Upston Louise: AdjournmentText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeUpston Louise: Adjournment[Sitting date: 31 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19836. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]LOUISE UPSTON (National—Taupō):This is the final day of the 50th Parliament and it is only 51 days until New Zealanders will decide who they want to take this country forward. The sorts of things that New Zealanders are considering are who they can trust who can best manage the Government’s finances who has the best plan to help families to get ahead and who do they want as Prime Minister.I want to reflect on the comments that the Hon Bill English made when referring to our Prime Minister the Rt Hon John Key. Much has been said of the company he has kept over the last few years in terms of world leaders but the measure of the man—the measure of the leader—is the person he is each and every day with each and every New Zealander whom he comes into contact with. Whether he is at a Fieldays meeting whether he is opening a velodrome with the royals and whether he is on a marae in Tokoroa the response to our Prime Minister is overwhelming and that is what New Zealanders are looking for in terms of leading this country forward.I am enormously proud to be the senior whip of this stunning National caucus. This is a caucus that is working for New Zealand. We work hand in hand with our communities. We are positive we are aspirational and we know where we are going.If you look at some of our priorities we have been very clear all of the time that our focus has been on responsibly managing the Government’s finances building a more competitive and productive economy delivering better public services and for those in Christchurch and Canterbury rebuilding their city and their region. And it is clear that our plan is working. The economy is growing real jobs are being created and wages are going up but the most important thing is actually the amount of confidence. Consumer confidence is rising and business confidence is rising and that is really the sort of thing you trust. When you are out listening to your constituents and visiting local businesses they are talking about the fact that they are confident in the direction that this Government is taking them and that is the real measure of our success.If you look at the achievements under the Hon Steven Joyce who is leading our economic development programme the six areas in our Business Growth Agenda are detailed they are specific and we are reporting on progress. Whether it is in export markets innovation skilled and safe workplaces natural resources capital markets or infrastructure this is a Government that is progressing so many areas because we recognise that there is not one single thing that will fix some of the challenges that we inherited.If I could take just one in terms of infrastructure it is the Waikato Expressway. I know that my fellow Waikato MPs are also delighted when we see the progress every time we drive down that stretch of the Waikato. As a road of national significance it was to be completed within 10 years and if I look at the section in my electorate of Taupō alone—the Cambridge section—it has been planned for over 60 years. The community wanted that 60 years ago and this is a Government that is delivering it. If you look at the industries that are important in my electorate and across New Zealand—forestry farming tourism—that single road which will carve off 35 minutes from the journey from Bombay to Tīrau will have such a significant and lasting economic impact that I cannot begin to do it credit in this short address.But when you are in your community and you are talking to mums on the side of the netball court or you bump into people in the supermarket in your ordinary life as a Kiwi the things that people say that matter most in addition to the economy are education health and law and order. It is undeniable and you cannot refute the record that this Government has achieved in its first 6 years in those areas. If you look at education which is so ably led by the Hon Hekia Parata more children are in early childhood education. We are lifting academic achievement in our schools and not only are we doing it in our schools but we are actually tackling it taking it on and producing results in the very communities that need it most.I am very proud when I read articles in the New Zealand Education Gazette that profile schools in my electorate like Tokoroa High School. But that is only one of many—that is only one of many schools up and down this country that are absolutely transforming their students’ lives. That is coming from the dedication of their principals of their boards of trustees of their teachers and of their parents. That is every single school but it comes from the leadership; it comes from the direction that is offered by our Minister.In health every single family knows how important health is. If you have got a child if you have got a parent if you have got a grandparent who needs hospital attention or if you do you want it and you want it soon. It was a fine day in this House yesterday when we farewelled the Hon Tony Ryall because his record in health is just unbelievable. It is absolutely outstanding. Whether it is more hip and knee replacements more cancer treatment faster a higher level of immunisation—my colleagues are listing them behind me because I just will not have time to mention them all. There are additional resources in hospitals. The Tokoroa family medical centre has been upgraded into a health centre. More money has gone into a significant upgrade of Taupō Hospital and this is happening in regional hospitals up and down New Zealand. The one thing that has really stood out which has probably had the most feedback of anything was our decision to fund GPs and prescriptions for those under 13. That is what this Government is focusing on—the things that actually hard-working New Zealanders value.So if I now look at the other thing that is significant New Zealanders want to be safe in their homes and their communities. Again this is a Government that has made collaborative efforts in justice police corrections and courts. We have that very idea of actually asking what the results are that we need to produce breaking down the barriers in departments and saying we are going to set these targets we are measuring them and we are achieving them. If you look at for example the total crime rate since June 2011 it is down 16 percent—Hon Members: How much?LOUISE UPSTON: Sixteen—one-six. But actually the one that I think is more important is youth crime and that is down 30 percent. These are figures but actually I want those of us in the House to reflect on the number of people who are safer and as a result of these results are not victims.I want to make some thank-yous before I finish. I thank my fellow whips Tim Macindoe and Jami-Lee Ross. I have to say that managing a team of 59 stunning individuals has not been as challenging as people may think. They are highly committed they are connected to their communities and they are dedicated. So it has really been a fantastic term of Parliament. But actually one of the things that I want to mention is the valedictory statements that were made by members retiring from our caucus: Dr Cam Calder John Hayes Chris Auchinvole Colin King the Hon Chris Tremain the Hon Kate Wilkinson Dr Paul Hutchison the Hon Phil Heatley Eric Roy Shane Ardern the Hon Tony Ryall and also in his novel way via Twitter the Hon Tau Henare. Each one of these people is a remarkable person in their own right and their contribution and service to New Zealand has been stunning.I want to thank all of the staff in this building and across the country and I want to recognise Grant Robertson’s acknowledgment of what our electorate staff face on a day-to-day basis. Whether it is the team in the Parliamentary Service or in the Office of the Clerk or our support staff—whether they are in cleaning security the gallery the Chamber or catering—I thank each and every one of them for the work they do to support this House.We are now seeing the end of the 50th Parliament and we look forward to the 51st Parliament so it is quite appropriate that we are now 51 days to the election. Our top athletes are currently in Glasgow going for gold and we have already brought home 34 medals 11 of which are gold. It is 51 days until New Zealand decides who its Prime Minister will be. I can tell you that National is going for gold and it is game on.