Mahuta Nanaia: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Mahuta Nanaia: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:645;Page:14267] 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Customs) 
: 
Tena koe Mr Assistant Speaker and I think that is a fine example of just how far New Zealand has come. I do not think New Zealanders really want to hear a doom and gloom vision which is why National deserves to be on the Opposition benches. Members on this side of the House are excited we are energetic and we are inspired about the job we have to do ahead of us. 
The Prime Minister clearly outlined in her statement some of the achievements that have been made since we came into office in 1999. I remind the member opposite that in 1996 when I was an Opposition member I remember very well what it was like to be in the electorate. I remember visiting women’s refuges and hearing how underfunded they were for the services they were providing. I remember constituents coming into my office saying that market rentals in State houses simply did not cater for those most in need. That was when National was in office. I can remember that in 1998 people used to complain in my office about the brainy kids fleeing from certain schools in our communities and going to certain other schools and what that did to the quality of their learning experience within the school system. So there are people here with memories that are long enough to remind the House just how far we have come. 
Between 1996 and 1999 Maori unemployment was around 19 percent. Now Maori unemployment is below 8 percent. So we have made gains and we have made a difference. The Prime Minister has said quite clearly that although those gains have been put through in each term we have been in Government there is so much more to do because we are only beginning to see the transformation and the differences that this Labour-led Government is starting to make. And there are differences very clear differences. 
When we talk about homeownership and affordable housing it is recognising that we have stepped up by providing income-related rentals by providing packages for homeownership and by ensuring there is greater social responsibility in the range of packages that will assist people into homes. Of course housing prices are very expensive throughout the whole country but people cannot deny that this Government has made certain steps to try to ensure that we will track up and improve the housing options for a far greater number of New Zealanders than have them now. The member across the House Phil Heatley raised issues around people not wanting to go and live in Hobsonville. Well we are not into ghettoising low-income people in State housing stock. In fact what we will see in many communities and certainly within my own electorate is that the policy adopted by the Housing New Zealand Corporation to pepper-pot State houses actually improves the aspirations of many many people who are now living in Housing New Zealand stock. They will see that they can move from a State house to their own home and that they should start considering those options. 
Those very active policies will support people to lift their aspirations and their opportunities to be able to support their families and that is the type of direction this Government has taken. The Prime Minister clearly said in her statement that this Government is about investing in people and their opportunities and lifting their aspirations. It is not about competition. 
Let us go to the health system because the stark difference in the health system between where a Labour-led Government is going and what National proposes is that under Labour people access health care when they need to not when they have to. I can remember people coming into my office complaining about the cost of general practitioners’ fees. National would have it that the market determines the fees and if one cannot afford that then it is too bad. What we did as at 1 July last year was ensure that all people had access to lower-cost general practitioner services and also lower prescription fees. That is the fundamental difference between our two positions. We know that a far greater number of people are going to the doctor when they need to not to the hospital when they have to. There are more hip and knee operations and more cataract operations. 
There is more to do in the health system sure but we have made steady gains along the way and we know that the real difference in all our communities is that we are focusing more and more on prevention. That is why the roll-out of the Primary Health Care Strategy will make a fundamental difference at a community level to the lives of people who understand that if we really want to reverse the problems that exist around diabetes and heart disease then we have to make radical changes in our own lives. We are all models to make that type of change and with this Government we are partnering that approach in the community. 
Let us move on to education. In the education system the stark difference between the Government and National is that there were winners and losers in National’s idea of the education system. Kids who did not succeed or who did not fit fell out and were on the dole or were just excluded and in alternative education centres. Under the National system of education if students were bright they were winners and if they were losers they were nowhere—they were considered to be dumb. The Minister of Education has just highlighted the advantages of Schools Plus. The real advantage is that the ideal aspiration for all kids in New Zealand—Maori Pakeha or whoever—is to stay in education. 
I urge all members to consider the messages they are giving out to young people. We know that education is the key to opportunities for any individual. The aspiration through Schools Plus is that that is the ideal but we have to recognise there are opportunities that could be provided within the education system or multiple learning pathways that should be provided so we can be more responsive to meeting the learning needs of many kids who perhaps are better at learning with their hands than learning while sitting at a desk. We understand this. Those of us who visit our schools every time we go to the electorate understand that there are kids who are good with their hands. They are not dumb; they understand how things work how to take something apart and put it back together again. 
Sue Moroney 
: We need more people like that. 
Hon NANAIA MAHUTA 
: Yes we do. We need more people like that—people with skills that can help in a number of ways. When I visit alternative education centres many many young boys in particular say to me “If I could have done an apprenticeship when I was 13 I reckon I would be much better placed today.” Those young boys are now about 16 and they are saying “I failed the education system.” I say “No no. The education system failed you because we just weren’t able to link you up.” Now we are making differences in terms of Schools Plus to be able to provide those types of pathways. The opportunity for some of our schools to roll out youth apprenticeships this year will I think start to show many members in this House the potential of where we can go in education by linking young people to a more relevant pathway in learning and education skills attainment recognition and going on to a job. That is a great opportunity. 
Gateway is another initiative that the Minister talked about which has been rolled out from decile 1 to decile 10 schools. We started with decile 1 to decile 3 schools because we recognised that that was where the need was greatest and then we rolled it out further. We are starting to see that the transition for many kids through Gateway into industry into employment is that much more alleviated by providing this type of pathway. 
And there is more to do because if we understand anything about opportunities for young people we have to understand that they too want to be a part of society. There are so many negative stereotypes surrounding many of our young people in New Zealand that I think we need to give them a fair shot at things. The real opportunity in terms of New Zealand’s advancing forward is to understand the real potential of young people. I think if we can ensure that with the programme this Government is promoting in the areas of health education housing and employment training then we will be able to harness the opportunities that exist not just for young people but for everybody in society. 
That is the type of agenda that this Government is committed to pursuing so there is a stark difference between a Labour-led Government and National. We believe that each individual has a place in society. It is not about winners and losers; it is about every person winning his or her game. Kia ora.