Moroney Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Moroney Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 16 August 2012. Volume:682;Page:4480. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
10. 
SUE MORONEY (Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Women’s Affairs 
: Is she satisfied with the action this Government has taken to improve the lives of women in New Zealand? 
Hon JO GOODHEW (Minister of Women’s Affairs) 
: 
 Yes and I will give the House some examples to demonstrate this but I acknowledge that there is still more work to be done. My priorities are to increase women’s safety from violence their participation in leadership roles— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The question did not ask about the Minister’s priorities at all. All the question asked was whether she was satisfied with the action this Government has taken to improve the lives of women in New Zealand. I think the Minister answered that. 
Sue Moroney 
: What action has she taken to address reports from Wellington Rape Crisis that a funding crisis has forced it to close down 1 day a week when demand for its services has nearly doubled in the last year given that she has a goal of increasing the safety of New Zealand women? 
Hon JO GOODHEW 
: Ministerial responsibility for funding and working with Rape Crisis does not rest with me as Minister of Women’s Affairs. However reducing sexual violence as the member has already alluded to does remain a priority for me. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs contributes to cross-Government work in this area and has reviewed New Zealand and international literature on sexual revictimisation compiling an evidence base that will be used to good effect across Government work. 
Sue Moroney 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question specifically asked what action she had taken to address reports from the Wellington Rape Crisis centre about its predicament. She did not address that question at all. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! [ 
Interruption 
] Order! The House will come back to order please. I thought I fairly clearly heard the Minister say that she did not have responsibility for the funding of the Rape Crisis centre. That is a perfectly fair answer to the question asked. 
Sue Moroney 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. As I pointed out in my question the Minister has a goal of increasing the safety of New Zealand women. That does mean that she has responsibility. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The Speaker cannot argue with a Minister over who has responsibility for certain things. I heard the Minister very clearly say that she did not have responsibility. That is the end of the matter. 
Sue Moroney 
: Will she then reinstate the comprehensive Action Plan for New Zealand Women which her Government discontinued in 2009 and which the United Nations has requested be reinstated to improve the lives of New Zealand women? Will she take any action? 
Hon JO GOODHEW 
: I am very happy to answer this question because this Government has not just an action plan for women but in fact action plans across the Government sector that women will definitely benefit from. Can I give one very good example of an action plan that will be very beneficial for women. The Reducing Crime action plan will reduce violent crime by 20 percent over the next 5 years. 
Sue Moroney 
: What about the Rape Crisis funding? 
Hon JO GOODHEW 
: As that member knows women are disproportionately the victims of crime and therefore they will benefit more than men from this. Reducing reoffending by 25 percent over the next 5 years— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I think that is a reasonable answer to the question. We do not need to go on indefinitely with answers. 
Sue Moroney 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I asked whether she would reinstate the Action Plan for New Zealand Women and I am still no further ahead in my understanding. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I just ask the member though if the member wants a very specific answer to please make the question short and to the point so that I can discern as Speaker whether or not it is being answered. I believe the question went on somewhat longer than that and that is why I let the answer go on a bit longer. But the member has a further supplementary question if she wishes to be very precise about it. 
Sue Moroney 
: Is she the first Minister of Women’s Affairs to vote against extending paid parental leave? A straight question Minister. 
Hon JO GOODHEW 
: In regard to paid parental leave the Government voted against the member’s bill. However we still spend $157 million a year on providing the current 14 weeks of paid leave. I believe that the member cannot require a yes or no answer and therefore I will say that the dangers of running up huge deficits through extending paid parental leave is not something— 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. She was asked directly whether she was the first Minister to vote in a certain way and she is yet to give us the answer. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The member will resume his seat. The member may wish to reflect on the ministerial responsibility—ministerial responsibility—a member has for a member’s vote. This is question time about Ministers’ ministerial responsibilities not about how members vote in this House. I allowed the question but strictly I believe the question was not in order so I am not going to force a Minister to give a yes or no answer on something that there is no ministerial responsibility for. Votes in this House are the votes of members.