Rich Katherine: General Debate 
Rich Katherine: General Debate 
[Volume:639;Page:9844] 
KATHERINE RICH (National) 
: 
 That deep political insight was from Lianne Dalziel underachiever and what we have seen from what she has just outlined is a lack of understanding of what politics is about. She criticises John Key for working hard to get elected. Well hello—what is the aim of every single political party that has ever come to Parliament in New Zealand’s history? It is to get elected and to be in Government. Then she criticises him for talking to journalists. Does not everybody? Does not every member of Parliament talk to journalists? Is that not what we are supposed to do? The whole idea that people can make small talk might be totally anathema to the Government side of the House but on the Opposition side members are working very hard to get elected to govern. 
One of the things we would like Labour members to do to make sure they do not get elected to Government ever again is to change their leader. I have an idea: they should appoint Steve Maharey. Steve Maharey who has been the kiss of death for every single portfolio he has touched would be the final nail in the coffin for Labour. 
I would like to spend my 5 minutes talking about the failures of Steve Maharey but I have to say there is not enough time to do so in any general debate. Do members remember the Community Employment Group? He was the guy who brought to us bread-tag earrings hip-hop tours and the much-vaunted social entrepreneur scheme that lasted all of about a couple of years before it died a slow death. When the Minister took over Television New Zealand that company was worth in excess of $1 billion. It would be lucky to be worth a third of that now. He is the person who gave birth to the charter which has brought us more reality shows than we have ever seen on New Zealand television before. He has created a television company that is now a mere shadow of its former self. 
Then of course he got stuck into tertiary education. He spent $400 million just thinking about tertiary reforms. He took the Tertiary Education Commission from a staff of 30 people to a staff of over 330 people. We do not know what they are doing. He also oversaw the debacle that was the wananga and the massive growth in community courses which brought us highlights such as homeopathy for pets pendulum swinging colour selection twilight golf—which was one of my personal favourites—and also the radio singalong courses. 
Then of course the Labour Government not content with causing chaos in those other portfolio areas decided to inflict Steve Maharey upon every single New Zealand child by putting him in charge of the education system. If we look at what he has done with the 20 free hours policy we see that that policy was very clear in 2005. Every single 3 and 4-year-old child was to have access to 20 hours’ free early childhood education come this July. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: 92000 of them. 
KATHERINE RICH 
: There were 92000 kids who were going to get it. Parents will be very disturbed and angered when this thing rolls out to find that not only will they not have it locally in their centres but also they will be asked to pay money on top of that. I do not know what the Minister’s definition of the word “free” is but on this side of the House we think it means no additional payment. The part charges plus the reductions in quality plus in some cases asking staff to take a pay cut will not wash with New Zealanders. 
This week we heard his bizarre announcement about changes to tuck shops and canteens. The National Administration Guidelines state that only healthy food options will be sold in schools. But then the Minister—back-pedalling at a rate of knots during the day—proceeded to personally exempt foods. He issued a list of all of the foods that would be OK in tuck shops post the Steve Maharey regime. He listed pizza cakes sausage sizzles sausage rolls and pies. The humble pie was safe under his new National Administration Guidelines. I do not know whether the Minister does not understand what the phrase “only healthy options” means but I would say that if he did a survey amongst Kiwis none of the foods that he personally exempted would be included. 
Finally I refer to the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). After 6 years of this Government telling us that everything was OK with NCEA and that all the criticisms were unwarranted it has come out and basically implemented the changes National has been calling for for years. New Zealanders see through this Government. They are sick and tired of it and that is why they will elect National come the next election.