7. Dr PITA SHARPLES (Co-Leader—Māori Party) Link to this
to the Minister of Maori Affairs
He aha te tana whakautu ki te kōrero a te kairipoata mo te Roopu Whakakotahi tangata o te Ao, ara, a Rodolfo Stavenhagen, “Kei te tino awangawanga, kei te tipu ake te ahua o te rawa kore i waenganui i te Māori me etahi atu, a, kei muri te Māori a haere ana.”?
[What is his response to the following statement from Professor Stavenhagen, the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples, that: “There is also widespread concern that the gap in social and economic conditions is actually growing larger and that an increasing proportion of Māori are being left behind.”?]
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Minister of Māori Affairs) Link to this
He maha ngā kōrero a te professor i roto i āna kōrero ki ngā nūpepa mō tana haere mai ki konei. Ko ētahi o āna kōrero e pā ana ki ngā whanaketanga o te iwi Māori e whakaatu mai ana ahakoa e kitea ana te ahu whakamua a te iwi Māori. He nui tonu ngā mahi hei mahi.
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.]
[Professor Stavenhagen made a number of observations in his press release about his visit here. Some of his observations about Māori development indicate that while Māori have made positive progress, there is still work to be done.]
How does the Minister reconcile the fact that the Government’s own figures reveal that the unemployment rate for Māori has steadily increased over the last year from 8.3 percent in September 2004 to 9.1 percent in September 2005, with the fact that the unemployment rate for Pākehā has steadily decreased over the same period; and given that the gap looks to be increasing, how can the Minister say that it is actually closing?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
I te wā i whakamanatia ai tēnei Kāwanatanga, 20 pai hēneti te maha o ngā tāngata kāore i te whiwhi mahi. I tēnei wā kua taka mai tēnei maha mō tauiwi ki te 3 pai hēneti, ā, mō te Māori 9 pai hēneti, ā, kei te heke haere tonu. He tino rerekētanga tēnei.
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.]
[When this Government came into power, the unemployment rate was at about 20 percent. The general rate is now at 3 percent, and the Māori rate is at 9 percent and decreasing. This is a huge difference.]
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Could the Minister identify where inequalities have been reduced in Māori health, specifically, life expectancy; in Māori education, specifically, school-leaver qualifications; and Māori household ownership rates?
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
He nui ake anō ngā take i roto i ngā take pērā i a te hauora me ngā take katoa. He maha tonu ngā paetae kua taea e te iwi Māori i roto i ngā ono tau kua hipa ki muri. Hei tauira: te rēkota mō te tino maha o ngā Māori kei te whiwhi mahi; te whiwhi i ngā tino rawa me ngā taonga i roto i ngā wāhanga e pā ana ki ngā ngahere, ngā haonga ika me ērā atu e riro ana mā te Māori e whakahaere.
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.]
[There are really many aspects in matters such as health and others. There have been a number of important achievements for Māori over the last 6 years: for example, the highest employment for Māori on record; and key commercial assets in the primary production sector are now being managed by Māori, with the fisheries allocation process under way.]
Rodney HideI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. That was a very long answer that the Minister of Māori Affairs gave, and I am assured by my colleagues to my left that it was a very good answer. Unfortunately, I think the translation into English was somewhat truncated, and those of us who are still struggling with te reo would maybe like a fuller translation.
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
I am pleased to assist my colleague over there, who is searching keenly to understand our language. What I said was that I agreed with my colleague Te Ururoa Flavell about all those aspects pertaining to health and education—that there were a lot of things to be done. I also was quite explicit that this Government has created a record for Māori participating in the workplace. Beyond that, I also said that assets such as forestry and fish are now being steered and managed by Māori governance. That is what the translation was.
Gerry BrownleeI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. It appears that the answers that Mr Horomia is giving are somewhat out of sync with the responses coming from the interpreter. I am not sure; perhaps it is that the numbers on the pages are not corresponding, because they both appear to have the answers in front of them. Maybe in future we should just publish the answers and completely do away with oral questions to the Minister of Māori Affairs.
Madam SPEAKERI thank the member for his point of order. I just remind members that it is not a translation that is given; it is, in fact, an interpretation. It was a summary of the answer, and the Minister obliged on the point of order that was given.
Hone HarawiraI raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Is it appropriate, if a member gets up and asks: “How long is a piece of string?”, if the Minister answers: “Mary Jane”? The question that was asked was about inequalities in terms of Māori health, specifically life expectancy; Māori education, specifically school-leaver qualifications; and Māori household ownership rates; and the answers that were given were about forestry and fisheries. He did not actually answer the question at all.
I thank the member for his point of order. The Minister did address the question, obviously not to the satisfaction or the specificity of the member, but a full answer was given.
Dave Hereora[An interpretation in English was given to the House.]
[Does the Minister agree with what was said by the representative of the United Nations?]
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA Link to this
E whakaae ana au ki te nuinga o āna kōrero nō te mea e tautoko ana i ngā mahi kua mahia e te Kāwanatanga.