Benson-Pope David: General Debates 
Benson-Pope David: General Debates 
[Volume:616;Page:11932] 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister of Fisheries) 
: 
 One of the interesting developments in recent months in New Zealand politics has been the disappearance of the ACT party. While most voters in this country clearly consider that a highly desirable state of affairs I would like to dwell on the reason for it. It is because most people did not support ACT because of its extremism and the extraordinary extremism of its policies. So why has the ACT party disappeared in the current environment? It is because the leader of the National Party is regarded by the ACT party and voters as the ninth ACT MP. ACT has proudly made that very boast. 
The ACT party has lost its position of extremism because those policies of extremism have been taken over by what was once a middle-of-the-road party the National Party. People are now starting to realise as Dr Brash’s exposes his underbelly that he cannot hide his extremist agenda. Clearly the sale of Kiwibank and other assets such as Radio New Zealand and TVNZ are on the agenda were this country to ever be unfortunate enough to have National in power again. The sending of our young men and women—troops—to Iraq is on the agenda. And clearly that cosying up to the Americans that seems so important to Dr Brash—the internal imperatives for that have not been revealed to the rest of us—is very much the way that that party wishes to proceed. 
Clearly the dumping of New Zealand’s nuclear-free status a status so overwhelmingly supported by voters in this country is on the National Party’s agenda. While we know what Dr Brash has said about superannuation last night he said: “If you’re 50 it might be all right but if you’re 49 you’re in trouble and if you’re 29 then you don’t need to worry because no Government I will be involved in will change superannuation for you.” I do not think that Dr Brash is likely to be involved in any Government in the near future at all and certainly not in 35 years’ time. 
What do we have in contrast? We have a Labour Party in Government that with its Progressive supporters and support from United Future and the Greens is working with New Zealanders for good outcomes for people in this country—not a party like the National Party that if it ever were to return to power would repeat the attacks that it previously mounted on the most vulnerable: the young the old and the sick. 
What are we on about? We are on about opportunity for all. We are working with New Zealanders. We are lifting their literacy and thousands more students have benefited. We are also lifting standards and we have doubled the number of resource teachers in literacy since 1998-99. We are a Government that is focused on growth and innovation. Everyone in this country knows that our industry training strategy is working. We are making the effort to ensure that this country has the skilled workforce that it needs for the future of all New Zealanders. There is huge growth in training. Record numbers of people are participating in industry training. We are getting young people into trades and we are building those crucial links between schools and the workplace. Unemployment is at a 16-year low. 
Under Dr Brash we would have gone to war in Iraq. What did he say? He said: “I think I would have done what President Bush did. We are still in the middle of the Iraq situation. We may not know for 5 years whether this invasion was a good idea.” At the moment Dr Brash thinks that it probably was but it is not finished yet. 
 Well Dr Brash needs to have a look at the views of the community in New Zealand on such interventions and he will once again change his policy because he knows what people in this country want. We have a proud record and we will not send our young men and women to the war for the sake of a few extra chops or steaks on American dinner tables. Dr Brash would. He and his morally corrupt colleagues believe in a swap of guns for butter and never mind the morality. Is it not so ironic that the young men and women he would so happily commit to conflict are so overwhelmingly over-representing the Maori community? 
I would like to finish with a quote from Brian Easton the economist who said recently: “Look it depends on your political perspective. If you think the main aim in life is to reduce taxes on the rich and to reduce spending on the poor there is some logic in the Brash position. If you take the traditional New Zealand position that by spending money on the young and the sick we can enhance the performance of the economy then a National Party position makes no sense.”