Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:648;Page:16892] 
8.  
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
 to the  
Minister for Social Development and Employment 
: Is the Ministry of Social Development planning to reward union member employees with a lump-sum payment in the 2008/09 financial year; if so how much will each employee receive? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 This is an employment matter for the chief executive. I am really surprised that the member did not take the opportunity to ask the chief executive for details of this when he appeared at the select committee last week for nearly 2 hours given that the specific answer to the member’s question was included in answers to the estimates. 
Judith Collins 
: Is it not true that Ministry of Social Development union members received bonuses in the election years of 2002 and 2005 and that now in 2008 they have been told they will get $750 each; and does this not imply that the bonus is the payback for the Public Service Association yet again campaigning for Labour in an election year? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No that is not correct. The union negotiation covering the collective agreement by the respective workers does not always fall in an election year. Some years it does—in fact once every 3 years it falls in an election year. In the other years it is not in an election year. 
Hon Mark Gosche 
: What contribution does the Ministry of Social Development make to improving outcomes for New Zealanders? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: The staff of the Ministry of Social Development work hard to support New Zealanders including over the last 12 months delivering financial assistance to over 1 million New Zealanders including 500000 superannuitants; responding to 71000 notifications of potential child abuse and neglect; supporting 5000 people to move from benefit into paid work; providing intensive wraparound services to 500 of New Zealand’s most vulnerable families including over 1300 children; and leading the task force for action on the prevention of family violence. 
Judith Collins 
: Does the Minister think that employees should receive taxpayer-funded bonuses in election years just because they are union members; if so does she think that is fair for non-union members? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: In my view the agreement in a collective agreement should be delivered whether or not it is an election year. 
Judith Collins 
: How can she justify awarding staff election-year bonuses just for being a member of the Public Service Association (PSA) and should not bonuses be related to employment performance rather than union membership? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: That is a matter for the chief executive. 
Judith Collins 
: When is this Minister going to take some responsibility? What is the connection between election-year bonuses to union members and the PSA’s campaign against larger tax cuts on behalf of the Labour Party—is she now going to say there is no connection? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: There is no connection between the election year and the year in which the negotiations come into effect. If there are any parts of the agreement to be delivered they are delivered every year not just in an election year. The implication that the member makes is disgraceful.