9. Hon JOHN BOSCAWEN (Leader—ACT) Link to this
to the Minister of Maori Affairs
Does he stand by all of his recent statements?
Hon John Boscawen Link to this
Does he stand by his statement on Monday of this week, made during his TV debate with ACT leader Don Brash, that “We want to change the situation where one lot is under-achieving within a system where we have plenty for all in this country.”, and that is why we have special measures; if so, what concrete examples can he give of special measures addressing Māori underachievement?
Hon John Boscawen Link to this
What concrete examples, if any, can he give of special measures reducing the number of Māori youth who leave school functionally illiterate, reducing the rate of obesity, diabetes, and other obesity-related diseases among Māori, or reducing the rate of Māori youth unemployment?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES Link to this
I do not have any responsibility for obesity amongst people. I think that the questions the member asks should be asked of the community—of society and its organisations.
Hon John Boscawen Link to this
I will go with that. Can he explain how, despite having separate representation on the Auckland Māori Statutory Board, separate electorates, separate seats on district health boards, separate consultation rights on the Resource Management Act, Māori are still tragically overrepresented in adverse unemployment, welfare, crime, health, and education statistics, and is it not time to realise that the special measures he supports have failed his Māori constituents that he claims to represent?
Hon Dr PITA SHARPLES Link to this
The special measures are very small compared with the battle ahead to get Māori achievement to the level of everybody else. I think that that is the sort of question the member should be asking himself.