Maharey Steve: General Debate 
Maharey Steve: General Debate 
[Volume:623;Page:18673] 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. The big story of this week is Dr Don Brash. Do members remember Dr Don Brash? He was the first-term MP who elbowed his way to the top of the National Party by saying that he would set the policy agenda. That was his strength we were told. He was no good in the House and that is proven by the fact that he has asked four questions this year so far—one primary question and three supplementary questions. We know he cannot get the other good questions because other members of his party will not give them to him as he is no good at asking them. He is no good at public speaking we were told. He is no good at campaigning he cannot get elected directly he is no good on television and he is not much of a team player—but he does do policy well we were told. 
Last year we got the infamous speech at Orewa but we got no policy. What we got was a speech that ended in the sacking of Georgina te Heuheu. That is what we got from that speech. 
We moved on to law and order but the rhetoric got even thicker. We learnt that we would get 10 more prisons but no money to pay for them. 
This year the soufflé tried to rise for the third time. At Orewa we got the welfare debate the adopting out of babies and the forcible immunisation of children—all the kinds of rhetoric we have heard before—but no real policy. 
The only lasting result was that Katherine Rich disappeared from the front bench. I said at the time that Katherine Rich was not moving because she was forced to; she went because she wanted to go. She was very very wise to reposition herself because the National Party leader is being repositioned as we speak. 
He is no longer the focus of strategy. Policy is no longer what the National Party is about. Clue one: where is Murray McCully? Murray McCully used to be a limpet on the side of Don Brash—the consigliere to the Don. The consigliere to the Don is not seen any more; he is gone. 
What we have in his place is the slow rise of Bill English—not so much soufflé as refried beans—who is appearing on the front bench of the National Party. Mr English is the one who is now being noticed by his colleagues. I predict that Mr English is about to begin to make that move. But how interesting can it get? The National Party could not be unified behind that. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Five years! 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Maurice Williamson who is calling out now hates Bill English. Bill English hates Maurice Williamson. Gerry Brownlee wants to be the leader but John Key is the hair—and I mean “hair”—apparent at the present time. 
This is the big story: the Brash experiment has not worked. He has no policy to inspire the troops or the nation. He is quietly being abandoned by the people around him. He is not even speaking now. He sits like a lonely cloud in the House with no one noticing even when he leaves. He is a forgotten man. 
On 14 February 2005 it was reported that the National Party was closing the poll gap on Labour. The picture was of Don Brash but the face was that of Tony Ryall. Tony Ryall wants to be Don Brash at present. There is no doubt that following the next election Don Brash will be replaced as leader but there are strong signs now that the troops simply cannot wait. The damage is too great. The momentum is too weak. He does not lead; he does not even follow; he just sits. 
I do not know whether members have seen the film  
Dead Man Walking 
. It is a film about death-row prisoners. As those prisoners walk to their execution people call out: “Dead man walking!”. I will give members a break. They do not have to go to see the film to hire the video or to borrow the money. All they need to do is to watch Don Brash. Whenever he gets up the House is watching  
Dead Man Walking 
. I say “Goodbye!” to Dr Brash.