Children, Young Persons, and Their Families
te-pati-maori
Thu Aug 19 2010 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families
Thursday, 19 August 2010, 10:19 am
Speech: The Maori Party
Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Amendment Bill Education Amendment Bill (No 3) / Taxation (Definitions of Dependent Child) Bill / Social Security (New Work Tests, Incentives, and Obligations) Amendment Bill / War Pensions Amendment Bill (No 3) - Third Reading
Rahui Katene, MP for Te Tai Tonga
Wednesday 18 August 2010; 7.50pm
The Bill sets into statute the commitments made by the government prior to the election to ensure a fairer welfare system with an unrelenting focus on work.
The bringing together of the welfare system with the world of work is key to the bill. The aim is to create a shift away from state dependency and into full/part time employment.
Although the aspirational goal of reducing state dependency is a logical one - and one that we fully support - the economic downturn has actually resulted in a greater need for social security, and significantly more so for Maori.
Mr Speaker, we come to this reading, shattered by the loss of two leading figures in our world - Te Miringa Hohaia and Te Kapunga Matemoana Dewes. Both these men lived their lives committed to the pathway towards self-determination.
They were leaders who helped shape the transformation of their iwi, and directly led to the cultural revival and renaissance of te reo Maori, of treaty settlements, of the unique cultural heritage of Hinerupe Marae, of Parihaka Pa, and of our wider history and assets.
They were staunch to the kaupapa, they were unafraid of conflict, they were prepared to act with decisiveness and with courage, to set a pathway forward. They were driven by the aspiration of being self-determining, self-managing, of walking the talk.
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But in the process of positioning themselves in their own pathway - it was always done with the best interests of the people in mind.
Self-determination does not mean sacrificing the well-being of the people.
And that is where we must agree to disagree with the policy enshrined in this BIll.
For while we are intent on our achieving our own aspirational goal of reducing state dependency, our foundation is always in whanau.
And I would remind the House of the key message that we campaigned the motu on, in the lead up to the last election. He aha te mea nui o te Ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the greatest thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.
And so we look at National's policy direction we see that the bill is intended to promote an, "unrelenting focus on work".
Unrelenting, according to the Collins Dictionary is defined as "refusing to relent or take pity; relentless; merciless".
That is the hub of our concern Mr Speaker.
In the changes from the select committee we note that if a person does not recomply with their work test obligations within the first four weeks, then a further 50% reduction would be applied on time of the first 50% reduction - the punishment that keeps on punishing.
A lot has been made about limiting sanctions for beneficiaries with young children to a 50% reduction - but the point remains - who cares for the children?
Why hurt the children because of their parent's failure to attend a work test? What did the children do to cause the state to punish them?
Our mokopuna are precious - we must do everything we can to nurture them, and to keep them safe, warm, and well-fed.
We are the first to admit that the system is unsustainable and not working so change is needed.
We believe a bold and visionary approach is required.
A bold and visionary approach such as whanau ora is needed, not one of blame and punishment.
We agree that people who can work should work
But children must not be punished because their parents are beneficiaries - we must maintain a safety net for them
I would advise the House that in 2006 there were over 50,000 Maori children living in single parent households reliant on benefit income - this figure is likely to have increased.
That in itself is 50,000 reasons not to support this Bill.
I do want to say, Mr Speaker, that there were some positive changes made during the process which we found favour with.
We acknowledge the Minister particularly for introducing the new exemption so that people on any benefit who are leaving situations of domestic violence will not be work-tested. This is an important exemption to give them time to adjust to their changing circumstances.
We also support the focus in recognising the importance of full time study as a way to improve job prospects. The exemption from work-test obligations at level four or above and the new $500 loan for course-related costs are positive changes.
But I want to come back to the origins of this legislation.
This package was initially branded as the future focus package.
Due to the fact that Maori are disproportionately represented in the beneficiary sector, coupled with a downturn in the type of jobs our people are expected to be employed in, we believe this Bill will be detrimental to Maori at this unique point in time.
Because it's all well and good having an 'unrelenting focus on work' if the jobs are there - but we have a real question around that.
We know the inter-generational effect that the reforms of the 80s and 90s had on young Maori where their parents were forced from work and then found themselves in considerable poverty. We know the helpless despair of unemployment.
In addition, there is cause for concern regarding the availability of part time work and the ninety day probation period, especially where solo parents are concerned. You can not look at these bills in isolation from each other, to look at these policies in isolation of each other.
You need to look at the whole range of policies that are affecting people in those areas.
Tertiary training as an alternative is only as good as the health of job creation, which is only showing a marginal recovery.
All of these factors do not give us the confidence that those of our most vulnerable whanau who most need our protection, will not be adversely affected by this bill.
We do acknowledge that both this Minister and our co-leader, Minister Turia, have worked really hard to do what they can to address the employment crisis that particularly impacts upon our people.
The latest unemployment figures were nothing short of shocking: 159,000 people, out of work. 16.8% of Maori unemployed. Most people want to work and every day thousands of people spend the majority of their day looking for a job, for any job.
For these people, and their families, it is little comfort to recognise that unemployment numbers in Maori communities have been consistently high since the 1980s and even in the time of plenty, Maori unemployment figures were still high and particularly for those who are under 25 years of age.
They want a chance - and Community Max and Jobs Op have given them that.
Community Max essentially prepares our young people for work and gives them an opportunity to learn new skills, develop a good work ethic and find a pathway out of unemployment.
The programme has been immensely successful in the short time of its duration. In fact at last count, some 3200 positions have been filled, and of these approximately 1900 were taken up by young Maori.
These are wonderful statistics and we acknowledge both Ministers for their vision and their commitment in placing these schemes on the Government's agenda.
But we cannot pretend that Community Max - no matter how good it is - is providing the long-term, sustainable employment required.
And so there will be casualties, those who end up back on the unemployment line - and we fear for their future, as a consequence of this Bill.
It is because of these people, our most vulnerable, and because of our children, that we have split our vote, one for and four against.
ENDS
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