Hutchison Paul: Valedictory StatementsText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHutchison Paul: Valedictory Statements[Sitting date: 30 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19683. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua):Tēnā koe. May I start by paying tribute to our House of Representatives and all who have passed through it and to those who have died for New Zealand as commemorated on the walls of this great Chamber. Our democratic freedoms have been hard-won.On arrival in 1999 I found myself looking towards the Speaker’s Chair from behind Sue Bradford of the Greens on one side and a magnificent display of dreadlocks belonging to Nandor Tanczos on the other. I could only marvel at and celebrate the diversity of our Parliament under MMP. Somewhat wistfully I feel the Greens look slightly less organic today than they did 14 years ago. But I have played my part. By chance I happened to occupy the apartment where the Hon Phillida Bunkle got into controversy over her purchase of very expensive hemp curtains. I decided that I would donate them to the Greens and organised a formal hand-over ceremony to both Nandor and Sue Kedgley. A photograph was duly taken by the Dominion Post with us standing behind a street sign that by pure coincidence happened to be called Grass Street.Even though I have had huge encouragement from my bench mate on “skid row” the Hon Tau Henare to be ejected by the Speaker from this House as well as having gone to the same Onslow College as gold medallist ejectee Trevor Mallard I have miserably failed to achieve that status.I want to take this last opportunity to comment on three areas that have been of particular importance to me each of which I mentioned in my maiden speech: first that New Zealand should do everything in its power to restore our status as a country that is a great place for all children to achieve their full potential; second that New Zealand should significantly grow our science and research base to better inform policy and broaden our economic opportunities; and third that New Zealand should stay firm in committing to our respected independent foreign policy and continue to celebrate and encourage others to join our hard-won inspirational nuclear weapons - free status.Today I am so delighted that my wife Antonia and beautiful daughters Clemmie and Daisy are with other friends and relatives in the gallery. I am sorry that Natacha and Elizabeth are unable to be here. I pay heartfelt tribute to Antonia and her mother Pam who have put so much love care and devotion into our family.I wish to salute the magnificent and diverse people of the electorate that I have had the honour and privilege to represent. The seat of Port Waikato and then Hunua includes vast areas of superb farmland that stretches from the east coast to the west. Pukekohe has been the epicentre. It is a multicultural progressive satellite town—or city—of Auckland and home of the Ranfurly Shield. Franklin is made distinctive by its people knowing and caring for each other by an incredible network of community organisations and colourful local leaders.Having spent my previous life near major hospitals in cities it was a novel and wonderful experience to live on the land. I hardly knew what a heifer was but I now care for a small herd. On selection day my wife gave me a card and a bunch of roses and there was a quote from George Bernard Shaw which read: “He knows nothing; and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career.”Countless numbers of A and P shows calf club days farmers’ meetings and interactions with the legendary Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association have given me a huge respect for our farmers and growers and their love of the land. Their contribution to New Zealand’s economy and our consequent ability to afford good health education and social services should always be remembered.I have had the great good fortune to be supported by a superb electorate team. I thank every one of them—in particular the longstanding chairman Ian McDougall the campaign chairman Rod McGregor and the secretary Glenda Watson for their extraordinary service to our party. May I thank Alwyn Black who supported me in Wellington with great professionalism for 13 years followed by Sarah-Rose Burke and Jennifer Fellows. May I also thank Jeda Wyatt Raynor Capper and Lynda Christie at the electorate office and in particular Barbara Knowles who is sitting in the gallery. Barbara represents the quintessential electorate agent—highly professional highly knowledgable and extraordinarily kind to those most in need. She has served our community with distinction. The team has made it possible for me to assist thousands of constituents which is a very satisfying part of the life of an MP.Several local issues have been of immense importance to me. I would have dearly liked to have witnessed before I left this House a fair and honourable settlement of the Ngāti Te Ata Treaty claim. I sincerely hope that day will come soon. The amalgamation of the eight Auckland councils was the most divisive issue during my tenure. The thinking behind the draft legislation was definitely urban-centred. There was no provision to ensure the rural voice was recognised at the new council table despite 70 percent of Greater Auckland being rural. I was glad to have unanimous caucus agreement to move amendments that resulted in the Auckland spatial plan having to take regard of rural issues and the Auckland Council establishing a rural advisory panel.I had requested permission to cross the floor as a symbolic gesture to the 97.5 percent of people from Pukekohe who polled against amalgamation. I am now of the view that if the Auckland Council has the same sort of determination to achieve efficiencies and cut unnecessary bureaucracy as the National Government is doing with Better Public Services in the long run it will be a positive move but there is a long way to go. The only time I did cross the floor was to support the Smoke-free Environments Act which has been a huge positive step for New Zealanders. It is hard to imagine now the discomfort of smoke-filled public transport pubs and restaurants. Although only last night at the launch of Speeches That Shaped New Zealand: 1814-1956 Tom Scott fondly recalled the rich earthy atmosphere of Bellamy’s in the past—sodden with beer bad breath body odour smoke and spittoons where the spitters rarely reached their targets. Those were indeed the days.Nine long years in Opposition was extremely challenging. On the positive side formulating good policy was fundamental to winning the public over. As science spokesperson in 2005 and 2008 I was alarmed that New Zealand was well below international benchmarks for research and development both from public and especially private industry investment. The only snag was that by the 2008 election and the sense of the global financial crisis Bill English had said that there was no extra money for science. I cunningly introduced John Key to Peter Gluckman at his home on several occasions and lobbied hard for science to have greater recognition.The 2008 science policy had some modest but profoundly important changes. There would be greater funding for basic discovery research. A chief scientist would be appointed. Sir Peter Gluckman has been outstanding. Not only has his massive talent and experience informed the shape of our science system since but he has introduced the idea of having a scientist in each Government department in order to achieve evidence-based policy. Elections and pork barrel politics have for years plagued New Zealand with tempting mega-morsels that have little evidence base that they will work. This election cycle has been no exception with the “porkometer” registering billions of dollars’ worth of doubtful promises.In my maiden speech I had called for scientists to be better honoured. After all New Zealand’s three Nobel Prize winners are all scientists. I managed to persuade Don Brash in 2005 and John Key in 2008 to have a Prime Minister’s prize of $1 million per year to be awarded to our top scientists and also media involved in science. It gives great satisfaction to hear the annual awards and also to hear Prime Minister Key state that “Science will be at the centre of my Government.”New Zealand would lead the way in the area of climate change most relevant to our country not by taxing industries that are vital to us when no other countries are but by creating a research centre that would look to reduce on-farm greenhouse gas emissions. I remember spending hours with Dr Andy West the chief executive officer of AgResearch and detailing how this would be done. Tim Groser seeded the idea of it becoming a global centre and it is hugely satisfying to know that now over 40 countries belong.In the 6 years of this National Government public investment in science has increased over 60 percent international benchmarks have been targeted and a whole range of efforts to encourage private sector investment has continued but a quantum leap is needed in the long term. While in Opposition I initiated a select committee inquiry into the quality of care and service provision for people with disabilities. An overarching principle that emerged which became a major recommendation to the Government was that disabled people must be given the maximum freedom of opportunity possible to choose their own destiny—as the sector told us “Nothing about us without us”. I am delighted that Tony Ryall and Tariana Turia have since instigated programmes around New Zealand.Since the change to a National Government in 2008 New Zealand has witnessed some of the most impressive leadership in our history. The combination of John Key Bill English and Steven Joyce is unmatched in terms of practical economic experience and personal accomplishment mixed with informed theory. On all fronts achievements have been made by highly talented Ministers. Paula Bennett has led some of the most important long-term social reforms for children. In health Tony Ryall in my view has done the hardest thing of all—that is not only to curb the increase in spending on public health but to achieve more services and achieve health targets. This is indeed a fantastic feat.As chair of the Health Committee it has been a privilege to work with all parliamentary colleagues and the sector over the last 6 years. I hope that a small contribution has been made by four further inquiries that I instigated. The submitters and the help of many expert advisers have been inspiring and I thank them all for giving their time so generously.I have no time today to discuss the great experiences over the 6 years while on the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee. Extraordinary opportunities and insights have come from chairing the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development and co-chairing with Maryan Street Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament. The Wednesday night ritual of drinking whisky—strictly after 10 p.m.—and discussing the issues with our millennium intake Phil Heatley Lindsay Tisch and Anne Tolley has been a great pleasure.I want to go over the four inquiries. The Inquiry into early detection and treatment of prostate cancer led to an overarching recommendation that men and their families should be encouraged to seek up-to-date evidence-based information from their doctors so that they can make an informed choice for themselves. The Prostate Cancer Taskforce was appointed and the recommendations are being rolled out around New Zealand as we speak.In terms of the Inquiry into how to improve completion rates of childhood immunisation I was a bit alarmed when the Dominion Post captioned an article I had written on this subject “A prick in the right direction”. I did not take it personally. It is hardly conceivable that here in New Zealand as recently as 2007 our completion rates for 2-year-olds were Third World at less than 70 percent. Today rates are over 90 percent and for 12 out of 20 district health boards Māori rates are higher than non-Māori.The Inquiry into improving New Zealand’s environment to support innovation through clinical trials—of medicines and medical devices—resulted in most recommendations being accepted. We now have one of the best ethics approval processes in the world an innovation health hub better industry relationships with Pharmac and an improving clinical trials sector.And finally we have the Inquiry into improving child health outcomes and preventing child abuse with a focus from preconception until three years of age (Volumes 1 and 2). Although most New Zealand children enjoy good health and have the opportunity to achieve their full potential as we all know there are significant and alarming differences around New Zealand. The National Government has embarked on a suite of profoundly important changes to improve these differences. The solutions are not easy. I thank all colleagues across the political spectrum where our committee achieved a cross-party consensus over a range of contentious issues from reproductive health and education to optimal maternity care and from the socio-economic determinants of health and poverty to an all-of-Government approach to improve nutrition and prevent the impending burden of long-term chronic diseases such as diabetes.Every member of the committee made great contributions. I really appreciated the collaboration of Kevin Hague and Annette King who although we are miles apart on many political issues see improving all children’s start in life as a national priority for New Zealand and I thank that always thoughtful journalist Colin James for his positive commentary.We recommended a proactive investment approach from the work of Nobel Laureate economist James Heckman. The rate of return for the dollar spent on a child is far higher the earlier the investment is made from preconception on. Since the inquiry the Government has committed to introducing a range of programmes from Healthy Families New Zealand to a voluntary star labelling nutrition initiative and to a strategy to help prevent foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Local government is now talking about handing over the responsibility of fluoridation to the Ministry of Health. Hopefully our report helped nudge this along.However I would make the plea to successive Governments to take our entire package of recommendations very seriously and not just pick up the easy issues. The investment approach is a win for children a win for adults a win for the economy and a win for New Zealand. I reckon that with the political will within 10 years we could restore our country to being one of the best places in the world for all children to grow up in. We need a comprehensive plan with key performance indicators to sit alongside the Government’s excellent Children’s Action Plan and early childhood education initiatives.I thank you Mr Speaker for allowing me a final say. I thank all the wonderful people who work in this parliamentary precinct for their outstanding services. There is no doubt in my mind that we live in the greatest little country in the world and I wish all my colleagues the very best in their endeavours to make New Zealand an even better place than it is now especially for children.