Power Simon: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Power Simon: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:615;Page:10819] 
SIMON POWER (National—Rangitikei) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to follow the Hon David Cunliffe the only member of the executive who selected a Skoda as his self-drive car. 
I support Don Brash’s motion of no confidence in this Government. Helen Clark has now been Prime Minister for 4 very long years and her limitations as a leader are all too visible. Her most serious weakness as a leader is the Government’s biggest problem leading into the next election. This Government has no vision. That prime ministerial statement had no vision; nor did it have any clear-sighted sense of purpose. Why? Because the Prime Minister has no vision and because the Prime Minister is the Government. 
The Government has become nothing short of rudderless. Leadership and policy that are driven solely by focus-group polling have no vision. A purpose as limited as the maintenance of power for one last term is no vision at all. New Zealanders deserve better than that and they will get better than that when they next go to the polls. Helen Clark’s handing over of responsibility for her leadership to her deputy on issue after issue is definitely not a vision; it is merely a diversion and a distraction to shield and distance her from any and all criticism—and boy does this Prime Minister hate criticism. 
Let us look at last year’s Knowledge Wave conference featuring young New Zealand leaders. Whatever became of the recommendations of those Knowledge Wave conferences? Nothing; not a thing. Why? Because the Prime Minister does not like or understand the impatience of a new generation of Kiwi leaders innovators and creators—people who have moved beyond the Prime Minister’s 1960s’ prism of prejudice. 
I have been asking myself whether this is as good as it gets—a Prime Minister who polls on whether we should have Annette King as the next Speaker. Members on this side of the House say just one thing to that: we do not care who is in the Speaker’s Chair but just give us someone who is fair for a change. Has the Prime Minister ever— 
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: The member will withdraw and apologise for that remark. 
SIMON POWER 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Has the Prime Minister ever attempted to frame to the people of New Zealand her Government’s policies towards Maori? There was the closing the gaps policy but Labour’s poll reversal drove that policy underground. Has the Prime Minister ever attempted to explain to the country the direction that she sees race relations moving here in New Zealand? No she has left a void. 
Of course the biggest problem with that is that when a Prime Minister does not lead opportunity arises for others to lead. She could have said 4 long years ago upon becoming Prime Minister: “Their cause must be our cause too because it is not just Maori but all of us who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice.” I think all reasonable New Zealanders would have agreed with the Prime Minister had she had the vision to say something like that—but no not Helen Clark for Helen Clark hates rhetoric. Besides she is incapable of it she frowns upon it and she escapes from it. Therefore when it comes to issues of Maori race relations in this country she has simply left a vacuum. I say to the Prime Minister that Don Brash has walked right into that vacuum. The lesson for the Prime Minister there is that National will lead on those issues because she will not. 
We will lead very public debates this year on topics like raising our sights on educational achievement. National will argue that we must teach every child basic literacy and numeracy skills. Getting the basics right is our message not embracing the political correctness that makes losers out of winners and robs our children of the healthy ambition they will need to succeed in a hugely competitive global market. 
In regard to defence policy the Prime Minister has no strategy whatsoever. In fact she does not even comprehend the changed external environment after September 11. Bizarrely the Prime Minister alone among responsible leaders thinks that New Zealand still lives in an incredibly benign strategic environment. That is despite September 11; that is despite the cowardly bombing in Bali that saw the tragic death of innocent New Zealanders; that is despite Jakarta; and that is despite every New Zealander being reminded every time he or she flies somewhere—anywhere—that security concerns are now paramount for all those countries that value prudence and security. Not since the height of the cold war has the international security environment been so unstable. 
Yet at the same time there has never been a greater divergence in defence policy between Australia and New Zealand between Australia and Helen Clark’s isolationist Government. We must strengthen not weaken security for our citizens—for those Kiwis living both here and in Australia. Helen Clark and her Government seem to have forgotten that nearly 400000 New Zealanders live and work in Australia. How can we not share our neighbours’ concerns for their security? How can we not do our fair share? How can we not work with our mates? 
Instead we have our defence forces spread recklessly thin without any overarching principle guiding their deployments other than to smooth over the Prime Minister’s frequent gaffes on the world stage. Under Labour what was once our combat wing is a bit like the kiwi itself—it cannot fly and it costs a fortune to maintain. It costs $300000 a month. We are the only country in the world that has spent $6 million so we can have a combat force that does not work. 
Labour’s constant polling is another facet of the Prime Minister’s lack of vision although I must bring members’ attention to one poll’s finding that the Prime Minister her Government and the Green Party are very happy to ignore. It is the finding that says 76 percent of New Zealanders believe they should have the final say on whether MMP stays or goes—not Helen Clark not Jeanette Fitzsimons not some faceless committee but the people of New Zealand. It is the people’s system so their expectations must be met. The Prime Minister whether or not she believes it does not control democracy. 
Finally I tell members opposite that National is back and we will continue to expose the Prime Minister’s lack of vision. The people will come to see that Labour cannot lead and that this Prime Minister is letting the country down. The tide is turning and the Labour Party’s time is up.