Hon Christopher Finlayson

Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Has he received advice on the UN Development Programme’s Human Development Report2009; and is he concerned that it positions New Zealand as having the sixth-biggest gap between rich and poor among countries with very high human development, with a similar inequality score to India and Russia?

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General) on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs: No. The Minister is advised that NZAID, Treasury, and the Ministry of Social Development have not yet seen the report, and the Government cannot comment about the content of a report it has not received. However, I can advise the member that an electronic version of the executive summary, which was sent in advance of the report’s release, has been received. I understand that this summary says nothing about the inequality scores the member referred to in his question.

Dr Kennedy Graham: Given that this report has been completely available for the past week, has Cabinet discussed the findings of British researchers Wilkinson and Pickett that “Almost every modern social and environmental problem—ill-health, lack of community life, violence, drugs, obesity, mental illness, long working hours, big prison populations—is more likely to occur in a less equal society.”?

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: No.

Dr Kennedy Graham: Is he concerned that the same research shows that violence is higher and more people are imprisoned in more unequal countries; if so, what is his Government doing to improve New Zealand’s inequality ranking from that reported by the United Nations Development Programme?

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: The Government would need to study the report in detail before it could comment on the methodology used or the reliability of the data. I understand that methodology and data are often contentious aspects of such reports.

Dr Kennedy Graham: Given that the methodology of the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report is now 17 years old, and that this particular ranking is taken from the Gini coefficient ratio, which is well known to researchers and policy makers, is he concerned that more people suffer from mental illness in more unequal countries; if so, what is his Government doing to improve New Zealand’s inequality ranking from that recorded by the United Nations Development Programme?

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: The Minister cannot be concerned or unconcerned until the report has been read and the methodology data has been studied.

Dr Kennedy Graham: Working on the assumption that the report will no doubt be read by the Government in due course, at its leisure, is his Government’s policy of tax cuts for the rich and cutting weekly accident compensation entitlements for casual and seasonal workers likely to increase or decrease inequality in New Zealand?

Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: I can assure the member that when the report is received it will be read.