Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: General Debate 
Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: General Debate 
[Volume:654;Page:3171] 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) 
: 
 It is an honour to stand today to talk about the issues that matter in this Parliament; not to talk about scandals and personal politics but to talk about the things that matter. And Auckland governance matters. It matters because Auckland is the biggest city in this country and the economic driver of this country. We have to get it right and that is why urgency is pending. 
This afternoon we have heard many speakers talk about personal politics but I will talk about the Waterview tunnel because it is quite a pertinent issue for Aucklanders right now. The proposal that the Labour Government put forward would have cost $3 billion. That is twice the cost of the proposal that National is putting forward. What is the difference in cost—accepting that Labour’s proposal was unfunded and did not come up with any rigorous financial analysis? The difference in cost is $1.5 billion. I ask members what that would buy. How many hip operations would it buy? How many schools and how many early childhood education centres would it buy? Labour wants to invest $3 billion into all this dirt and infrastructure. That is an awful lot of money for a party that says it stands up for the workers and the children. This country is in a recession. The Labour Party has not realised that we are in a recession and that every dollar counts. I will tell members what $1.5 billion will buy: per household it will save $7.5 million. And what was it for? The previous Prime Minister stated that the Waterview motorway would happen over her dead body. Well it will not happen over her dead body but it will go ahead anyway. It will go ahead because the National Government is about cost-effective spending and listening to the voters. 
We have had consultation in terms of Auckland governance. Although Labour members stand there and say National has not consulted we actually have. Three and a half thousand people made submissions last year to the royal commission of inquiry. There were a number of public meetings. As the Hon Nanaia Mahuta said a thousand people went to a Papakura meeting. Guess what I am doing? 
Paul Quinn 
: What are you doing? 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
: Guess what I am doing? 
Chris Auchinvole 
: What are you doing? 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
: I myself am holding public meetings and I have some leaflets here. I say to members opposite that they do not need to come into my office uninvited and take these leaflets; I will give them these— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: A council meeting is not a public meeting—that doesn’t count. 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
: I will personally give the Hon Trevor Mallard an invitation so that he does not have to come into my office and take my pamphlets. 
National’s Auckland governance proposal is about community board representation. We have put forward 20 to 30 community boards which will represent grassroots people. Do members know what the general electorate said last November? The general electorate said that it trusted National because National represents grassroots people. Forty-four percent of the country said that it trusted and wanted National and that it actually represented the workers unlike our friends across the aisle. 
As my colleague the Hon Tau Henare said motorways have been built across South Auckland. But what is the Labour Party doing for the people of South Auckland? Nothing! It was in Government for 9 years and there are motorways all over the place. 
This Government is hearing the people and taking action in order to benefit those people. I ask members how many hip operations could be performed for the $1.5 billion of excessive cost that Labour members would invest in the Waterview tunnel. I ask them why they would not put that money into the Onehunga foreshore.