Sabin Mike: Debate on Prime Minister’s StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSabin Mike: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement[Sitting date: 12 February 2014. Volume:696;Page:15869. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MIKE SABIN (National—Northland): Kia ora. Thank you very much. It is a pleasure to see you again Mr Assistant Speaker Robertson. Can I just take this opportunity to wish you all the best in your life and career ahead of this place and thank you for the service that you have provided to New Zealand in your role.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): Kei te pai.MIKE SABIN: Now that I have got that out of the way I will move on. I am not going to give out too many bouquets.I am very happy to stand here as a National member of Government to support the Prime Minister’s statement and his motion.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: Where did you get that tie from?MIKE SABIN: Mr Cosgrove my tie is a stunning ensemble as opposed to—what is that? Is that a dark blue tie? Yes it is almost a National-blue tie Mr Cosgrove. Thank you.The last 5 years have been very very challenging years for New Zealand. I think that there has been a very significant change in the fiscal landscape and the political landscape in New Zealand. I would like to inform members as to why. Obviously the global financial crisis is something that we really have not seen in generations. It is a landmark event in terms of the global economy and the global economy is still struggling with the implications of the global financial crisis.The Canterbury earthquakes made a significant dent in New Zealand’s GDP. We have seen some significant challenges as a result of that particular event. Interestingly enough the Labour Party did not want to know about it a couple of years back but now that there is starting to be growth and industry generated out of the rebuild suddenly it is all because of the Canterbury earthquakes. So we can take it on the one hand but not on the other—but we are used to that with the Labour Party.The National Government has been totally focused over this time on re-engineering the New Zealand economy not only to deal with those two significant fiscal events—very very challenging events—but to ensure that we have a disciplined structured process and a programme of policy to ensure that we invest for growth while getting debt under control and ensuring that we get absolute best value for services. This is because this Government ultimately is spending taxpayers’ money and unlike the Greens we understand that there is not a magic ATM somewhere that just prints out dollar bills.We have responsibly managed this economy and we will be back in surplus. Budget 2014 will be a significant landmark of the tenure of this National Government. We are building a more competitive and productive economy. The New Zealand economy is now recognised as a global standout. We know that because the Opposition is no longer talking about the manufacturing crisis or what have you. The reason it is not doing that is that the economy is performing—a 20-year high in terms of business confidence. So now Labour is talking about: “Oh it is all for their mates and there’s nothing for the poor and those who are more challenged.” It is that same old Labour rhetoric.Unemployment is tracking down. There are 66000 people in employment now who were not in employment 12 months ago. There is a 6 percent unemployment rate and it is tracking downward. The member to my left Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has led so valiantly some of the most significant changes in welfare since welfare was introduced and it has happened virtually without a splash. I want to commend the member for his leadership in that.We have been rebuilding Christchurch. Is it not a pleasure to see the activity the opportunity and the excitement down there after the very very challenging times that the Canterbury community have had? Can I commend Gerry Brownlee and the other Ministers and members of Parliament down there—Nicky Wagner and co.—who have done such an outstanding job for that part of New Zealand.We are ensuring that better public services exist in this country. Reported crime is at a 30-year low. I mean that is just an unprecedented result in times when financially things have been such a challenge. We see more elective surgery. We see people in cancer treatment far faster. Right across the spectrum of our Government departments what we see is greater efficiency because this Government has set targets and expectations. What we know when we set targets and expectations and we demand some accountability is that we get results and that is exactly what we are getting. I want to commend those Government departments and their employees for the hard work that they have done for a number of years now which is starting to deliver results across all areas of Government.We have been a very very disciplined Government and we have stuck religiously to those four core priorities. The recovery is happening and it is well on the way. The economy is well advanced in growth as quarter upon quarter results have shown but it is a fragile recovery. That is something that I think New Zealanders get. They understand. They understand that actually what was acceptable 10 years ago no longer fits in the New Zealand economic environment—from a family point of view from a Government point of view and from a business point of view. There has been a shift in people’s thinking. The Labour Party has not woken up to that.But one of the fundamental things and the difference between this Government and Labour and the Opposition parties which would like to be in this position is credibility and that is not something that is issued on a business card. You know you cannot just—Hon Clayton Cosgrove: Oh this’ll be good.MIKE SABIN: That is right Mr Cosgrove listen up—listen up Mr Cosgrove. Credibility cannot be just issued on a business card. Credibility comes about because people know what they are doing. They do what they know and they do what they say. Credibility comes as a result of a reciprocal relationship between those who lead and those who follow because credibility can be given only by the followers. It can be given only by the followers.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: “Willing buyer willing seller”—that’s what Peter Dunne said.MIKE SABIN: Of course that party would know all about the lack of credibility in terms of their leader and following because only one-third of that caucus supports thecurrent leader. We know that. But credibility is a reciprocal arrangement—a reciprocal relationship—and it can be given only by the follower. But for the follower to give that they have to have belief that the leader can do what they say and say what they do and that is where David Cunliffe has a major problem. Sir Peter Blake really summed it up when he talked about leadership. He said: “Having vision is not enough. Change comes through realising the vision and turning it into a reality.” It is easy to espouse worthy goals values and policies; the hard part is the implementation. Implementation is very hard when only a third of your caucus supports you and the public actually know that.When people cannot trust what people are saying that also erodes any hope of credibility. We have seen that today in the most glaring example of why all New Zealanders should be worried about a Labour-Greens Government. We have seen that in the form of the Best Start policy or what has now become known as the “Worst Start” policy. David Cunliffe either did not know his figures or wanted to fudge them. He then turned round and blamed his staff for what was being said and then eventually when he realised that there was no other way it was a mea culpa and he fell on his sword. But by then the damage was done.Another layer to eroding that credibility comes with how David Cunliffe intended to pay for it. He said: “Oh well we’ll get rid of that idea of taking GST off fruit and vegetables. We won’t do that. By crikey look at that! We’ve saved ourselves $1 billion or $2 billion and we’ll take that $1 billion or $2 billion and we’ll use that to do the good old Labour bribing for the election coming up.” as those members have become so accustomed to doing. But that is like me walking into a car dealership and saying “Do you know what? I want to buy that Ferrari.” and then having a second thought and thinking “No I am more of a Holden man. No I won’t buy that Ferrari. Goodness me I’ve now got $250000 in my pocket.” Hello? Does anyone else see anything wrong with that?Credibility is an enormous issue for David Cunliffe and the issue is what happens when David Cunliffe is gone. He is hanging on and he will say and do whatever he has to do including hauling waka Robinson Crusoe - like from the shores of Waitangi in the pouring rain. It just happens to be a nice photo opportunity there of course. He will do whatever it takes. He will sing preacher-like from the top of a bus because he knows that if he loses this election—or when he loses this election—he is gone and Trevor Mallard is promoted back to his rightful place as Parliament’s troublemaker.So he will do and say whatever he needs to do and that includes doing a deal with those guys over there the Green Party. Steffan Browning should be paying attention because that guy wants to destroy the New Zealand agricultural sector. This is the first time in New Zealand’s history when what we actually see is not a case of either a Labour Government or a National Government as most people perceive it. Coalition agreements and MMP is a difficult and unstable form of Government in my view. What they see is a deal that has been cut to give one-third or a proportionate share of Cabinet seats to the Green Party. For the first time in this country’s history if that were to be the case what we would see is a Green Party that would be the tail wagging the dog. It would be. And if anyone wants to know what sort of danger that presents have a look at what happened in Australia. I can see from the look on Mr Cosgrove’s face that when you lie down with dogs you are going to get fleas. Boy that is going to get real itchy and the New Zealand public know that.Credibility is fundamental but what they know is that here they have stability and they have people who have proven their way and who have served us through the toughest times that this country has known in generations. On the other side they see people who will do anything to get power and say anything—