4. METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) Link to this
to the Minister for Social Development and Employment
What is her response to New Zealand’s inequality ranking in the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report 2009?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development and Employment) Link to this
I agree with one of the report’s findings—that people will move to better-off countries. That is why we are following an economic programme that is designed to narrow the income gap with Australia.
I seek leave, at this early stage, to table the United Nations Human Development Report 2009, which was published by the United Nations Development Programme on 16 October 2009.
Mr SPEAKERIs the Minister aware that Social Report 2009, published by her Ministry of Social Development, uses the same measure as that of the United Nations Development Programme report to compare New Zealand’s inequality score with other countries and notes that New Zealand ranks 23rd out of 30 OECD countries for inequality?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
What I am also aware of is the report that has just come through today—
The Minister will resume her seat. The Minister may be aware of all sorts of things but she has actually just been asked a question that related, very directly, to the primary question. The Minister being “also aware” of something else was not what she was questioned about. Where a member asks a question absolutely directly related to the primary question, and although the Minister may be intending to get to that matter, her answer should indicate that she is answering the question and not going on to something else. The Minister started: “I am also aware of” something else. That cannot be the way to start answering that perfectly fair question.
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I was heading toward discussing the OECD rankings in the social report that the member brought up. I am also aware that the report that was in the original question has New Zealand ranked at 20 out of 182 countries. That was the answer to the member’s question. She had a question about a certain ranking within an OECD report. The original had us ranked 20th for inequality out of 182 countries.
I seek leave to table table M from the United Nations Human Development Report, which, while listing New Zealand in the table at No. 20, when using the Gini index for inequality clearly shows New Zealand is ranked sixth worst for inequality.
Leave is sought to table that table from the named document. Is there any objection to that? There is no objection.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. During that point of order, which was a reasonable one and went as quickly as someone could to the tabling of the document, there was an interjection from the Leader of the House, which was loud. My view, Mr Speaker, is that you had drawn the line on that behaviour earlier in the day and your ruling should be consistent.
I was concentrating so much on what the honourable member Metiria Turei was saying that I did not even notice the interjection. But I would ask the member, Gerry Brownlee, to cease from interjection when a point of order is being heard.
Dr Kennedy Graham Link to this
Has she discussed with her Cabinet colleagues the findings of British researchers, Wilkinson and Pickett, authors of The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, that more unequal societies are bad for almost everyone within them, the well-off as well as the poor?
Sue KedgleyIs she concerned that the same research shows teenage birth rates and infant mortality are higher in more unequal countries, with New Zealand above the average; if so, what is the Government doing to improve New Zealand’s inequality ranking from that reported by the United Nations Development Programme?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
This Government is certainly concerned about teenage birth rates, and the support that we put around teenage parents. A programme of work is going on around that at the moment. It includes focus groups for teen parents and a range of other initiatives.
Catherine Delahunty Link to this
Does she think her policy of cuts to the training incentive allowance, which prevents people on low incomes from accessing further education to increase their earning power, will increase or decrease the gap between rich and poor in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I do not agree that those changes will prevent people from going on to further education. What they are doing is putting resources into those people who are going to Level 3 or higher, so I do not agree.
Dr Russel NormanDoes she think that her Government’s policy of tax cuts for high-income earners will increase or decrease the gap between rich and poor in Aotearoa New Zealand?
Hon PAULA BENNETT Link to this
I saw tax incentives and tax cuts for all New Zealanders, which I know are being spent wisely, and which those people desperately need.
Does the Minister think that salary increases for chief executives at the same time as there are wage freezes for ordinary workers at State-owned enterprises like Television New Zealand will increase or decrease the gap between the rich and the poor in Aotearoa New Zealand?
I seek leave of the House to table a section of the Social Report 2009 pertaining to income and equality in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Leave is sought to table that portion of the document. Is there any objection? There is no objection.
I seek leave of the House to table a graph showing that teenage birth rates are higher in more unequal countries, with New Zealand above the average.
Leave is sought to table that page from the document The Spirit Level. Is there any objection to that being tabled? There is no objection.
I seek leave of the House to table a graph showing that infant mortality is higher in more unequal countries, with Aotearoa New Zealand above the average, published in The Spirit Level, 2009.
Leave is sought to table that graph from the book The Spirit Level. Is there any objection to that being tabled? There is none.
I seek leave to table a graph showing that more people are in prisons in more unequal societies, with New Zealand above the average, published in The Spirit Level, 2009.
Leave is sought to table that graph from The Spirit Level, 2009. Is there any objection? There is no objection.
I seek leave to table a graph showing that people suffer from mental illness in more unequal societies, with New Zealand above the average, published in The Spirit Level, 2009.
Leave is sought to table that graph from The Spirit Level, 2009. Is there any objection? There is no objection.
I seek leave to table a graph showing that more adults are obese and more children are overweight in more unequal countries, published in The Spirit Level, 2009.
Leave is sought to table that graph from The Spirit Level, 2009. Is there any objection? Did I hear objection? There is objection.
Finally, I seek leave to table a graph showing the educational outcomes are lower, and educational performance is lower, in more unequal countries.