3. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) Link to this
to the Prime Minister
Is he satisfied with the performance of all his Ministers?
Hon JOHN KEYDid he demote Paula Bennett by stripping away the disabilities portfolio because of her failure to develop relationships and work constructively with organisations like the Disabled Persons Assembly, which offered to support Miss Bennett in her role and tried on numerous occasions to establish a formal relationship with her, but without success, or like Grey Power, which said the meeting it had with her “left a sour taste in our mouths as we felt we had received the old-fashioned ‘brush-off’ ” and it had wasted its time meeting with her?
Firstly, the Hon Paula Bennett requested that the portfolio be transferred, and, secondly, we were grateful that Tariana Turia was happy to accept the portfolio. I know she will do a stunning job. I listened to Morning Report this morning; I thought Paula Bennett gave a stunning response to the challenges that are faced in the area of employment, and I think she is taking those responsibilities very seriously. I must say I think she is turning into quite a fine Minister.
When did he realise that Paula Bennett was struggling to grasp the social development portfolio; was it when she told the public earlier this year that she thought the rise in unemployment was just a blip, was it when she conceded in a Listener article that she did not like reading long reports, was it her decision to appoint Christine Rankin as a Families Commissioner—which has caused his Government great embarrassment—or was it something else?
What I can say is that having sat on the other side of the fence, I have observed 9 years of the previous Labour Government reading reports, and now 8 to 9 months of the National Government actually taking action. That is the difference.
Did he demote Paula Bennett when he found out that many people had started referring to her as the “Minister for Slogan Development”, not as the Minister for Social Development and Employment, and is he hoping that with one less portfolio she might now be able to concentrate on solutions and not slogans, and on doing something to help the tens of thousands of Kiwis who are struggling to find work?
Firstly, I assure the member that the Minister is working extremely hard on programmes to ensure that New Zealanders can either get into a job or have the support they need when they lose their job. I know that because I am working very closely with her on it. Secondly, if ever there was a political party that spent its time worrying about slogans, it was the Labour Party. The reason for saying that is that the previous Labour Government spent literally hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money on rolling out an advertising campaign that in the final analysis did not save its bacon, anyway.
If New Zealand has one of the lowest rates of unemployment in the OECD, which the Prime Minister likes to proclaim as all his own work, and if the Ministry of Social Development can manage with at least 200 fewer people to do the job, why can the Minister for Social Development and Employment not cope with her portfolio load?
Firstly, because the Minister asked to have the disabilities portfolio transferred to another Minister, so that she could concentrate on the social development and employment portfolio. The second point is that I do not think the Hon Annette King should be challenging me about whether New Zealand has a low level of unemployment relative to that of the OECD. She should go to the ministry’s website and look at it, because it will tell her in black and white that that is the case.
I seek leave to table the newsletter from the Disabled Persons Assembly, which points out it has tried to form a relationship with the Hon Paula Bennett, but without success.
Mr SPEAKERI seek leave to table the election result in the seat of Waitakere, which shows how successful Paula Bennett is in all forms of politics.
Hon Tariana Turia Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I said yes. I object to Mrs King tabling that document.
I apologise to members. My hearing let me down, and I ask members’ forgiveness because it is very bad at the moment. Maybe if I go back and put that leave again—
Hon Trevor MallardThe document is already on the Table? I can only apologise to the honourable member. I did not hear her objection, and I said the document could be tabled. I apologise to the honourable member for that, because it was my error.
Hon Tariana Turia Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I objected as soon as the question was asked, and I believe my objection should be sustained.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
In fairness to the Minister for Disability Issues, I heard her state her objection to the newsletter of the Disabled Persons Assembly being tabled in Parliament. It is a bit noisy in here today, and we have no objection if you want to put that question again so the Minister for Disability Issues can once again object to that newsletter being tabled.
I appreciate the honourable member’s remarks. I apologise; it is my hearing that has caused this disruption to the House’s business. I will take the course of action proposed by the Hon Darren Hughes, and I will put the seeking of leave again. Is there any objection to the Disabled Persons Assembly document being tabled? There is objection, and therefore it will be taken from the Table.
Did the honourable Prime Minister wish to table a document? No. OK.