Question Time 18 February 2025

The galleries were booked out. Sitting at home with a beer. Mysteries of Lisbon is really cool. Probably read an article by David Bordwell that mentioned it, given the use of tableau staging. - Most of TPM are present, except Debbie. - Report about Fired Up Stilettos has been received. - Karen Chhour is correcting an answer. Lan Pham is correcting a supplementary question. - 1. Chippy to Omelette C 6, PO 5 'Tourism is an absolutely critical industry ... growing tourism is a good thing ... we're going all out on tourism' - Omelette. 47,000 people left NZ in the last year, up from 43,000 in 2023. 'no more phantom projects ... $33 billion in the national transport plan' - Omelette on the future for engineers. Chippy is calling it the 'everyone must go' strategy/plan/mantra. 'If the opposition wants answers, listen to them ... this is the week where someone is going to go [ejected from the House]' - Brownlee. Rawiri has a supp, saying something about Rotorua. 2. Marama to Omelette MD 7, PO 4 $30 million investment in conservation. 'A range of investments being made' $47.2 million in cuts by DOC. 'Doesn't cover the hole' - Marama. Luxon's face gets a bit crushed by the lighting, so it's not all about dark skin. Pink Skull (mocking): 'Spending as a goal' 'His government continues to put commercial interest over protecting Te Taiao for future generations' - Marama. 3. Garcia to Willis PG 6, NW 6 'Manufacturing sector shifting out of reverse and into first gear ... the services sector, the largest part of our economy as a whole, is growing ... dairy incomes look set to hit record highs ... go the farmers!' - Nicola. 12% increase in overseas visitors to NZ. I could do this live if you let me have my laptop. Patsy question. Well done, with minimal interjections. 4. McClure to Brooke LM 5, BVV 5 'Pay deductions for partial strikes ... we need to restore balance to the rights and consequences of collective bargaining ... why should they get paid a normal wage?' - Brooke. She sounds nice - I hear that she sings opera from my friends - but the words tell the real story. 'Act to remove workers in cases of serious misconduct ... without fear doing so will cost tens of thousands of dollars in personal grievance' - Brooke. 'It's the community that loses out' when people hold partial strikes. Yeah, right. 5. Edmonds to Willis BE 7, NW 5 Barbara said that $125 million was cut from environmental initiatives. Nicola claimed she'd said billion and didn't answer. Tourism 'supports New Zealand jobs and incomes' - Nicola. 'Investment in cycle trails continues,' despite a large cut. 'We stand by our decision to support tourism growth' - Nicola. Another out of order question from Winston. 6. Rutherford to Goldie TR 5, PG 5 'The next step is the Sentencing Reform Amendment Bill' - Goldie. Second reading this arvo. A cap on total sentencing discounts of up to 40%. 'You can't be remorseful repeatedly.' 24,000 fewer victims of crime, though the number sounded a bit iffy. 'Stalking an illegal and jailable offence' - Goldie. Tākuta to Goldie: overrepresentation of Māori? 'Our goal is to reduce the victims of crime ... Māori are more likely to be victims of crime' - Goldie 7. Willow-Jean to Karen Chhour WJP 6, KC 4 'Opportunities for young people to be the best version of themselves' - Karen defending the boot camps. 'They are repeat serious youth offenders ... 2 crimes with a sentence of 10 years or more. They will end up in a youth justice facility anyway.' She's got an uncertain tone, which is probably much more helpful in day-to-day politics. Not everyone has to be an excellent debater or orator. 8. Arbuckle to Jonesy JA 5, SJ 5 Regional development. New motorway interchange, I think. 'The Leader of the Māori party is currently up there meddling in Polynesia' - Jonesy, who can't resist an easy quip. 'It shouldn't just be the glory of the matua, but to the people who have supported my narrative day after day' - Good point. Extending marine farming presence in those parts of NZ where it's a vital industry. Marlborough District Council is 'meddling.' 9. Bates to Upston CB 4, LU 5 Minister of Tourism and Hospitality. 'Tourism is a crucial part of our government's focus on economic growth' We're at something like 86% of pre-Covid levels, not that you'd know it from today. 'We're letting our Aussie mates know we're ready and willing to welcome them now' 12% increase in international visitor arrivals in December 2024 vs. 2023. Around 4 million Australians are actively considering a holiday in New Zealand. 93% of NZers see benefits from increased tourism. What about the climate costs? Lots of patsy questions, or maybe I'm noticing them more. Cushla supplementary about Tekapo. The mayor of Tekapo isn't keen on tourists. 10. Ginny to Chief Piggum GA 7, MM 4 Gangs. 'Nuff said. 'Police now control our streets, not the gangs' - Mitchell 9,000 more grams of meth consumed each week. 129% increase over one year. 'We know that we've got a problem in this country with methamphetamine' - Mitchell. $34 million per week of social harm from meth, while charges and convictions for illicit drugs have continued to plateau. How about legalising and building those consumption centres that Gary and I keep banging on about? Question 10. Luxon is still in the House -- maybe Chloe's got a question? Shanan has a supp about the Destiny Church protest. 'I condemn the actions of Destiny Church ... Destiny Church is not above the law' - Mitchell 119 incidents of rainbow hate between September and November last year. Wow. That's just the documented stuff. 11. Chloe to Omelette CS 6, PO 4 'We know the big difference that our Roads of National Significance have made' - Omelette. 'Indonesian coal ... we're not going to have the situation we had last year.' Is coal a mineral? Didn't even bother to answer: it's on the critical minerals list. 21 of 37 critical minerals apparently are in the whenua. Importing more coal than our reduction commitments. 'A consistent, good energy policy' - Omelette. 'This country needs to grow' - Omelette's answer to Rod Carr calling anti-climate action a crime against humanity. 12. Nimon to Potaka KN 5, TP 5 A dozen conservation projects announced, though it's really all about tourism. $19 million into protecting biodiversity. Basically the Predator-Free plan. Doesn't really sound like anywhere near enough. Environmental investment should be 2% of GDP, not defence. Fixing suspension bridges. That's good. 'A top-notch manuhiri experience' - Tama. Jonesy sounded a warning horn with the final supp.