Hutchison Paul: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Hutchison Paul: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 12 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8454. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) 
: 
 It is a great pleasure to speak on the financial review of the New Zealand Defence Force. Indeed I must say that I was appalled to hear that old neck-bulging shroud-waving revisitation from Phil Goff that we got once again which demonstrates his absolute lack of integrity. But I too would like to join my colleague the Hon Jonathan Coleman— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: Order! I know this is a pretty robust debate but you cannot say that a member does not have integrity. 
Hon Phil Goff 
: Tell the truth Paul. 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: I withdraw that. He might— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: Order! I am going to ask the member to stand and withdraw and apologise for that comment. You cannot say: “Tell the truth.” 
Hon Phil Goff 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: I withdraw that comment about him not having any— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: No no. No comment about my ruling. Now you had better withdraw that comment. 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: Of course Mr Chairman. I withdraw. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: Let us get on with it. 
Dr PAUL HUTCHISON 
: I too would like to join the Hon Jonathan Coleman in paying tribute to our defence forces and the incredible work they do not only in the active field in which they have had many very important missions over the last few years but also in the field of peacekeeping in the field of aid throughout the Pacific and of course in the field of civil service where they have shown incredible dedication and commitment down in Christchurch over the last few years. 
We heard from Phil Goff that he considered there were problems of morale. That does seem a little rich when we look back to what happened under his watch when he gutted the air combat wing in New Zealand and then said just prior to the 2005 election with Dr Cullen that he would be able to sell off that whole wing at a reasonable price and nothing happened. Not one thing happened until finally the National Government has recently been able to sell off those planes. 
But the other issue that I think is really important to point out if we are talking about management is that of the light armoured vehicles that were purchased under Phil Goff to the tune of $100 million or more and very many of them were absolutely irrelevant and redundant and have not been used to this day. That is the sort of management that former Minister Phil Goff had over those 9 disgraceful years. 
I would agree with Minister Coleman when he says that the saving and investment programme has shown some very positive results. In fact the very fact that we had to undergo a white paper in defence was due to the abysmal mismanagement under the 9 long years of Labour. But it has had some very positive results. The New Zealand Defence Force has achieved savings of more than $150 million over the last year with an aim of $350 million to $450 million over the next few years. But every dollar saved has been reinvested back into front-line capabilities. And despite the tight fiscal constraints these savings have funded a significant pay increase right throughout the forces and that has been extremely well received. 
To go on to morale and attrition as I said before the changes needed were as a result of the mismanagement of Labour over many years. We had the attrition rate back in 2001 that the Minister mentioned. But what we do know is that over each one of the last three quarters morale has improved. Four in every five of our people indicate they do not have an issue with their morale and nearly four in every five of our people express satisfaction with their job. Morale was not measured until 2003 so it certainly does not cover the air combat capability review that occurred under the Labour Government. It is absolutely relevant to note that those who feel committed to the Defence Force outstrip— 
Report noted.