12. Question No. 12—EmploymentKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of EmploymentQuestion No. 12—Employment12. KIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour) to the Minister of Employment: What recent He Poutama Rangatahi announcements has he made?Hon WILLIE JACKSON (Minister of Employment): On 25 March I announced $400000 funding for Eco Toa—which means ecological warriors for the Opposition—that will provide an intensive programme for rangatahi in the South Hokianga for our young people who aren't earning or learning. They will learn skills in pest control weed eradication riparian planting and forestry and in turn will secure long-term employment in the forestry industry. I also announced $880000 in funding for the Whangarei Youth Space Start programme; this is a programme that will support Whangarei rangatahi into sustainable employment by providing intensive support both pre- and post-employment and it is underpinned by pastoral care.Kiritapu Allan: What was significant about these two announcements?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Thank you for that question. These are the first of the He Poutama Rangatahi (HPR) programmes funded in partnership with the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF). Earlier this year alongside the Prime Minister and Minister Jones $13.2 million in funding from the PGF was announced for HPR projects which was much more than was announced from the previous Government. Working alongside Minister Jones we were able to invest in our rangatahi in the region and support jobs in key areas such as forestry tourism roading—Hon Simon Bridges: And spiritual health. Hon WILLIE JACKSON: —and infrastructure as examples. Reinvigorating industry and regional communities is a key part of the PGF. At the same time we're able to provide our rangatahi who live there with a pathway to sustainable and rewarding futures without having to move away from home. Kiritapu Allan: Has the Minister received any feedback on how He Poutama Rangatahi programmes are going?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: Thank you for that question. I want to share with the House how incredibly proud I am with the results this Government and community initiatives are getting. We're still in the early stages of He Poutama Rangatahi and some of these programmes are over longer periods than others. As an example in Northland the Northland College Pine Project is now complete. We've got a great young man up there now Jack Johnson who's running this and 12 out of the 15 rangatahi are in full-time employment. In the East Coast Tairāwhiti the Eastland Wood Council Generation Programme—forestry related—10 out of the 12 rangatahi are in full-time employment with 11 employers engaged in the programme. And Mr Speaker for yourself and for Mr Goldsmith in the Hawke's Bay the Hastings District Council youth employment connector programme has placed 45 rangatahi into full-time employment so far with 17 different employers—SPEAKER: Order! I think the House has got the message.Kiritapu Allan: If He Poutama Rangatahi is so successful why doesn't the Government just fund it instead of having to rely on it to help spend the PGF money?Hon WILLIE JACKSON: I've said all along that it doesn't matter where the funding sits; what matters is that we're investing into it into these communities and in the lives of these young people. That's the sort of Government we are; we take questions from everywhere. It doesn't matter where it comes from; we are up for the challenge and we're not into patsies like the Opposition.SPEAKER: Order! I didn't interrupt at the time but I will say to the Leader of the Opposition that calling my spirituality into question in an out of order way just about gets me to ask for some sort of divine intervention to keep him in order.