﻿Mr SPEAKER: Question No 2, Metiria Turei.
METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the PM:
Does he stand by all his statements?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY (PM): Yes.
Metiria Turei: Does the PM still consider
that the number of children in low-decile schools
who “actually require lunch is the odd one or two.”?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The member would have to go back
to the full interview that she is quoting from.
I do not think that is a direct quote,
but what I did say was that the vast bulk of youngsters
actually do come to school with lunch,
and I stand by that statement.
Metiria Turei: How can it possibly be true that only
the odd one or two kids in low-decile schools need lunch
when since the beginning of this year alone 1,000 more children
have joined the KidsCan waiting list, meaning that 7,500 children
are now waiting for KidsCan’s help?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The starting point of the member’s question is wrong,
and she knows it is wrong because I just corrected it in the first answer.
Putting that to one side, actually, this is the Government
that supported KidsCan. This is the Government that has enabled it
to have more resources to do the very good work that Julie Helson does.
Metiria Turei: Does the PM still think that the number of kids
in low-decile schools who require lunch is just the odd one or two,
when nine schools in Northland are now on the waiting list
for help from KidsCan?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The member obviously has a hearing problem
because she did not hear the answer to the first question
or the second one. I know— that is right. She just likes
to make things up as she goes along, which actually destroys
her own argument. If you cannot come up with decent statistics
that actually stack up, or decent quotes, by definition
you defeat your own argument.
Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
My question was explicitly about the nine schools in Northland
that are now on the KidsCan waiting list, and the PM
did not address that question.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! That was not the specific question.
The question also included an opening comment,
asking whether the PM still thinks the numbers involved
are just simply one or two.
That was the part the PM certainly addressed in his answer.
Metiria Turei: Will the PM commit to spending
just a fraction of the cost of the 10 new Northland bridges
on the nine Northland schools, so that the children in those schools
can have lunch to eat every day?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I think it is important to understand
what the Government does spend, which is billions and billions
and billions of dollars a year supporting low-income families
and low-income NZers. But one thing I do know is that a stronger
roading infrastructure in Northland, under a National-led Government,
will lead to stronger job growth.
We already saw the GDP numbers for Northland this year
as very, very strong. We know that 7,500 jobs have been created
in Northland in the last 12 months. We know that this Government
has spent three-quarters of a billion dollars on roading
over the last 7 years in Northland, which is 40% more than Labour did.
Actually, even on this side of the House we are in
the slightly novel form of knowing which candidate we are going vote for.
Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
My question asked the PM whether he would commit
to new funding for the nine Northland schools
whose kids go without lunch every day. He did not address that question.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Again, can I invite the member
to carefully look at her question, after question time.
She included a statement around a fraction
of what was being spent on the bridges announcement
that was used in the House yesterday by the Government.
The PM addressed that. He also addressed spending on education.
The question was addressed.
Metiria Turei: Will the PM vote for the “Feed the Kids Bill”
in Parliament next week, so that all political parties can work
with experts to develop the best legislative solution
so that all of our kids are being fed at school?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: No, and no for a very good reason.
The vast majority of kids are actually fed by their parents.
Their parents, irrespective of their economic circumstances,
actually do a very good job of providing breakfast and lunch,
and the Government would far rather direct those resources,
on a targeted basis, to those in need.
The Government already supports the breakfast in schools programme.
I am advised that 791 schools out of the 2,500 schools
approximately in NZ take up that programme in some part,
and I think the Government has got its target in the right direction.
Metiria Turei: Will he at least commit to his Government working
with cross-party agreement to provide food in schools,
given that KidsCan says that 23%, on average, and up to 90% of kids
in schools are going without lunch every day?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I look forward to the quote from Julie
that says that 90% of kids going to school,
in the approximately 2,550 schools in NZ,
are going without lunch. I hate to tell the member,
but I reckon I have been to way more schools than she ever has.
I have been a prolific visitor to schools
in the 7 years I have been the PM. I will tell you what.
Of the 500 schools I have been to, if 90% of the kids
did not have lunch I would be pretty surprised,
because I tell you what, I have seen a lot of them
munching their way through lots and lots of lunches.
If the member wants to come with me to a school,
and I will name the school, and 90% of the kids do not have lunch,
I personally will buy them lunch for the whole year.
[MEMBERS APPLAUD]
Metiria Turei: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
[MEMBERS INTERJECT]
Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am not in a position to hear the point of order.
Metiria Turei: I would like to take the PM up on his invitation.
Mr SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
The member is welcome to communicate with the PM later.
Question No 3.
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