2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterHon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes especially the proactive work we are undertaking in response to COVID-19. On Monday Cabinet agreed to quarantine measures which will mean medical officers of health can quarantine vessels or passengers coming to New Zealand if they believe there are passengers with coronavirus on board. This is in addition to the measures the Government has already implemented which include travel restrictions self-isolation health staff meeting individuals disembarking from international flights at the border and ensuring the public have information on how to keep healthy. The message I would share with this House is that we all have a role to play and that does include all members of Parliament.Hon Simon Bridges: What advice has she received on the number of job losses from the minimum wage increase on 1 April?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: If the member is referring specifically to any impacts in more recent weeks we have not received any advice in that regard. As I said in this House yesterday the most important thing that we can do through this period for businesses affected by COVID-19 is provide them with targeted support. A roll-back of the minimum wage not only hurts low-income workers; it won't keep people in a job if they are experiencing a massive downturn in custom. Someone could earn less and still be out of the job and that helps no one.Hon Simon Bridges: Does she accept that increasing the minimum wage on 1 April will increase the number of people who will lose their job by at least 6500 people?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has consistently given advice to successive Governments—including the member's own—that every minimum wage increase will lead to job loss. Contrary to that advice when we have increased the minimum wage we have seen some of the lowest unemployment in this country in a decade. We stand by the fact that we have supported up to 200000 people getting additional wages because of those increases and minimum wage increases have a stimulatory effect in the economy—the last one up to a 0.1 percent increase for GDP.Hon Simon Bridges: Has the advice on the number of job losses as a result of the minimum wage increase on 1 April been updated to reflect the additional impact of coronavirus which will mean many more thousands of job losses?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I already answered that and if the member listened I said no.Hon Simon Bridges: Does she understand her top priority is to keep New Zealanders in jobs and off the dole?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Actually my top priority is keeping New Zealanders healthy and that is the best thing that we can do for our economy as well. The public health response comes first and foremost and in addition to that—because that is our best economic defence—and at the same time we are getting ahead of the wider economic impacts. Not only have we rolled out those business advisory services worked alongside banks to make sure that they're supporting cash-flow issues deployed our regional teams from the Ministry of Social Development removed stand-down periods and we are working on a business continuity package to make sure that businesses can keep their doors open through this period. I think it is utterly unreasonable and politicking of that member instead of supporting initiatives that will support business instead calling for low-wage workers to earn less.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Could I ask the Prime Minister as to what guidelines she has taken from other Western democracies dealing with coronavirus—[Interruption]—and where has she seen an Opposition politician attacking a Government for the effects of economic and social disasters of coronavirus? Where in the Western World has she seen that?SPEAKER: No wait. I want to know who it was who—Hon Todd McClay: I withdraw and apologise.SPEAKER: Well the member is responsible for the punishment that's going to occur.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I have been looking around the world at different responses both from a public health response but also an economic response. Most of the democracies we compare ourselves to have not put out specific packages like the one we are currently preparing. We have seen Australia talk about an infrastructure package—members in this House will remember it was only a few weeks ago that we put out a $12 billion infrastructure package that will have a stimulatory effect in our economy. I am confident based on what I've seen abroad that in terms of our economic response and our public health response we are doing what is in the best interests of New Zealanders. In fact we have 100 percent contact with all of the contacts relevant to our current known cases in New Zealand of COVID-19. That kind of contact tracing is critical to our current public health response.Hon Iain Lees-Galloway: Can the Prime Minister confirm that the advice the Leader of the Opposition refers to does not predict job losses but predicts a potential restraint on job growth but in fact still predicts job growth in 2020 of over 43000 jobs?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again the member well knows of course that we've had in excess of 80000 additional jobs in the economy. So again that is advice that that member would have received every time that Government increased the minimum wage as well. Hon Simon Bridges: Does she understand that to keep New Zealanders in jobs we need businesses in business and that means halting the record-high minimum wage increases about to happen?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: For those businesses who are currently experiencing significant downturn in their bookings and in their patronage what they need is much more than what the member is suggesting. They need wage subsidy and support they need support with cash flow they need support with provisional tax. That is a much bigger more targeted response and it doesn't hurt low-wage workers at the same time.Hon Simon Bridges: Does she have a specific COVID-19 health plan in writing?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I want to read from page 1 of the New Zealand Influenza Pandemic Plan which states—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order!Hon Simon Bridges: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked about a specific COVID-19 health plan. The Prime Minister's—SPEAKER: The member will resume his seat. The member knows well that he can't take that sort of point of order until the answer is completed. The member can't anticipate a complete answer. He's been here for at least nine years and he should know that.Hon Simon Bridges: Twelve.SPEAKER: Twelve I'm sorry.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As I was saying the New Zealand Influenza Pandemic Plan is comprehensive and states—Hon Simon Bridges: That's not a COVID plan.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —if the member would like to listen—on page 1 The New Zealand Influenza Pandemic Plan could reasonably apply to other respiratory pandemics such as SARS."Hon Simon Bridges: UK Aussie.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: It is totally relevant. Secondly—Hon Simon Bridges: It's generic.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: If the member is criticising it he may wish to reflect it was produced in mid-2017 under his Government. Finally I again want to point out this is a global issue not the time for scaremongering and politicking like that member continues to do.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Supplementary question.SPEAKER: A point of order the Rt Hon Winston Peters.Rt Hon Winston Peters: No it's a supplementary question.SPEAKER: Sorry?Rt Hon Winston Peters: It's a question.SPEAKER: Oh sorry. The member was drowned out—Rt Hon Winston Peters: You mistook me for someone else I know. SPEAKER: That might be a miracle. It might be one of my wishes but it didn't happen.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Anyway supplementary question to the Prime Minister: in helping business and workers in this country will she rule out an increase in GST which Mr Bridges today would not rule out?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes.Hon Simon Bridges: Does the Prime Minister regard specific questions about COVID plans as "politicking"?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I regard any suggestion that our public health system is not well equipped to deal with COVID-19 to not be in the best interests or a genuine question because that member well knows that that influenza plan which has been in place since 2017 is comprehensive. It's designed for exactly these situations and not only that; that member also knows we have experts who are of course tailoring all of the evidence that we have around COVID-19 specifically to our response now. That is why we are using for instance all of the self-isolation and testing regimes that we are—specifically for COVID.Hon Simon Bridges: When will New Zealanders see a specific COVID-19 plan as Australians have as British have and other countries as well?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: It's already in operation and to suggest otherwise is irresponsible.Hon Simon Bridges: So are reports from officials that they will develop a specific plan because it's necessary wrong?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes."