Ross Jami-Lee: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Ross Jami-Lee: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 20 February 2013. Volume:687;Page:8029. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany) 
: 
 Anyone listening to question time today would have heard desperation from an Opposition whose own rats are leaving the sinking ship. There are some substantial issues happening in New Zealand at the moment but all David Shearer seems to care about is who had dinner with whom and all Metiria Turei cares about is who lost sleep over what. The substantial issues in New Zealand that we hear nothing about from the Opposition are about the jobs that are being created. Did Opposition members ask any questions about that? Did they ask any questions about the economic growth that is taking place in New Zealand? Did they ask any questions about the infrastructure that is being built or the educational success of New Zealand children? No they did not—no they did not. 
Labour and the Greens are focused on the trivial they are focused on gutter politics and they are focused on whining about things that they themselves did 10 years ago. Let me read out a quote for the House because I think it is quite a good one: “Here in New Zealand it has been pleasing to see continuing investment in the quality of our tourism infrastructure.” and “In Auckland Sky City has pumped $140 million into its new Convention Centre”. That ladies and gentlemen came from Helen Clark. Helen Clark did exactly the same type of deal that the Labour Party is complaining about now. Grant Robertson wants to use a word which in this House he cannot use about John Key. Well I want to use a word that I am not supposed to use and that is “hypocrisy”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! 
JAMI-LEE ROSS 
: Helen Clark did exactly the same thing that Labour members are complaining about right now. But the bottom line is that they made a serious accusation against the Prime Minister of New Zealand and they were found dead wrong—they were found absolutely wrong. Now it is time for Labour members to get to their feet and for Green members to get to their feet and apologise because they were found dead wrong. The Deputy Auditor-General said that there was absolutely no evidence to suggest that the final decision to negotiate with Skycity was influenced by inappropriate considerations. They were wrong and it is time to apologise. 
 It is important to talk about what is actually important in this economy and the convention centre will be hugely beneficial for New Zealand—$90 million in annual economic benefits 1000 jobs during construction 800 jobs once it is up and running. Even the Labour Party Mayor of Auckland whom Labour is trying to disown over this particular issue supports the convention centre. The Labour Party does not stand for jobs. The Labour Party does not stand for economic growth. This convention centre that the Labour Party is opposing will be hugely beneficial for Auckland and New Zealand but it is opposed to it. 
The Labour Party should be talking about the big issues in this country the big issues that National members are focused on. We are focused on growth we are focused on jobs and we are focused on infrastructure. When New Zealanders go to the polls next year they will be asking themselves which party cares the most about their children’s future. The Labour Party opposes every pro-jobs policy that this Government has introduced. The Greens are interested just in wrapping New Zealand up in red tape and printing more money. 
Well National has got a good story to tell in those areas. In jobs 65000 new jobs have been created in the past 3 years and more than 13000 jobs have been created with the 90-day trial. We hear about lay-offs. The Labour Party wants to talk about lay-offs. It wants to talk about Mainzeal Property and Construction and it wants to talk about Solid Energy but it never wants to hear about the good-news stories— 
Iain Lees-Galloway 
: Tell us about the people who have given up looking for work because there’s no hope under this Government. 
JAMI-LEE ROSS 
: —such as 1000 new jobs from the Waterview Connection motorway. Listen up Mr Lees-Galloway; if you listened for a second you would get some facts into your brain. There are nearly 2000 jobs from the ultra-fast broadband roll-out and 1000 jobs for Wiri Prison. 
I heard during question time from the good Minister of Corrections about the global positioning system bracelets that she is introducing. I think actually David Shearer would like to have some of those for his own caucus and there could be a proximity meter next to David Cunliffe’s office so when Labour Party members go next to his office to become the next abstention in their next vote David Shearer knows all about it. 
We are focused on economic growth as well. This economy is growing by 2.5 percent. Labour would love to knock us down but the good-news story the facts out there is that this economy is growing. After-tax wages are up 20 percent since 2008—over twice the rate of inflation. Household disposable income has increased almost one-third in 4 years. We never hear about the good-news stories from the Labour Party because it does not care. It does not care about jobs it does not care about growth and it does not care about infrastructure. Those members need to stand up and say sorry for their accusations. They were found absolutely wrong and it is time they got to their feet and said so.