8. Hon NANAIA MAHUTA (Labour—Hauraki-Waikato) Link to this
to the Minister of Maori Affairs
My question is to the real Minister of Māori Affairs, and asks—
Mr SPEAKERHon NANAIA MAHUTA Link to this
What advice, if any, has he received from Te Puni Kōkiri on the effect a rise in GST will have on the well-being of Māori families?
Hon BILL ENGLISH
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is clear that the Minister of Māori Affairs cannot be present to answer the question, but the Associate Minister of Māori Affairs is present, and the member clearly wants to ask a Māori Minister about this—
I am advised that the Minister of Māori Affairs has received some advice from Te Puni Kōkiri. That advice says the impact would vary from household to household, depending on income and spending patterns. Of course, the impact would depend entirely on what other measures were part of a tax package.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
Does the Minister support the Māori Party member’s bill to remove GST from food; if so, how does he reconcile this conflict with his Government’s plan to instead increase GST across the board?
The Minister of Māori Affairs is part of a range of discussions with the Government over this and related issues.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
Does the Minister stand by his words to “argue the case for Māori”; if so, what response does the Minister expect to give to Māori families who, as a result of an increase in the rate of GST, will struggle to put kai on the table and feed their tamariki—how is that whānau ora?
The advice to the Minister of Māori Affairs makes it clear that the impact of an increase in the GST rate would depend on what other measures are taken as part of a tax package—for instance, a reduction in income taxes faced by those same Māori families. I would expect that his discussions with the Government will also include the longer-term benefits of an economy that creates more jobs and generates higher incomes. That is certainly in the interests of Māori families, probably more so than for many other families.
Hon Parekura Horomia Link to this
Does the Minister of Māori Affairs stand by his statement: “Sometimes we pass a bill and then we forget we passed it and talk against it. I have to ring the Prime Minister and say, ‘Whoops’. Or he rings me.”; if so, will his support for the Government to increase GST be something he votes for, then talks against, then tells the Prime Minister, and Māori, “Whoops.”?
I can say the current Minister of Māori Affairs makes his views a great deal clearer than the previous Minister of Māori Affairs used to.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
Does the Minister intend to administer Whānau Ora through a newly established trust; if so, why is Te Puni Kōkiri not being used?
The question is a bit wide of the mark, but I can tell that member that the Minister of Māori Affairs is engaged in intensive discussions with the Government over that programme. I must say there is real energy around the basic change—and vital change—in the delivery of our social services, which in 10 years the previous Government talked about but never did anything about. Many families have missed out on support that they should have had, and much money has been wasted that can now be used more effectively.
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. That clearly did not answer the question that was asked.
The dilemma I have is that the supplementary question that the member asked was a long stretch from the primary question. I did not intervene to stop the question being asked; I did not rule it out of order. But it makes it very difficult for me to then insist on the Minister giving a particular answer. It seems to me that he did give a reasonable answer to the question.