McKelvie IanIAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei): I just want to very quickly wish a happy New Year to all those who work in this place—Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sorry; this is a split 5-minute call.IAN McKELVIE: —thank you—and I hope that those of you who do work in this place had a pleasant break. That last speech certainly came from the post-truth era. If ever there was a definition of the post-truth era that was it.Anyway it is a privilege for me to get up in this House as the MP for the mighty Rangitīkei and speak to the Rt Hon Bill English's first such statement of many. Our new Prime Minister is a man who has worked harder for New Zealand than anyone else I know. He is a man who has great rural experience who understands the challenges facing our farming community—Carmel Sepuloni: He's reading the lines so well. IAN McKELVIE: —who understands the country's finances and who will despite the bleating of the other side of the House prove to be a compassionate and strong leader for New Zealand. In partnership with the Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett he will lead a very strong and competent Government into the election on 23 September.I too attended Rātana in the heart of the Rangitīkei—despite the people of Rātana thinking it is in the heart of Wanganui—with the Prime Minister and 15 other MPs and Ministers and I have to say it was a very positive experience. Despite the utterings we have heard from a number of members of the Opposition the Prime Minister was extremely well received and understood. In fact despite the wind—which is often in the Rātana area—we were made to feel extremely welcome at Rātana. The visit further emphasised the role this Government has played in helping the Māori community get ahead: higher achievement for their school-leavers better job prospects and a Treaty resolution rate that is helping to overcome many of the historic challenges of the past.Carmel Sepuloni: Page 2.IAN McKELVIE: It is page 2. Well done; you are very observant. But I have not got as many pages of notes as the previous speaker who is of the post-truth era.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: As long as they are only notes we will be happy with that.IAN McKELVIE: Ha ha! There has been some very good news for rural New Zealand in the last couple of weeks: firstly the very large increase in police numbers across the country with a specific plan to deliver better services to provincial communities as we heard from the Minister of Police during question time today. This means that we will have police presence within 25 minutes of 95 percent of all New Zealanders. It also includes a specific provision for 140 new officers to be spread around rural New Zealand.The second piece of very good news for rural New Zealand in recent times has been the extraordinary success of the Rural Broadband Initiative and the ultra-fast broadband being rolled out in provincial towns and villages throughout New Zealand. This initiative when completed will provide rural New Zealand with one of the biggest boosts possible for our rural economy. It is providing businesses with the opportunity for new employment for new innovation and technology to be applied particularly in our farming sector and it enables our businesses to operate their businesses remotely. This ability to use technology is taking our rural communities to new ground at a pace many of us would never have envisaged some 15 years ago.Other exciting prospects for the lower Rangitīkei electorate will be the completion of the Kapiti Expressway a roads of national significance project—this will bring us closer to the capital—the completion of the Ōtaki bypass; the Whirokino Trestle Bridge replacement which will enable heavier vehicles to move directly down State Highway 1; and the Transmission Gully project. When these are completed and some of that road is elevated to 110 kilometres as hour Wellington will almost become Rangitīkei's local town.In the primary production sector we are looking forward to a more stable outlook for dairy and I have every confidence that dairy farmers are capable of managing their finances contrary to the comments of the previous speaker from New Zealand First. We have reasonable beef prices in the foreseeable future. Lamb is struggling but holding up better than forecast and all other sectors in the primary production area are doing particularly well. The Primary Production Committee looks forward to the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act legislation making its way to us and we have all but completed deliberation on the Food Safety Law Reform Bill which will put our food production sector in much better territory.As one becomes more dated there are some things that suddenly grow in importance: the opportunity for our young as their taxes will keep us; great and accessible health services; a rising average ordinary-time wage because this sets the superannuation level; and the knowledge that we can live in a safe secure community. These are but a few. I am grateful to be a small part of a Government that has worked so hard to achieve so much of this and will continue to work hard for all New Zealanders. Thanks.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Just one point. I would like to remind the member who has just resumed his seat—or make the statement I guess—that if the glowing reports of the Government reforms are as glowing as he says in the Rangitīkei he should be able to recite them verbatim.IAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei): I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Thank you for that advice.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: It is not a point of order but you are welcome.