Ryall Tony: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRyall Tony: General Debate[Sitting date: 12 June 2013. Volume:691;Page:11053. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health):I think they used to say it was reds under the bed. Well now it is just paranoia from the Greens. Actually you might have a little bit of sympathy for that argument if it was not from the “Chicken Little” of NewZealand politics. Every time he talks about anything the sky is falling in it is all so difficult and it is big business big politics and those on the right all against the little innocent Greens who have been spending like a drunken sailor the taxpayers’ money on their silly little referendum which has gone absolutely nowhere.But look I want to ignore the marginal and the single figures in polls. I want to look at the double standard that has really been revealed in the last couple of days and that is the double standard of the party opposite—the Labour Party. This is a party that has railed against Skycity Casino. Do you remember the days of questions about Skycity—the Government in the pocket of Skycity the gambling throughout the community and the evil of Skycity? And what do we find? Supping from the gambler’s cup on Saturday night were Cosgrove Mr Faafoi Mr Shearer and one other. Who was the other—who was the other? And here is the other thing. What did Mr Shearer say today? He did not admit it—he did not admit anything until today. What did—Hon Trevor Mallard: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption ] I have just been informed that I am not allowed to interrupt the member’s speech with this point of order. I will wait.Mr SPEAKER: Well the member has now interrupted the speech of the Hon Tony Ryall.Hon TONY RYALL: Well was Trevor Mallard the fourth member? Oh no. Was it Sue Moroney? No. Was it Ruth Dyson? Actually it was Phil Goff was it? Was it Phil Goff? Well that might be right. But look what did David Shearer do? He did not say a thing until today and he said: “Ah yes I was there. I was only there for a little while. I didn’t eat anything. I didn’t drink anything.” Actually the only thing he did not say was: “I didn’t inhale.” That was the only thing Shearer did not say. He was there for only 5 or 10 minutes. He did not drink anything he did not eat anything and he did not smoke anything.Hon Craig Foss: He probably put a bet on.Hon TONY RYALL: Did he put a bet on? Well that is the question. This is just so typical of David Shearer. We have a failing Opposition with weak leadership—such weak leadership that now he has got to the position where he never wants to stand up for anything. So there is the double standard. Members opposite rail against Skycity and then senior members of the party opposite Cosgrove Faafoi Shearer and one other possibly Mr Goff—it is all a bit of a right-wing group. Was it Mr Goff?Hon Craig Foss: He’s not denying it.Hon TONY RYALL: Will he deny he was with Skycity at the rugby? Ah no denial. So I think someone from the media will be ringing there. But look I also want to ignore those falling in the polls and with weak leadership and focus on a party that focuses on what really matters for New Zealand and that is this Government and our very strong commitment to seeing the rural economy in New Zealand moving forward.When rural New Zealand moves forward our country moves forward. A successful primary economy is still the backbone that supports our economy. There are $30 billion of exports and this Government has a vision that that will double over the next years up to 2025 because we know that agriculture is important to New Zealand. So we are supporting the primary sector in a myriad of ways getting right the fundamentals that you would expect. We are reducing red tape simplifying the Resource Management Act keeping taxes down keeping interest rates down making sure that Government spending is under control and making sure that we invest in trade opportunities for New Zealanders with the Trans-Pacific Partnership and with China and India. Everything that this Government is focused on is on making sure that the New Zealand economy moves faster. We are working cooperatively with the primary sector in the Primary Growth Partnership and investing in research and innovation to boost the New Zealandeconomy with $658 million in 13 projects supporting the New Zealand productive sector. So this Government is delivering for rural New Zealand.We are delivering for the economy. There was 3 percent economic growth last year which is higher than in most developed countries. You do not get that from flailing around with weak leadership. You get it from a strong strong focus—Hon Anne Tolley: Rural fibre.Hon TONY RYALL: —and rural fibre. We have huge investment in putting out rural fibre right throughout the New Zealand economy and we have got company taxes down. This means every small business pays less tax.