6. JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
Is she satisfied that the Families Commission is focused on its role as an advocate for New Zealand families; if not, why not?
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
Yes. The Families Commission has consulted widely to identify issues that are of concern to New Zealand families. As a result, it has developed a work programme to advocate for families in key areas that have been identified by families as important to families.
Does she think it is good use of taxpayers’ money for the Families Commission to spend more than $500,000 on a pre-election advertisement telling people that they should value parents—a message that even the commission said yesterday was self-evident?
Yes. Unlike that member, I do support parents and a campaign so that the rest of New Zealand supports parents. The Families Commission - led campaign is in partnership with community-based family support agencies such as Barnardos, Plunket, and Relationship Services, and I commend both the message and the campaign to that member and her party.
Lynne PillayThe Families Commission has called on all New Zealanders to do more to support parenting, following research that indicated that some parents felt undervalued. Sadly, the attitude of the member asking the primary question and her party indicates that those parents may have been right. In contrast to the National Party, our Government values parents. That is why we have invested in initiatives such as the Working for Families package, paid parental leave, and 20 hours’ free early childhood education. These are all policies that support parenting and parents, and all policies that the National Party has opposed.
Why did the Families Commission recently appoint a public relations company “to review the Families Commission’s reputation and communications as part of its planning for a new approach to public relations for the Families Commission”, and can the Minister explain how the average Kiwi family benefits from such brand-building exercises for the benefit of the commission?
As it is a relatively recently established commission, I think it is important that the first phase of its long-term work is evaluated to ensure that it is delivering in both advocacy and promotion in terms of Government expectations. Through the last 3 years’ research and work the member alluded to, and through the consultation with families, the commission has now focused on preventing family violence. I ask whether the member will oppose that. The commission is also focused on supporting parents, and I ask whether the member will oppose that. The commission is also focused on improving families’ work-life balance, and I ask whether the member will oppose that, as well.
Is the Minister familiar with the Families Commission report on the 2007 Families Day, which noted: “The Families Commission is competing in a cluttered space, where there is a risk of ‘not being seen’.” and “Families Day/Week provides an opportunity to differentiate from other competing Government entities…”, and can she explain what those other competing Government agencies are and why the Families Commission is in competition with them?
As an advocacy Minister in our Government over the last 8 years, I have noticed exactly the same problem—that nearly every week is an awareness week for some cause or another. But I would challenge that member to say that any one of those weeks is not worthy of support. The key aim should be to ensure that the value of promoting families is recognised.
What does it say about the focus of the Families Commission when that same report on the 2007 Families Day stated: “While there was a concerted effort to gain media support for Families Day, there was little interest from mainstream media outlets.”, but in the next paragraph the report writer suggests extending Families Day from a 1-day event to a week-long event followed by yet another paragraph noting that it was necessary to ask what the objective or purpose of Families Day/Week is.
I think that shows a highly commendable level of confidence in the New Zealand media. The fact that the report writer suggests that the media may well move from its inability to focus on a 1-day event to focus on a week-long event is very commendable.
Oh well, the Lord loves a trier! Why is the Families Commission advertising so much this year that it was compelled to seek advice to ensure that it did not breach Cabinet guidelines on political advertising and the Electoral Finance Act—whom is the Families Commission really advertising for this year?
As has been repeated many times in this House, any agencies that are involved in the publication of Government initiatives would be wise to seek advice to ensure their publications do not conflict with the Electoral Finance Act. The basis of the question is hugely ironic, given that that member challenged the Families Commission for underspending at a select committee this week—it is bizarre!
I seek leave to table a Families Commission document headed “Valuing Parenting programme of action total cost $883,000”.
Madam SPEAKER