Heatley Phil: Valedictory StatementsText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHeatley Phil: Valedictory Statements[Sitting date: 30 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19687. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon PHIL HEATLEY (National—Whangarei):I am absolutely delighted that you Mr Speaker are presiding here today. You were the chairman of the select committee that I sat on when I first came into Parliament and you were there for many years. It was a Primary Production Committee and no one knew more about agriculture forestry fisheries and biosecurity than you. Of course those skills you brought into the House. You are the best Speaker I have had of the four that I have had. Your fairness your knowledge of the rules—Mr Speaker I cannot read your writing!When I took over as National’s candidate in Whangarei National’s majority was 383 and the local team was determined to leave the party stronger than when it found it. Over the five elections that is what it has done. It has built the membership it has built the finances it has built the party vote and of course it has helped me with my successive majorities. I thank it so much for that work. I remember that first campaign and those people were pretty tough on me. In fact I left my job in January and the election was not until November and I doorknocked pretty hard actually. I do not know how it happened but Jenny fell pregnant that year. One of my team pulled me aside and gave me the hard word and said: “Clearly Phil you’re not working hard enough.”Actually there were lots of good reasons for that time spent not least of all the fact that the photo of my newborn son Bryn on the front page of the Northern Advocate a few months out from the 1999 general election must have been worth about 3000 votes. The truly cynical would say that that was why we had McKenzie in election year 2005. But she would argue that she was worth about 4000 votes. Nina my older daughter was not an election year baby but then she does like to fly under the radar with no one quite knowing what she is up to. She is certainly our quiet achiever. In the 15 years of being an MP’s kids this is all they have ever known. They have had a wonderful experience quite frankly.I would like to give credit to my wife Jenny who never allowed a single person in our family a single close friend a colleague or anyone to say to our children: “Gee it must be tough having a father as a member of Parliament.” “Gee it must be hard not seeing your dad all the time.” or “Gee you guys must have it real tough.” Why would you speak that sort of garbage and bring it into a kid’s life? Actually my children have been to places most kids have never been. My children have met people whom most kids would have loved to meet and they have had conversations round the dinner table that are so rich and interesting that I think most kids would benefit from that. I am very proud actually of how they have carried themselves how they have dealt with the issues that their surname has attracted and how well they are doing at school at youth group and at sports. I salute them.Time forbids me naming everyone in the Whangarei team but thank you up there in Whangarei. I particularly thank my longest-standing chairman and treasurer Murray Broadbelt and Ean Brown. They have been stars. They mastered something foreign to political parties and foreign to politics in general: they called meetings only when we had something to decide. That was a real joy.To those at the National headquarters Peter Goodfellow and Greg Hamilton. Their teams and their staff are the most professional National has ever had. Quite frankly in Parliament Wayne Eagleson has put together a really cohesive bunch. They love to work for him and because of that they go over and above for us and I appreciate it.Jenny and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all these people. But shortly after the last election we started talking about fresh challenges and opportunities for us both. I came in enjoying what I do and I have absolutely loved it. I want to pass on the baton still enjoying it. Mike Sabin my neighbour arrived in 2011 with single-mindedness for Northland energy and lots and lots of ideas. Shane Reti Whangarei’s new candidate has a different style from me and Mike but he shares the same passion for the north as us and I think he will do very very well.Being in Cabinet for 4 years was certainly the highlight. I recall my last meeting where I told Cabinet colleagues how the camaraderie had been absolutely magic. Many of us who have been in Cabinet have been through the furnace of all sorts of innocent but mostly self-inflicted stuff-ups. Mine involved two bottles of wine. In Cabinet it actually gets to the point where it is just your turn to be in trouble. But truthfully when the Labour Party or the media are on the hunt it is much better when it is another colleague’s turn. It is a bit like the two guys who were tramping and came across a tiger when they were in the jungle. One quietly slipped into his Nikes. The other one said: “You’ll never outrun him.” He said: “I don’t have to. I only have to outrun you.” That is what it is like. Although I did not like seeing my colleagues in trouble it was a damned sight better than me being in it.All my ministerial office staff were top-notch. As Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture I know they were really pleased with the reforms we drove for marine farming. It is an extremely exciting and pro-environment industry. After all nothing reacts as badly to poor water quality as an oyster. On top of that delivering on the aquaculture settlement for iwi with Chris Finlayson was just great.My favourite question time was actually as Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Colleagues might recall the death of Happy Feet the emperor penguin. Gareth Hughes tried to pin the murder of Happy Feet on me and the fishing industry. What Mr Hughes did not know was that the Ministry and I had been GPS-tracking Happy Feet since the day he was released into the Southern Ocean. We compared his GPS position with that of the fishing fleet in order to keep it well away. Happily on the day when he accused me of the murder I was able to declare to the House that the fishing industry was innocent and that in fact Happy Feet had quite simply become a Happy Meal.As Minister of Housing I updated the rental rules of the Residential Tenancies Act I began the insulation of every State house in the country and I got rid of the decades-long notion of having a State house for life. That last one was a big policy fish and we got it through with hardly a murmur. In energy and resources our office team introduced reforms to the Crown Minerals Act to promote exploration. We also introduced the new block offer process for awarding oil and gas exploration permits annually. It is continuing with more public acceptance year on year which is pretty much what you get in the long run when you are open and predictable. Interestingly again we had fun in that portfolio and again Gareth Hughes was a victim of my office staff’s sense of humour. He sent a parliamentary question to me asking where in New Zealand oil and gas exploration was occurring. My staff member Kara Isaac and I decided we would send him the answer: “Underground.”I am pretty chuffed to have done 4 years as a Cabinet Minister and I thank the Prime Minister for that. Very few get that opportunity. Obviously I was disappointed when John met with me early last year to tell me about the reshuffle but the meeting was basically one you would expect between pretty reasonable blokes. The Prime Minister is a decent guy. Equally as leader he needs to be free to do what he thinks is logical. So it was a bit like the missionary in Africa who met a lion. He saw the lion he dropped to his knees and he prayed: “Dear Lord let this be a Christian lion.” No sooner had he stood up when the lion dropped to its knees and prayed: “Dear Lord bless this dinner.” That was what it was like.The Prime Minister had to do what he needed to do. He needed to refresh the team. He gave opportunities to Nikki Kaye and Simon Bridges just as he had done for me. In fact the trickle-down effect of Ministers moving to Cabinet new committee chairs replacing those Ministers and then new deputy chairs replacing the committee chairs is good for the party good for the country and good for the Government. I will tell you what—the worst thing was 3 weeks on having to put up with Moana Mackey abusing me in the House for housing policy. Quite simply weeks later I was still getting the abuse; while Nick Smith drew the salary. It was just wrong.I would like to acknowledge the people of Parliament. Mr Speaker you will acknowledge the staff here of course tomorrow. I have enjoyed working with colleagues from right across the House. I will not name them on the other side as I do not want to ruin their careers. Interestingly when I first came in John Banks’ advice was: “Phil in politics friends come and go but enemies accumulate.” Well that might be true for him but it has not been my experience.I have loved working with the Māori Party. I remember a great argument I had with Tariana Turia one time in a committee. We left the committee and as you do we had a bit of a chuckle down the halls because what goes on on the field stays on the field. Being demonstrative by nature I put my arm round her little shoulders as we were walking. I grinned into her face wanting peace and basically said to her: “Look Tari I’m quite interested. Your first name Tariana is very similar to your surname Turia and I was wondering what they meant.” With her sparkling shining brown eyes she looked up at me and said: “Actually Phil one of them means stallion.” I thought: “Oh that’s interesting.” but I slowly took my arm away. I scuttled down the hall and up the steps to the first floor and then into my office. What she did not know is that “Philip” in Greek means lover of horses.Anne Tolley Paul Hutchison and Lindsay Tisch are part of the “class of ‘99” who have shared Tuesday nights together. Simon Power and Katherine Rich—part of that class—are here today and I thank them for coming. So is another former colleague Roger Sowry. They have all been very good sounding boards for me. Apart from anything else Sowry taught me how to say: “That’s right!” across the House in support of the Prime Minister.Hon Member: That’s right!Hon PHIL HEATLEY: That’s right! And quite frankly no one can do it as well as me. “That’s right!”.In this House you have humour everywhere. No one is funnier than Chris Finlayson Maurice Williamson and Gerry Brownlee. I recall Lockwood Smith when we were out at dinner once talking about his waistline. Lockwood was very body conscious. You are not like that at all Mr Speaker. I remember Lockwood saying: “Colleagues it’s interesting. My chest and my waist are the same as they were when I was 25.” Quick as a flash Gerry piped up and said: “Same with me”. It is true that Gerry is pretty headstrong but in all the times I have stuffed up he has done something or said something that has made us both chuckle. Although the pressures and constant invective over Christchurch would have made anyone else more thin-skinned withdrawn or even bitter I think he has actually become an even better bloke and I want to acknowledge him.The MPs’ spouses have been great friends to Jenny. Gerry’s wife Michelle and Mary English have been particularly kind to us both I recall on a number of occasions.No one in my time has held so many offices in Parliament with so much grit and decency as Bill English has. It is unknown outside caucus that he also takes on quite a pastoral role. Bill and Mary have six kids all of whom will shake your hand look you in the eye and hold a decent conversation. I would like to say that Bill’s wider life not simply his politics is to his credit and I acknowledge him.I thank Whangarei residents for co-opting me into so many fascinating projects from the bus bay at Whangarei Boys High School to the building of the new teen parent school the completion of the Kamo Bypass and the ongoing upgrade of State Highway 1 through Western Hills and finally acquiring Ngunguru Sandspit after years of devoted energy by a small team of local residents.In recent times the Government and the council have built the Ruakākā sewerage system together and the new Hātea River bridge. My being at the right place at the right time saw Cabinet fund an extra $2.5 million for the Northland Stadium so that Whangarei could help host the Rugby World Cup. Being patron of North Haven Hospice and Northland Hockey has also been fantastic.You cannot do this local work or Wellington portfolios as you know Mr Speaker without great support staff. I acknowledge Lynne and Annika particularly and also in Wellington Margaret Simmy Carol Vasoula and Stefan. They have been just magic.Both Jenny’s and my wider family are all Whangarei people. I am related to hundreds of them. That is why I get elected. Both families are extremely close and they have been very active in our lives and in my career. Candidate selection putting up signs manning polling booths organising fund-raisers and babysitting on long weekends—they have done it all. My brother-in-law Graeme Kerr has lived it with me not least of all as campaign manager each and every election. I could never fire him as it would ruin Christmas dinner.I make a special mention of my mum and dad. Every time I was in trouble they would come all the way down to Wellington just to be not to say anything. Such is the love between good parents and an errant son.Jenny’s parents Sandy and Hester have been absolutely outstanding as in-laws to me and as parents to Jenny. I am sure that they believe 98 percent of politicians give the rest a bad name. I can assure you Mr Speaker that you are one of the 2 percent and they are convinced that I am the other.We also have great friends. Jeff and Steve have been very supportive of me. They are Kipling’s “thousandth men” to me. Dascha and Sarah have been so good to Jenny and Graeme and Marion Young our pastors have been supportive of both of us.As a last word I would like to say that in previous years I have heard many a valedictorian complain about this House’s robustness and rewrite the history of their own behaviour. We are not elected to hold hands and sing “Kumbaya” quite frankly. I say that if you are outraged be vocal; if you are appalled show disgust; if you are devastated express grief; but most of all be passionate. I have found that this House is like an animal. It is like an animal. It has got personality. Some days it is aggressive some days it is funny other days it is just dead flat. So be it but no constituent I have ever met sends their MP down here to be a wet fish or a mouse or a sheep or a soft touch. Nobody likes rudeness but they do want you to fight and they do want you to be passionate.In my maiden speech I said that the best thing a dad can do for his kids is love their mum. I do. Jenny and I have absolutely enjoyed this role but now we want to go and do something different. We are told that the grass is greener where you go and water it. That is what we are going to do.