Walker HamishHAMISH WALKER (National—Clutha-Southland): We've heard tonight why this bill is needed. We've got a lot of debt now. It's grown 270 percent from $12 billion up to $62 billion over the last 25 years. So you've got to figure out why that is—why has debt ballooned so much? It's pretty simple: we had nine years of strong stable National Government; a Government that actually backed farmers a Government that said Hey farmers you've built New Zealand's wealth so we're going to back you."Let's have a look at National's record. We introduced the first ever freshwater standards; the Greens-Labour Government had that option for nine years prior to 2008 they didn't do that. So debt is now $62 billion because farmers actually had an understanding they had the confidence to invest into their farms and into their business. They knew what was coming at them unlike now.We heard Minister Parker saying—while Todd Muller was speaking Minister Parker interfered. He said "We've got good prices. We've got good farm prices at the moment." Well why have we got the lowest farmer confidence in nearly 20 years? Why is that? What's changed? Why have we got a protest on the West Coast on Sunday of 3000 or 4000 West Coasters—why is that? Why have we got a protest outside Parliament last Thursday 50 Shades of Green with about 150 really reasonable signs but there were two unreasonable signs but of course the Government said "Those two unreasonable signs that's why we called those farmers rednecks." What are they? They've come to complain to the Government around debt and they call them rednecks. But if we want to talk about the debt the debt on this bill is $62 billion and that's why we're here. Growth—let's talk about growth in the economy. There were 12000 new jobs when the National Party left office. What is it now? Have a guess. Have a guess—what is it roughly? Andrew Bayly you're a smart man. Have a guess. [Interruption] It's 300—300 per month. So it's declined significantly. The lowest unemployment rate just increased to 4.2 percent yet 22000 more people—CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Mr Walker feel free to come back to the bill any time.HAMISH WALKER: Yes Madam Chair. I'm just talking about debt. If we talk about farm prices farm prices in Southland have dropped. The prices being sold have dropped 22 percent Mark Patterson—22 percent in the last year. Farm sales have dropped 10 percent. Now what does this do to debt?CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Please come back to the bill. Well actually please come to the bill.HAMISH WALKER: Sorry Madam Chair. I'm talking about debt now. Hon Member: He doesn't know about the bill. He doesn't know what it's about.HAMISH WALKER: This bill is about farm debt. So if we talk about farm sales that have dropped 22 percent the debt has dropped. I actually phoned up a very knowledgeable man about this bill tonight a man in Winton called Jim Grey. I said "Jim we've got this bill coming up." He was a stock agent for 50 years. He's seen many ups and downs over his time—50 years as a stock agent. He knows a lot about farm debt. He said to me he has never seen "so much policy coming farmers' way". That is why this bill is needed. He did say on the other hand—[Bell rung]CHAIRPERSON (Hon Ruth Dyson): Sorry I gave the member two warnings. He can resume his seat now. Thank you."