Mark RonHon RON MARK (Minister of Defence): Thank you Mr Speaker. I want to start by congratulating the Rt Hon Winston Peters on his leadership over the last six weeks a task that I know he was happy to take on board and he's completed it with the distinction that we always knew he would. It sort of rides on the back of his sterling performance when he was the Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer between 1996 and 1998 when he became renowned internationally as the best Foreign Minister that New Zealand had ever had and between 2005 and 2008—a reputation which has only been enhanced now by his return to that portfolio. But I know that he too like the rest of the New Zealand First team and the coalition Government is looking forward to welcoming back the Prime Minister because actually we've missed her. It'll be good to have her back with the team and also it'll be good to be able to see the Rt Hon Winston Peters get back into that area of the portfolio that he loves and that he does so well at which is foreign affairs.I have to say if there's one thing about the National Party it is that they are predictable. When you have an Opposition that is predictable it's like beating up someone who's only got one arm. It's like driving a Ferrari and racing someone who's driving an 850cc Austin A30. Watching the Hon Simon Bridges doing battle and duelling with the Rt Hon Winston Peters is like watching a chihuahua that won't let go of the bottom of your trousers. It's like watching one of those rather bizarre young sheepdogs when you're out in the hills and you're watching a shepherd working the dogs and there's one young one that's just all over the place. And what does he have to do? He has to hook its collar to the most experienced dog that he has so that when he whistles the experienced dog leads and the little one learns and trails along until he finally gets it into its head.In watching his performance I understand why Mr Simon Bridges is worried about business confidence because business is worried about him. If they're looking for the reason for their flagging confidence it's that when they look at the Opposition benches they say to themselves My God these are the people that we gave all of that money to to win the election and they've put this young man in charge and he's simply not up to it." Mr Mark Mitchell's sitting there smiling. We know why Mr Mitchell is smiling: because he's another one of those contenders who's delighting at Simon Bridges' failure to get any gravitas to win hearts and minds.Most of the people I talk to in the Wairarapa who are National Party people—13000 of them—agree on two points. They agree on two points. They agree that Alastair Scott is the worst representative they've ever ever had ever and two they're saying that Mr Bridges isn't cutting it and they're wondering how long the National Party caucus is going to allow him to continue to make them look silly.See there are two great myths out there in the ether. One is the myth that the National Party Government is the best manager of the economy. That is an absolute—well the members protest so let me give one little example. If the National Party was a great manager of economy if they were efficient if they were productive if they were prudent and if they were economic and effective then please explain the cost-effectiveness of their election campaign. You see the National Party spent $3.97 per vote compared to New Zealand First who spent $2.92 per vote. So don't go preaching to New Zealand First about fiscal prudence and economic management because the National Party actually is a failure in that area.Look at the mythical surpluses and this huge social deficit and by the way the other myth—the other myth is that the National Party is the best steward of the Defence Force. Well that is wrong and Mr Mitchell should stand up and apologise to the country for doing absolutely nothing—absolutely nothing. He wails and he whines and he worries but I've not had one question from Mr Mitchell on the strategic defence policy not one on the P-8 decision and not one on defence since we announced that policy. This Government is hitting the hard questions and providing the answers."