Tizard Judith: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Tizard Judith: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:629;Page:1297] 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Minister of Consumer Affairs) 
: 
 That really was a very sad little speech with its whingeing and whining from the sad old men of the National Party—even the young ones are sad old men. 
Simon Power 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. If the member is referring to my age I just want to make sure she knows I am not old. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ann Hartley) 
: The member knows that is not a point of order. 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: Is that not pathetic? Those members do not know the Standing Orders either. I want to say to that speaker that my problem at arts functions—which are burgeoning all around New Zealand as at the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts which starts this week—is batting aside National Party MPs who have nothing to do except hang around hoping for a free lunch or a glass of wine. They are sad sad old men—even the young ones and even the women because that is how they are behaving. They have no policy they have no beliefs they do not care about New Zealand and they are trying to talk down the economy although this country is in better shape than we have ever seen it. 
This Government has delivered an economy alongside New Zealanders that has seen us have the lowest unemployment rate in the OECD. What does “Dr Doom” on the other side—all the “Dr Dooms” on the other side— 
Anne Tolley 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ann Hartley) 
: No I do not need any assistance. The member will withdraw that. The member knows she must refer to all members by their correct name. 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: I withdraw. Every member of the Opposition does not care about New Zealanders because the Opposition’s only policy is making multimillionaires richer. This Government works collaboratively with New Zealanders. We work alongside New Zealanders because we are here for the long term. I just find it astonishing that John Armstrong after the National Party’s best hit last week could say Dr Brash still has difficulty thinking on his feet. Dr Brash wonders why he is still leader when he lost so badly in the last election. After that speech made by Simon Power I can see why Dr Brash is still leader. He cannot think on his feet but at least he can put an idea together. I have not heard any speaker from the Opposition put any ideas together in this debate. 
I congratulate the Prime Minister on her speech to Parliament. It was a great speech about where this Labour-led Government believes we are going what we are aiming for what sort of country we want to live in and what we will do about it in the next 3 years. I also congratulate the Prime Minister on yesterday passing the Rt Hon Sir Walter Nash as the second-longest-serving leader of the Labour Party ever. It is an indication of the enormous respect in which Helen Clark is held by this party and by this country. 
There was a clear message in her speech about economic transformation. This Government will be working on a strong economy which we will build alongside all New Zealanders and we will make sure that every New Zealander can participate in it. We are a Government that believes that all families in New Zealand young and old matter. We want all New Zealanders in their families young and old to be working having opportunity having security and able to look each other in the eye and say they have done their best to make sure this country will be a better place for our children and our grandchildren while also making sure that those who have done the work to build this country get their fair share as well. 
 We are working for a unique national identity for New Zealanders. That is not just because we like the arts. We do like the arts; they are intrinsically important they are about good use of energy and they are about families and communities and this nation coming together and confronting the things that divide us reconciling with each other finding a way forward and sharing our values. We want to build pride and opportunities in this wonderful country. I congratulate the Prime Minister on getting up and saying that that is what she and this Government are doing. I heard nothing from members opposite about what they would do. 
I want to talk briefly about my portfolio responsibilities. I am an Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage and if I need to hold the Prime Minister’s handbag I am very happy to do that so that she can deal with the thousands of New Zealanders who want to shake her hand because they can see the wonderful things that she and this Government have done for them and their children. I have heard many mothers in this country say to the Prime Minister: “Thank you for your arts policies. I think they saved my son’s life.” They say: “Thank you for your film policy because my son and my daughter have got jobs.” Those young people have got jobs they care passionately about in new emerging industries. What does the National Party want? It wants to send them back to coalmines. It wants them to line up outside post offices to get make-work jobs. 
Jill Pettis 
: But there aren’t any more. 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: But there are not any post offices any more; they are called post shops. Dr Brash should get with it. 
This Government believes in the arts. We believe in them because they are good and they are about reconciliation and making a way forward. They are about jobs and industries. They are about New Zealanders having the pride and the ability to stand up for the things their ancestors came to this country believing in and came here to build. I am pleased to have a portfolio in that area. We are training young people to be good business people in the arts through the Pathways to Arts and Cultural Employment scheme. I am proud to be the Associate Minister of Commerce where I am working on intellectual property issues so that New Zealand artists and creative workers can benefit now and long term from their unique and original ideas. 
I am proud to work as the Minister responsible for Archives New Zealand and as Minister responsible for the National Library on the digital content strategy to make sure not only that we have these wonderful collections but also that New Zealanders and people around the world can access them. Indeed only last week we signed an agreement with the national library of the People’s Republic of China. Why? It wants to work with our National Library because it is very interested in the work we are doing to make that content available to all New Zealanders. The Chinese love the work we are doing. Later next month we will make a similar agreement to give New Zealanders access to libraries in Australia. I am really proud of the work we are doing to make sure New Zealanders have access to their own history and the stories they need in order to go on working in a whole range of areas. 
I am proud to have spent some of my summer at the opening of  
The World’s Fastest Indian 
 which has just overtaken  
Once Were Warriors  
as the biggest-selling New Zealand film ever. I am delighted that the story of an astonishing energetic bloody-minded mechanic from Invercargill has overtaken a story of domestic violence. New Zealanders have many many proud stories such as that that we will tell in film and that will be seen all around the world. I hope everyone in this House and everyone listening has gone to see the film  
River Queen 
. It is a great film and I congratulate Vincent Ward on producing that amazing story of early New Zealand. He pulled no punches about the Land Wars; he pulled no punches about the pain and the difficulty that many New Zealand families and communities had in forging a shared identity back in the 1860s. As we have heard from other speakers this goes on. I look forward to  
No. 2  
a fabulous film by South Pacific Pictures about a Fijian family in Mount Roskill and to  
Sione’s Wedding 
 which is the story of a Samoan - New Zealand family in Grey Lynn. I look forward to New Zealanders getting good high-paying jobs and winning awards at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs for new films because it is not just Peter Jackson with  
King Kong 
 or Vincent Ward or Roger Donaldson who are doing such astonishing things; lots of New Zealanders are now using digital technology in particular to do all sorts of smaller projects. 
Our music industry is absolutely astonishing. I congratulate the Music Industry Commission on announcing the Outward Sound grant which will assist New Zealand music and musicians internationally. 
We are doing extraordinary things in the area of transport particularly in Auckland. I am proud of the fact that the North Shore busway is already such a huge success. People are noticing less congestion because of the North Shore busway. It is a simple project a major huge project which is being delivered on time and on budget for the benefit of all Aucklanders. It has the upside of not only reducing congestion but also reducing vehicle emissions and improving air quality. 
I am really proud of what this Government has achieved in 6 years. I am really proud that the Prime Minister stood up in this House and told us what we are going to do over the next 3 years. I want to quote again from Dr Brash. He said Parliament is puerile and he does not believe in coming in here. We can see why he does not. It is because he performs so badly. If the Opposition cannot bring some policy and some argument to this House then we will be the Government not only for the next 3 years but on and on and on.