Gallagher Martin: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Gallagher Martin: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:637;Page:7313] 
MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 If anything has run out of puff it is the previous speaker. Obviously there has been one great thing about the need to change electoral funding in terms of sources of donations and that member given his well-known strong and affectionate friendship with the tobacco industry will be watching that change with great interest. The member represents a lovely part of New Zealand—the North Shore and Northcote. Quite frankly bring back Ann Hartley. I acknowledge the wonderful work that Ann Hartley continues to do. We can certainly see that she will have to be very very hard-working in view of the contribution made by the previous speaker. I am very very proud. 
The real problem that Opposition members have had this afternoon and tonight is that it is really hard to be negative when things are going so well in this country. We have only to look at the statistics in terms of the growth rate the record low unemployment and all the figures over the last few years. New Zealand is absolutely on a roll. It must be very very depressing to have to come into this Chamber and paint the proverbial negative picture. 
I am very proud and very very happy to represent Hamilton West and the Waikato region. I think the Prime Minister’s statement that was delivered this afternoon gives me an opportunity to reflect on the wonderful success of the Waikato region under this Labour-led Government. I have to say what a huge contrast it is and what a wonderful journey we have taken in the last 7 years when we compare the situation today with what things were like back in the early 1990s at the time of the “mother of all Budgets”. In spite of the speeches made by Opposition members around the admitted problems of the so-called underclass and in spite of those members now claiming to be the friends of those in need we are still waiting for the repudiation of the ingredients that helped to create many of the problems in this country. 
I just say to Opposition members that if they are going to talk about those issues they should come clean on where they stand on school funding and on what they intend to do with regard to the funding of our decile 1 2 and 3 schools. The Opposition spokesperson on education the Hon Bill English has been crystal clear on what he intends to do in terms of funding for those schools and their communities. Those members should come clean in terms of their situation with regard to State house rentals. It is absolutely incredible—and I have to say I am incredulous and a little disappointed in terms of the media analysis in this country—that in my own city under the previous National-led Government State houses were sold off. The stock of State houses was reduced. This Government of course is increasing the number of State houses. 
Phil Heatley 
: Surely not! 
MARTIN GALLAGHER 
: The member for Whangarei knows that to be true. He himself in his private moments will hang his head in shame because even he will read history. He knows what happened to the State housing stock under the previous National-led Government and he knows the mega “h” word that is being used in this Chamber by the party opposite which now claims to have concern about the state of housing in this country after the sell-off of State housing at the time. 
National members should also come clean about what they intend to do in terms of industrial relations in this country. Although National may be trying to put forward the appearance of the nicer softer face—the image of the National Party in the halcyon days of Holyoake and Marshall—it is very clear in terms of industrial legislation that a modified version of the Employment Contracts Act will be dusted off. It is time for the National Party to come clean on all of those things. As my colleague Sue Moroney from the Waikato and other speakers have said they are hollow men and hollow women. The agenda is still there. I tell people listening tonight to look past the rhetoric and to look at the real agenda of that party. 
Turning back to the Waikato and again in the context of the Prime Minister’s statement this afternoon I report to this House that we in the Waikato are enjoying excellent economic growth which is illustrated in terms of record low unemployment. We are also enjoying the fruits of record investment in terms of our infrastructure. 
In terms of transport I remind members of the record spending vote through Transit the record spending announced in last year’s Budget in terms of transport funding and the record in terms of the special Joint Officials Group package for the Hamilton-Waikato area. What did those members opposite do including the member for Coromandel? They were asleep in the 1990s. What did they do? As I have said previously I know that Mr Bennett the member for Hamilton East was shocked at just how somnolent and in hibernation his colleagues were at the time. There was only one good National Minister of Transport and that was the Waikato member—those members opposite may not remember him—the Hon Rob Storey. Of course what did National do? It removed him. I also take this opportunity as this is my first contribution to the House this year to pay tribute to the Hon Rob Storey and to warmly congratulate him on his being recognised in the New Year’s Day Honours List. 
I also want to look at other excellent investments in infrastructure that have been prompted under this Government. There has been investment by this Government in the aviation cluster and around Hamilton Airport apart from the terminal upgrade and the obvious improvement of passenger transport infrastructure. Of course we have the CTC Aviation Group flying school Alpha Aviation etc. and we have an aviation industry cluster developing around that airport precinct. I acknowledge the wonderful partnership that we see in terms of the five central Waikato local authorities—including of course the Waipa District which the airport is located in—in terms of contributing to the development of the airport. 
Other areas of investment in industry and infrastructure include the excellent science and technology park at Ruakura the kickstart investment that the Government undertook to encourage that science cluster and the wonderful growth of the life science industries in the Waikato area. I have to admit as the member for Hamilton West that every day I keep falling over new companies that are out there and that again is wonderful news. But that cannot happen in isolation; it has to happen as a result of a Government that is investing in infrastructure and being very positive. 
On this side of the House we have a positive story to tell and a positive future to look forward to. We will not allow ourselves the deeply cynical abiding negativity that we witness on the opposite side of the House. I again take this opportunity in the time left to me to warmly congratulate the Prime Minister on what was an excellent statement this afternoon and to congratulate local government leadership health leadership industry leadership and social services leadership in the Waikato region which I believe is poised to take and will continue to take the key signals from this Labour-led Government in terms of the wonderful social and economic growth of the Waikato region. I am so proud to be an advocate for this Government and to be a member for the great Waikato region. Thank you.