Wong Pansy: Appropriation (2005/06 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
Wong Pansy: Appropriation (2005/06 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
[Volume:627;Page:22237] 
PANSY WONG (National) 
: 
 We have heard very clearly the urgency in the tone used by the Hon Pete Hodgson together with the other two speakers Trevor Mallard and Steve Maharey to see a National Government in 6 weeks’ time. The Hon Pete Hodgson cannot wait. We heard the anxiousness in his speech. Do members know why? None of those three Labour members who have spoken in the debate mentioned even once the last Budget speech of the Hon Michael Cullen. In fact Labour members want to put that nightmare Budget behind them. I bet all of them like the public cannot wait to see the incoming Minister of Finance the Hon John Key deliver an alternative budget because Labour simply does not know how to proceed. It has totally run out of options and solutions. 
Where is the Hon Michael Cullen’s KiwiSaver? Why are no members standing in the Chamber to say they can campaign for the so-called third-term Government on this Budget 2005? They have thrown the Budget away. The Hon Michael Cullen the Minister of Finance preached to the public to be fiscally responsible and said there was no fat in the Budget to reward hard-working New Zealanders. Oops! Suddenly $300 million came up from nowhere for interest-free student loans. 
Let me lay out the reasons why Labour is so anxious in a tone that we can hear for National to come in and to see John Key’s budget because Labour cannot proceed. Look at education. What is the solution? I refer to Labour’s pre-school policy. Its own Minister from Auckland does not even know which pre-school childcare facility would qualify for the 20 hours. We have the carers calling for Labour to scrap that. 
How about schools? They have no answer because Trevor Mallard not too long ago wanted to close 300 schools. Oops! He changed his mind. I refer to tertiary education. What is the answer? The answer is 200 bureaucrats. The Hon Michael Cullen talked about quality education—singalong courses that were supposed to be closed down. When? It was last year. Well I have bad news for Labour. Enrolments were still open until yesterday. Another class is to start in August. 
Then worse student loans—what is the answer? Interest-free loans! Pete Hodgson mentioned that National members should stand and be prepared for close scrutiny. Well he is a fine one to talk! When the Westpac economist scrutinised the so-called $300 million cost he came out with a figure that was at least double and it could rise to a billion dollars. That is amazing is it not? Labour does not like scrutiny. Labour does not like its numbers to be scrutinised. So here we go. Education has nowhere to go. 
I want to tackle the Hon Pete Hodgson because he wants to talk about solutions. Nobody would be able to tell or to predict this about the Hon Pete Hodgson. He was the Labour Opposition spokesperson on energy for 9 years. When he became the Minister of Energy his first policy was to seek an inquiry into the energy sector. He was 9 years in Opposition and his first role as Minister was to ask for an inquiry. Even today I do not think that people out there actually know what Labour’s policy on energy is—whether it is more wind farms: not possible due to objectors using the Resource Management Act. The next minute it wants clean fuels and suddenly it comes up with a concession for the oil exploration industry. What a contrast! Then there is the billion-dollar problem with the Kyoto Protocol. How can people have confidence in Labour? 
What about the police? We thought Labour had spelt out its commitment for a safe New Zealand community and that it would put some money into police. Now the word on the street is that it will come up with even more money for the police. But people are still looking for police on the streets. Everywhere I go including public meetings it is obvious that every single individual who turns up to public meetings tells all the candidates that priority for police under Labour is on issuing tickets. No matter how much Labour members try to convince the public that New Zealand is now enjoying its safest period and that the police have the highest budget no single individual whom I have come across throughout New Zealand actually believes that Labour has any answers for keeping the New Zealand community safe. 
That is why during all those three speeches none of those members was proud enough to talk about Michael Cullen’s Budget. Instead I could hear the pleading in their voices that they wanted to hear about the alternative budget of John Key—the incoming Minister. They seemed to be secretly asking us to help Labour because they did not know which way to turn or where to lead New Zealand in terms of Michael Cullen’s word that the long-term economic and social health of New Zealand is waiting to be improved. 
In the last 6 long years Labour has just squandered the best economic situation and conditions that have faced New Zealand. It did nothing but reconfirm that Labour is a high-tax and income redistribution party that basically is keen only to tax people and then hand it out to its favourite groups without paying any attention or respect to hard-working New Zealanders. It holds the business sector in contempt. It has absolutely no respect for business. I do not know why. That is the sector that provides jobs but it gets nothing from this Government. 
The fact is that everywhere I go I am asked what sort of a Government it is that would insult its citizens by telling them after 6 years that they have to wait another 3 years to get a 67c tax cut per week. That is why there is silence on Dr Michael Cullen the Minister of Finance and they have chosen to forget this Budget statement. The 2005 Budget is a total failure for Labour and I can tell that all members opposite are anxious and waiting to see what National will come up with. They are waiting for a new Minister of Finance who has an alternative budget that would reward New Zealanders not subject them to high taxes.