King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
King Annette: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:670;Page:16723] 
4. 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Is she satisfied that her programmes are working for New Zealanders? 
Hon SIMON POWER (Acting Minister of Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 Yes. For example approximately 70 percent of Community Max programme graduates who finished the programme have not gone back on to any benefit. 
Hon Annette King 
: Why should New Zealanders believe the figure the Minister has just given us on the success of her make-work programme because she has actually given three different answers to the number of people staying off benefits having been through the programme each time reducing her so-called successes? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: As far as I am aware I gave only one answer. 
Katrina Shanks 
: Has he seen any recent reports on the Community Max programme? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Yes. I have seen a report in which a reporter visited a Northland Community Max project called Paikauri Reserve. The reporter turned up 8 months after the project had ended and failed to mention that of the 24 participants in the project as at today 13 remain off the benefit altogether. 
Hon Annette King 
: Will she provide better information on the success or otherwise of her make-work schemes which are costing taxpayers over $100 million before Bill English commits any more funding which is likely to be wasted on empty pumpkin patches tracks to nowhere and abandoned sewing classes? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am sorry but I missed the first part of that question. I apologise to the member. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I ask the honourable member if she would not mind please repeating her question and I ask members to show a little courtesy so the question can be heard. 
Hon Annette King 
: Will she provide better information on the success or otherwise of her make-work schemes which are costing taxpayers over $100 million before Bill English commits any more funding which is likely to be wasted on empty pumpkin patches tracks to nowhere and abandoned sewing classes? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Better information will always come to hand and will be made available as all information is under various avenues. I have to say that the list of initiatives that the member opposite lists did not include two gangs in Timaru who received money through a pilot employment scheme and used the money to upgrade their headquarters when she was Minister of Employment in 1989. 
Hon Annette King 
: When will she listen to the growing chorus of advice— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I apologise to the honourable member but I am sure that the Minister will not be able to hear again. I ask members on the National benches please to show some courtesy. 
Hon Annette King 
: When will she listen to the growing chorus of advice including from Treasury telling her that the schemes are poor value for taxpayers’ money are having no effect on youth unemployment and are merely recycling people through expensive schemes that are abandoned after 6 months; is not quality just as important as quantity? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: In fact those schemes are designed to give people life skills—to get them out of bed in the morning and to give them a commitment to a purpose during the day. It is a $13000 investment over a 6-month period which is a lot cheaper than funding someone to go on and off an unemployment benefit for the following 10 years. That is why this Government will continue to back the Community Max scheme. 
Hon Annette King 
: Why is she refusing to answer questions on her make-work scheme hanging up on reporters and then heading to Washington again to learn about the quality of that city’s programmes when it is quality and value for money here at home that she needs to concentrate on? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: The member is right in the sense that the Minister for Social Development and Employment is currently at an international seminar that deals with intervention programmes which I am sure will help inform the Government’s decision making in this area. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Does she agree with Work and Income’s description of Community Max that “It provides an opportunity for young people to build skills …”; if so what skills did the job of sending text messages to defendants before court appearances at a cost to the taxpayer of $18000 provide young people in Hamilton? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Yes I do agree with that advice. And I also happen to agree with the advice that the member expressed on 2 August 2009 that “Any initiative that creates opportunities for young people is to be welcomed”. 
Katrina Shanks 
: What reports has he seen from members of Parliament on Community Max? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Labour members of Parliament clearly see Community Max as having value as I have just outlined. They have consistently argued for it to be expanded or continued. Nanaia Mahuta said: “the Community Max scheme that I visited in Thames demonstrated positive gain for the community and individuals involved”. Chris Hipkins on 10 March 2010 said: “It would be good to find a way to keep similar programmes going. There’s a real gap there that needs to be filled.” And Maryan Street who I have to say brings a slightly more intellectual approach to these things said that it is “a step in the right direction”. 
Jacinda Ardern 
: Why has she spent more than $300000 on a garden that has left participants unemployed and produced just one pumpkin? 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: Mr Speaker—[ 
Interruption 
] 
Hon Gerry Brownlee 
: Jacinda’s waiting for midnight. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I say to Labour members on this occasion that one of their colleagues has asked a question and I am sure that she wishes to hear the answer. 
Hon SIMON POWER 
: In fact the programme the member refers to has not left everybody unemployed; it has taken a number of those participants off the benefit. I also add that unlike hip-hop tours going around the world for $26000 on this occasion three visits occurred to the Northland social development services project. Those visits were monitored and a very close eye was kept on the project.