANGE (Labour) to the Minister of EducationSchools—Teacher Supply7. JAMIE STRANGE (Labour) to the Minister of Education: What action if any is the Government taking to increase the supply of teachers?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Minister of Education): This year's Budget provided $370 million to fund 1500 more teaching places by 2021 to meet population growth. This is on top of a $9.5 million teacher supply package that I announced in December and an additional $20 million set aside in this Budget to continue that package over the next four years. Every teacher supply initiative that this Government is committed to has been fully detailed and fully costed.Jamie Strange: What progress to date has the Government made to increase the number of teachers since it came into power nine months ago?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: This Government has funded nearly 900 teacher education refresher places removing the cost barriers for refresher training so that teachers can continue teaching or return to teaching faster. We expanded the Auckland Beginning Teacher Project to 60 places in 2018 with another 60 in 2019. We expanded the Voluntary Bonding Scheme to encourage new teachers to work in decile 1 2 and 3 Auckland schools and nationwide in identified subjects such as Māori medium. More than 300 teachers who started their roles in 2018 will be eligible for a payment after completing three consecutive years of employment.Jamie Strange: What steps is he taking to lift the status of the teaching profession?Hon CHRIS HIPKINS: Our Government is very proud to be progressing legislation to give teachers back the right to elect their representatives to their own professional body. I look forward to the increased support I anticipate for this bill following National's newfound sudden respect for teachers.
6. Economic Programme—Business Confidence and Government PoliciesHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for Economic DevelopmentEconomic Programme—Business Confidence and Government Policies6. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister for Economic Development: Does he stand by the Government's economic development strategy?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Economic Development): Yes.Hon Paul Goldsmith: What is the strategy?Hon DAVID PARKER: Well last time I outlined the strategy the Speaker told me that I listed too many important aspects.SPEAKER: That's right.Hon DAVID PARKER: But in summary we aim to diversify our export base turning our economy from volume to value; we're changing the investment signals so that more capital goes to the productive export economy rather than unproductive speculation; and we want equality of opportunity and more equal opportunities and outcomes no matter where you live in New Zealand—that's called regional development. This is in stark contrast to the Opposition's growth model of weak per capita growth housing speculation poorly targeted immigration—SPEAKER: Order! Order! The member is finished.Hon Paul Goldsmith: So if by changing the investment signals" he means introducing a capital gains tax how does he think taxing small-business owners more by taxing capital gains in building up their business as well as profits every year will promote economic development?Hon DAVID PARKER: That's not what I mean. But it is absolutely patently clear that New Zealand has to do something different from the last Government given that the last Government had an ambition of increasing exports from 30 to 40 percent of GDP and in nine years trashed the economy and took exports back to 27 percent of GDP.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Does he still think that the ANZ survey of business confidence is junk?Hon DAVID PARKER: Yes.Hon Paul Goldsmith: That's not what he said last time. When he says that business confidence surveys are down because business leaders and employers don't like the Labour Party can he blame them?Hon DAVID PARKER: That's not quite what I said. Although I haven't read the latest ANZ survey I'm sure it's no different from the earlier ones. It's a survey of the emotion of CEOs and it's about their sentiment. It's not about rising jobs increasing incomes and increasing surpluses. In respect of the other survey that was noted by the Opposition today which is the OECD one I note that that's based on 2017 hard data and that their company report notes New Zealand's high-level costs neglect of the regions undeveloped capital markets wealth inequality and significant infrastructure problems. There are some challenges that we need to overcome after nine years of neglect by the last Government."
2. International Economy—Impact on the New Zealand Economy and OutlookKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of FinanceInternational Economy—Impact on the New Zealand Economy and Outlook2. KIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of Finance: What impact is global economic conditions having on the New Zealand economy and what changes if any are required to respond to these conditions?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The IMF recently reported that it projects global growth to reach 3.9 percent in 2018 and 2019 which represents a solid continuation of growth forecast. However the outlook is not without risk in the form of financial and trade tensions and political uncertainty. While no one is suggesting that there is an imminent risk to the international economy I would note the comments from the chair of the ANZ bank Sir John Key who highlighted the significant impact of the global outlook on the New Zealand economy and that a correction would eventually occur. As a relatively small open economy that is reliant on international trade New Zealand is always vulnerable to changes in the international outlook. Therefore in order to ensure our economy is resilient to such threats we need to remain fiscally careful but also make the changes to diversify our export markets and shift the drivers of our economic growth.Kiritapu Allan: What further action does he intend to address student exploitation?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: That's not the question.Kiritapu Allan: What does the changing global outlook mean for fiscal management?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I would like to comment on immigration one day but not today. We're demonstrating our commitment to fiscal responsibility through our adherence to the Budget responsibility rules. We've always said that if there were a major shock to the global economy we would adjust the rules accordingly. However that is not the situation that we are facing today. Under these rules we are reducing net debt to 20 percent of GDP within five years of taking office delivering sustainable surpluses across the economic cycle restarting contributions to the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and making sure that unemployment continues its downward track to 4 percent. By sticking to these commitments we will do the investment in critical public services and make sure that New Zealand is positioned to respond to any shock or downturn.
Bidois Dan; Williams PotoDAN BIDOIS (National—Northcote): It is a pleasure to take a call this evening on the Estimates debate for the social services and community sector. I especially want to draw attention to two important Votes in this debate: Vote Building and Housing and Vote Social Development. I certainly want to thank the Ministers who have come along to the select committee to present. I wasn't a part of that select committee at that stage—I was fighting a by-election—but my colleagues told me a lot about it and they raised a lot of concerns within these two areas.Firstly we express that this Government is not set up to deliver on the housing promises that they made to the people of New Zealand with respect to affordable housing. For example we know that the Government promised 100000 affordable homes across the country within 10 years. But how many of these houses have been built today? How many? We know that zero KiwiBuild homes have been built to date and time is ticking for this Minister to demonstrate that he's more than just talk and big promises. We've also had an admission from the Minister that it won't be possible to build these affordable homes without massive subsidies. So here we are taking money from one pocket of New Zealanders and essentially putting it in into the other pocket.Dr Deborah Russell: It's called a progressive taxation system.DAN BIDOIS: Oh it's very inefficient in that case. Another thing is that this Government said in the campaign that they were committed to training construction workers to help build these extra homes and now the Minister in charge has admitted that they'll actually be importing these workers because they can't recruit them from overseas. So here we have a Government that is happy to say one thing and do another and I don't think quite frankly that that's what New Zealanders voted for.Then we have the Government policy that is littered with unintended consequences: changes to the Housing New Zealand evictions policy for example which means that Housing New Zealand can't evict people that have antisocial tendencies. Now the Government hasn't thought through the unintended consequences of this on for example those that wish to buy homes right next door and maybe won't want to buy them because they can't evict their neighbours.Second is around the schools and how they're reacting negatively to the Government's policy changes—for example we raised concerns that there are a number of schools that have changed their zones because they want to avoid being captured by these housing developments. And those are changes—CHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): I apologise to the member. The time has come for me to report progress.Debate interrupted.House resumed.Progress reported.Report adopted.The House adjourned at 9.55 p.m.
Williams PotoCHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Before I call the honourable member I just want to confirm with the member who took the point of order that the speech in the debate was within the Estimates and for the reference of the House that is page 291 of the Estimates document. Kia orana.
Tolley AnneSocial Services and Community SectorCHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Members we come now to the votes in the social services and community sector B.5 Volume 10. The question is that Vote Arts Culture and Heritage Vote Building and Housing Vote Oranga Tamariki Vote Pacific Peoples Vote Social Development Vote Social Housing Vote Sport and Recreation and Vote Women stand part of the schedules.
Rurawhe AdrianPrimary SectorCHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Members we come now to the votes in the primary sector B.5 Volume 9. The question is that Vote Agriculture Biosecurity Fisheries and Food Safety Vote Forestry and Vote Lands stand part of the schedules.
Rurawhe AdrianMāori Affairs SectorCHAIRPERSON (Adrian Rurawhe): Members we come now to votes in the Māori affairs sector B.5 Volume 8. The question is that Vote Māori Development and Vote Treaty Negotiations stand part of the schedules.
Williams PotoJustice SectorCHAIRPERSON (Poto Williams): Members we now come to the votes in the justice sector B.5 Volume 7. The question is that Vote Attorney-General Vote Corrections Vote Courts Vote Justice Vote Parliamentary Counsel Vote Police and Vote Serious Fraud stand part of the schedules.
Visitors — Parliament of the United Kingdom—Secretary of State for Scotland
Tolley AnneESTIMATES DEBATEIn CommitteeDebate resumed from 24 July on the Appropriation (2018/19 Estimates) Bill.Health Sector (continued)CHAIRPERSON (Hon Anne Tolley): Kia orana colleagues. The House is in committee for further consideration of the Appropriation (2018/19 Estimates) Bill. When we were last considering the bill the committee was debating the health sector. The question is that Vote Health stand part of the schedules. Dr Liz Craig had the call and has four minutes and 25 seconds remaining if she so wishes.