Ngaro AlfredHon ALFRED NGARO (Minister for Pacific Peoples): I quite like that member Tracey Martin. I think that she is passionate. I think that she comes up with different ideas. She definitely does her homework. I have to say that that speech was not the most positive speech that I have heard from that member nor was it being aspirational. When one has a party that is called New Zealand First it should then be about messages that put New Zealanders first and that is exactly what this National-led Government under the Rt Hon Bill English is actually doing.Mr Deputy Speaker can I wish you a happy New Year—and it is great to be here in the House—and also to all other members in the House.I have to say that before we started we had one of our national days of celebration. It was Waitangi Day and it was great to be with the Prime Minister. We were at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Marae and it was a surreal moment for those of us who have been up to Te Tii Marae—it was one of those ones when you are surrounded by Māori wardens there are police there are security officers there are protesters and in a sense it is all on. It is all happening. And there we were at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Marae at 7.30 in the morning sitting in the wharenui and there was a back door open. We were at the front of the paepae the mihis were happening the back door was open and people were just wandering around—there was none of that. What occurred to me was this: this is the place and this is what it is meant to be like in regard to celebrating the things of importance for New Zealanders which Waitangi Day should represent.As the mihis started to go on we had the different members of the public who were there and especially they were remembering Bastion Point. As Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei said this was the appropriate place to be for Waitangi Day 2017 not only to commemorate but to celebrate the importance of that. Joe Hawke was there—part of the Hawke whānau. He could remember 40 years ago at Bastion Point making a stand for the justice of the whenua of the land and of the people and that was critically important.But here is the other message that came out of that too. The reason why they asked in the invitation to the Prime Minister of the day was that they could see that they now need to continue to grow this relationship with the Crown and with the Government. The Rt Hon Bill English got up and he spoke and he said: Here is the importance of that relationship." In other words you can talk and talk is cheap but what is it in that relationship that has truly made a difference in those 8 years? Here is what he talked about on the importance of the Treaty on the day of Waitangi. He said: "Under a National-led Government of the 82 Treaty claims how many have been completed under a National-led Government? Sixty-six Treaty claims have been completed."Sixty-six—that is a great accomplishment. That is an achievement. That is leadership to the heart of the nation. So when people talk about things that should be done that is what this Government is leading and it is its commitment. But if we were to break down to the average Kiwi and the average New Zealander what the difference is under a National-led Government in this partnership and this relationship—let us take it under the Treaty of Waitangi—for Māori in this community it is simply this: you get to choose. You get to choose your destiny. You get to choose the pathway for your whānau for your people for your iwi for your hapū. You get to choose.No longer should it be the Government making the determination of your destiny or your future. That is the difference under this National-led Government. That is the difference that we heard about in the talk that was happening. And the talk was not cheap because even in the wharekai as the messages went around—and yes we had Tukoroirangi Morgan from Tainui and others who were there. They were saying that this is what Waitangi Day should be.This is the sort of relationship that we can expect under a National-led Government where the bottom line is this: actually let the communities choose. Let the people choose their destiny and their determination. A simple principle: less of government more of community and more of people. That is right—that is a fact that you can tick. That is a fact that is out there. You cannot argue with that and you cannot argue with the speeches that came from the people who were there.I want to say this: I am proud to be able to go through the rest of that day because the Rt Hon Bill English is a Prime Minister who says what he means and means what he says. I remember that we went down to Ōkahu Bay and the people there were coming to talk to him about the things that make the difference. They talked about law and order they talked about the health situation in our country and they talked about education—things that are important to the heart of our communities as well. Those things are quite critically important and I have to say that that is critically important to us.Here is another key message: under this Government what are we focused on? Opportunities for all people. So let us back up the rhetoric. If I turn around and say that I trust this Prime Minister to deliver on what he says and to mean what he says—I can remember going with this Prime Minister and we were at the Henderson High School teen parenting unit. I have to say that Henderson High School is my old high school so I am not being biased. There we were and Helen Peke who is the kaiako there was turning around and there were a number of these teen parents there. As they were talking the Prime Minister asked them this question. He said "What does it mean to be here in this teen parent unit?" and they simply said this: "It means there is an opportunity for me to further my future. I've made a choice in my life and I don't have to just settle for it. I can determine another destiny for me for my children and for my future." Then this is what he simply said: "Well here's what I'll make as a commitment. We'll back you 150 percent of the way. All you've got to do is continue to back yourself."So what is the result out of that? We have the lowest rates of teen parents of sole parents in New Zealand since 1988. That is an achievement. That is one that you can tick off. You can fact-check that. That is critically important for us and for this country as well. That is truly making a difference as well.People wanted to know about the plan. I can remember there was a time in this House when many speeches over there—and my good friend and parliamentary colleague Kris Faafoi was talking about the health of some of the families that he was working with in Mana and the fact was that they needed to get to GPs. They were struggling to pay the fees to go to the general practitioner to care for their kids. He said: "Not only that but I go down to the local chemist and there were prescriptions that were sitting at the chemist's and they weren't being picked up. Why? Because parents could not afford the prescriptions."So what has happened under this Government? Free GP visits for all of us under 13. Secondly under that prescriptions are also paid for as well. And here are the Ginsu knives as well: importantly we are looking at dealing with the issues around rheumatic fever. This is a Government that is not just big on talk but big on action. I know that Mr Faafoi will be happy because that has met a critical need that he has in his own community of Mana and that is critically important as well.Let us talk about the HomeStart package. I went to a debate—in fact I was at that debate with Mr Sio Williams and we were there and the young people were asking: "Is it affordable?".Carmel Sepuloni: Didn't you know his name? It's Su'a William Sio.Hon ALFRED NGARO: Su'a William Sio—sorry. We were at this debate and we were talking about housing affordability. I know that the conversation was about whether it was affordable for young graduates coming up. I had to say to them that look here was the reality: when many of us started to get our first homes—I will put my hand up; I was 34 years old the tender age of 34 before I went into a house—when I went into a house it was not the flashiest DIY stuff; it was the things that we had to do to make a difference. In fact the curtains were sheets.Here is the simple message. Sorry but I want to acknowledge Jenny Salesa; I did not see that Jenny Salesa was in the Chamber but she was there as well. I said to them: "Don't give up the dream but begin to start now and you can make your way there." because here is what this Government has done. Under a HomeStart package with the grants for buyers we have now put $435 million into the HomeStart package to help 90000 people—first-home buyers—into a home. So far since March 2016 12000 have taken that opportunity with another $10000 package that is helping them get into homes. That is the commitment under this Government under the leadership of the Rt Hon Bill English.I want to talk about education. For Pasifika communities education is absolutely critically important and I would have thought the fact is that right across the House across Parliament people are saying that we should be celebrating and working together. Well here is an announcement that is truly making a difference. I have been involved in boards of trustees for over 20 years with my children and in the communities. The thing that we want to see is that we know that for a lot of our Māori and Pasifika kids it is about entering into early childhood education or kōhanga reo—you know language nests—to help give them that ability to be able to gain confidence in the curriculum. We know that under this Government not only have we set a target but we have achieved that target into the 90 percents where more of our Pasifika children are now entering into early childhood education which is giving them a much better start.But let us talk about participation rates and completion rates. It is not only that; now there are the retention rates and the completion rates for Pasifika in tertiary education. So we know that back in 2006 they were down in the low 40 and 50 percents. We know that in 2015-16 they are now up at 70 to 80 percent. Those are the completion rates that we are seeing for Pasifika for education which we know makes a difference.Can I simply say this: under this Government and under the leadership of the Rt Hon Bill English we know that we are making a difference. It is not about the talk which is cheap; it is about the action which makes a difference. We have got a plan that is comprehensive and is making a difference. It is dealing with the critical issues of concern but most importantly we are not going to keep beating the deprivation drum to turn around and talk about all the things that go wrong. In fact we are going to talk about aspiration. We are going to talk about the opportunities for enterprise and economic development that make a difference for our families for our children for our whānau. This is the party—the National Party—that does put New Zealanders first. Thank you."