O'Connor Simon; Borrows ChesterSIMON O'CONNOR (National—Tāmaki): I want to wish everyone in the House—granted it is February—a happy New Year. It is good to be back. I just want to take a quick umbrage—point out some strange contradictions coming from the last speaker Metiria Turei. The first is that the bus has already left with a lot of the good initiatives that the Greens just raised. One of them was around communities in schools and trying to build that up. I can already think of what we have done in the school area where we actually have schools cooperating together and supporting their communities. I think actually in my own electorate of Tāmaki of some of the schools in Glen Innes that actually work to support the wider community where they do their cooking in schools they do their gardens they have the social workers and they invite the parents in. These are ideas that the National Government has already implemented and has done years ago and yet here are the Greens theorising about it and talking about it as their idea when in fact if they really looked at what was happening on the ground—I suppose not being constituent MPs does not help them—these things are already happening. My colleague here Alfred Ngaro who has also got great connections into the Tāmaki area knows that amazing things have already happened.The other thing I thought I would point out is this pick and choose" approach that a lot of the Opposition has to these religious groups. Metiria Turei is more than happy to support the Salvation Army on this report but I would be fascinated to know rhetorically speaking what she thinks of the Salvation Army's position on drugs on issues of life and stuff because it just seems so convenient how they pick and choose on those matters.I want to start though beyond that with something more positive which is acknowledging our new Prime Minister and our new Deputy Prime Minister—an incredibly exciting new team I think a very confident Government and one that is showing great continuity. Being back in the electorate the last few weeks my voters are particularly pleased at how the transition has occurred and how strongly this Government has begun—as I say a strong positive start. That is how you run a Government.That has been a complete contrast in the last few weeks to Labour and the Greens. They are demonstrating already just how you run a circus act. I used to say that Labour is full of old ideas but after hearing the Little state of the nation speech recently clearly there are no ideas at all. When I was asked a few days ago by the single Labour voter in my electorate what it stands for I was genuinely unable to answer. What does Labour actually stand for any more?Scott Simpson: Haven't got a clue.SIMON O'CONNOR: Have not got a clue someone—actually my good colleague Scott Simpson—says. But look to be fair to the Labour Party it is in some ways a timeless party. The year 2017 is going to be the year of Willie Jackson Laila Harré and Greg O'Connor—and no disrespect to Greg but we are not related. They are back—Willie and Laila. They are back and this time they are going to be great. Yes really—this time for sure they will be great.When we think about the opening addresses this week what a contrast: the Prime Minister Bill English giving a clear confident speech full of fresh ideas for all the 20 minutes allocated and the leader of Labour covered his prepared speech notes in less than 12 minutes—less than 12 minutes. He ran out of ideas and had to try to start again.Scott Simpson: Ran out of speech.SIMON O'CONNOR: He ran out of speech. And they say that speaking succinctly is a great skill but in Parliament all you get is a short "Little" speech.But already this Government has brought out an array of new ideas. In fact my colleague Maggie Barry has just come into the room. I know there have been a number of announcements in the conservation space already including around the kiwi—just absolutely fantastic. But the big one and I know colleagues have spoken to it is around the police announcement that we will be funding 1100 new people within the police force. I think that is tremendous news.I am very fortunate in the seat of Tāmaki to live ultimately in one of the safest areas and I think a lot of that comes down not just to the amazing work that our police do but actually it does not matter whether it is Ōrākei through to Glen Innes Glendowie to Kohimārama we have very strong positive communities that look after one another and consequently low crime rates. But I know again being out in the electorate people are very very pleased at this announcement that there will be more police on the beat. They are also particularly pleased that there will be a number of ancillary support staff. One has to think of those say working in the Institute of Environmental Science and Research and the likes of forensics to support what the police do. I know there are a number of members in this House who have linkages to the police—in my case through my dad and a number of friends—who appreciate that it is not just the bobbies on the beat and we are grateful for what they do; it is all those people in behind supporting them in their jobs. So it is a really good announcement.Another element that has gone down particularly well is the announcement of an 0800 number for those non-urgent crimes. I do not know about other members in the House here—I am sure it has happened from time to time that an issue is arising in your neighbourhood and dialling 111 seems just a little bit extreme. And then at that time trying to track down the exact phone number for the local station—I am happy to report that in my electorate they are open and operating in some cases 24/7. But to have that 0800 number where you can report that sort of second-level non-urgent crime I think is a fantastic—Todd Barclay: Cat stuck up a tree.SIMON O'CONNOR: I do not think I am going to repeat that exactly. But that is really really positive.There are a number of other positive elements happening within Tāmaki and around Auckland of course: the Waterview Connection—granted it is more out west but that is going to be an amazing transport service when it opens in a few weeks' time. It will have an immediate effect I predict right across the Auckland isthmus. What is happening with Tāmaki Drive at the moment speaking more to constituents personally—I am very conscious of the dynamics around Ngapipi Road and the suggestion from Auckland Transport that we are going to have to put in traffic lights and a roundabout. We are fighting that one and we are also continuing to push the promotion of the Tāmaki Drive petition to increase the access to that wonderful gem in Auckland and demand that the council upgrade that road and that cycleway to make it far more engaging. If you have been in the electorate the last couple of weekends be it in Ōkahu Kohimārama Saint Heliers Mission Bay—what an amazing area. It is vibrant and the small businesses—the new ones that have opened and those continuing—are really thriving in the business space. I think it is just a tremendous testament to the work that this Government is doing to support them particularly in the small business space.It cannot go without saying too—again coming back to the Prime Minister—it is fantastic so early on that the Prime Minister chose to come into Tāmaki to celebrate Waitangi Day. It was great to be up there along with a few other colleagues to support the PM up in—I was going to say Bastion Point. There is also another appropriate cultural name and I will leave that to my colleague Peeni Henare to bring up.Carmel Sepuloni: Ōrākei.SIMON O'CONNOR: Well no Ōrākei is the name of the suburb. Bastion Point is a very particular point in time. Ask your colleague Peeni Henare who is still a constituent MP—and a damn fine one at that too I might add as just a bit of a message across the House to his party leadership.Scott Simpson: Oh watch out for Willie. Watch out for Willie.SIMON O'CONNOR: That is right. But it was just fantastic to have the Prime Minister there.I just want to turn very quickly to the Health Committee welcoming the new members on board there. We have an incredibly intense workload ahead of us but there are already some really positive signs coming out of the health portfolio: 93 percent of children getting their B4 School Check.But I want to use these last couple of minutes to talk about the announcement today around cannabis. Most members of this House will know clearly where I stand on the issue but I welcome today's announcement. First and foremost I think it takes a very firm line against the legislation of recreational drugs but what I do support is making medications available when necessary so the announcement today that specialists will be able to prescribe cannabinoid medications is excellent. First and foremost it makes life easier for those who need it. Having sat through hours if not days of hearings particularly around assisted suicide—so talking to a lot of people from palliative care—the efficacy in some very particular circumstances of cannabis-based products has been well and clearly signalled so those specialists will now be able to prescribe without having to go through the Minister.It also separates out medical marijuana from that recreational use. For too long medical use has been put forward as a Trojan Horse to slip recreational marijuana past the public. Making cannabis into a proper medication—a pill or an inhaler—is good news because it does end the suggestion that it should be smoked. We do not smoke medication in this country. No one smokes paracetamol cigarettes you do not huff ibuprofen and I have never seen anyone freebasing antibiotics. Of course the Green Party will not be happy with New Zealand's marijuana policy till they can spark up a big fat spliff right here in the debating Chamber and get "blitzed as a bat". I have to say I am looking forward to that being in Hansard. But perhaps marijuana would lose some of its allure if we could make it available only as a suppository. Then if the Green Party members do not like it they can literally shove it up their—oh I am out of time.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: That is enough."