Ryall Tony: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ryall Tony: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 11 May 2011. Volume:672;Page:18562. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. It just goes to show what 2½ years in Opposition does to some people who used to see themselves bestriding the body politic of this nation. After 2½ years in which to learn why they were unceremoniously flung from office by the people of New Zealand why their policies were discredited and why they were kicked out on their heads what work have they done to prepare themselves to be Government if they ever get that opportunity again? Absolutely nothing. They have done absolutely nothing. In fact they have spent their whole time in this House in the last 2 weeks focusing on things that matter to not one New Zealander. They have been focusing on things that matter to not one New Zealander.  
We have a country that has gone through the global financial crisis a huge mining tragedy and devastating earthquakes. We are facing enormous financial challenges and enormous personal challenges for New Zealanders and what do the Opposition members focus on? They focus on completely irrelevant minutiae of interest to no one but themselves. That is not a recipe for being an alternative Government. That is a recipe for spending another three or four terms in Opposition. That is what we see opposite. This Government is rescuing New Zealand from the worst peacetime blows since the Depression and the Napier earthquake. 
What Labour hates the most is that New Zealand is coming through the storm with the strong and determined leadership of John Key and the National-led Government. Because the Opposition has spent 2½ years on not addressing any big policy issues and not trying to learn the lessons from being kicked out as the most despised Government this country has ever had it now finds itself 6 months from an election putting all its energy and effort into stuff that does not matter. Have we had any questions in the last 2 weeks about what is being done to help people in Christchurch? Not one question. Have we had any questions or suggestions in the last 2 weeks on how we can get our country moving forward creating jobs wealth and prosperity? Not one question. Have we had any questions on how we can leverage the billions of dollars of extra money that has gone into health and education? Have we had any questions on how we can improve that? Have we had any questions or policy ideas on how the one in five kids who leave school without being able to read and write well enough can get a better education? Not one. Have we had any questions on how we can get our health service to provide even faster and better services for New Zealanders? Not one. But have we had questions on the petrol that Ministers have used? Yes. Have we had questions on painting a building: Premier House? Yes. Have we had questions on a carpet? Yes. Have we had questions on who is guarding whom? Yes.  
We have had no questions on the issues that really matter to New Zealanders and that is why I say to members opposite that they are destined to spend an even longer period in Opposition than they fear. After 2½ years in Opposition the very best they can provide is a question time of silly questions to the Prime Minister from which they have not scored one point whatsoever. Labour is a party that is really suited for failure and that is what we are seeing.  
What we are seeing from National is a determination to deal with the issues that really matter to New Zealanders and those are the issues of getting our economy moving forward and creating jobs wealth and prosperity. The National Government wants to keep down the taxes paid by the people whom we rely on to create jobs for other New Zealanders. It is determined to make sure that the one in five kids who cannot read and do maths well enough get the opportunity to be better educated. It has put 500 extra doctors and over 1000 extra nurses into our public hospitals.