3. Question No. 3—Prime MinisterDEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 3—Prime Minister3. DEBBIE NGAREWA-PACKER (Co-Leader—Te Paati Māori) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all her Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes. In particular I stand by the work we've been doing around child and youth wellbeing and the release of the Child Poverty Related Indicators Report. These reports highlighted how Government action has started to improve the lives of children and their whānau. As a Government we've invested in measures to support families such as free trades training and expanding Flexi-wage which has already resulted in a drop in unemployment to 4.7 percent. The report does identify that 20 percent of children live in households where food runs out and we know this is higher for Māori and Pacific children which is why we're taking immediate action with initiatives like for instance our free Healthy School Lunches programme. We will build on this programme by continuing to put the needs and wellbeing of children and young people at the heart of our recovery.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: How will the Prime Minister guarantee that the Māori Health Authority is independent and will be funded proportionate to the Māori per capita health spend when her Government said its funding would be determined by the Ministry of Health?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yeah and as we've always said of course it will still be for the Government of the day to determine health priorities. Then of course what we're expecting is that Health NZ and the Māori Health Authority are involved in operationalising and developing the plans to roll out those priorities. One thing I would say in the nuance around the way that the funding—and I obviously can't say too much more on the way that will be divided but one of the questions around funding that I would ask all members to keep in mind is that whilst we've said we want commissioning powers for the Māori Health Authority there will still be of course the provision of healthcare through Health NZ that reaches Māori populations too. So it won't be the case that every single dollar spent on someone who identifies as Māori within the health system will go entirely through the Māori Health Authority. It's just a nuance worth being aware of.Debbie Ngarewa-Packer: Will the Government at least double funding for Pharmac to ensure that New Zealanders have access to lifesaving cancer medicines as called for by 100000 people in a petition that was movingly delivered to MPs last week?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: We of course since we've been in Government recognise the need for an increase in Pharmac funding. My recollection is that of course we've boosted Pharmac funding to now over a billion dollars—well over 20 percent increase in their funding. They then will make a call as to which medicines are a priority for them and I think it's often lost on all of us that they have the difficult decision of not just funding what can be lifesaving medical interventions; they also have to fund everyday routine over-the-counter drugs: contraceptive pills even cold sore treatment. They are the ones then that make the decision once they are funded with additional funding where that funding goes. As for any future funding obviously that's up to the Government of the day and the Budget of the day.Hon Peeni Henare: Does the Prime Minister have confidence in the leadership of Sir Mason Durie to ensure that the authority is independent while also working collaboratively with the broader health reform agenda?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Yes and whilst we've set out the broad parameters on how we wish the Māori Health Authority to operate there of course are further questions that we need to work through collaboratively in the design of the Māori Health Authority and Tā Mason Durie I think is the perfect person to lead that work.