Finlayson Christopher: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFinlayson Christopher: General Debate[Sitting date: 07 May 2014. Volume:698;Page:17576. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Attorney-General): I agree that the past week has been a very interesting week in New Zealand politics—a difficult time for a member of the House. It proves the old adage that nothing in this game lasts for ever. What is here today can be gone tomorrow. It was an emotional week. Of course I refer to the impending retirement of Rajen Prasad. Attention from the very good work that the Government is doing for this country was diverted by the stunning news that Rajen is on his bike. But I am here to remind the House that life will go on without Dr Prasad. He may no longer be with us after the election but we will still have the lowest crime rate in 25 years. The OECD as we know from today says that we are in very good shape. Some say that we will have the highest economic growth in the developed world this year. We still have the extra $22 million boost for budgeting services announced by my good friend Paula Bennett this week and as Mr Joyce said an extra 84000 jobs created in the last year so we must continue.As Dr Prasad noted he has made his contribution to Parliament. His work is done. When earlier this year he asked three questions in question time he equalled the total number of questions he had asked in the previous 5 years. Little sadly did we know that this flurry of activity was really a death rattle.I want to tell the House a most interesting story. Last Sunday I woke up at 6.55 and as is my wont lunged for my radio so that I could listen to the news on Radio New Zealand National. After the news I thought the children’s programmes must have continued because there was a bizarre interview with a fellow called David Cunliffe. Wallace Chapman who has replaced Labourlovey Chris Laidlaw on the programme was asking him a question: “Who in your caucus Mr Cunliffe has experience as a manual worker?”. And Mr Cunliffe said there were many. As I look across the House I cannot see many but Mr Chapman said: “Who exactly?”. Oh Darien. I recognise Darien Fenton. But then Mr Chapman said: “Well who in particular?”.And Mr Cunliffe said: “Me.” Apparently Mr Cunliffe was a manual worker. Between secondaryschool and going to university apparently he was a shearer. I would very much like him to challenge Colin King to a shearing competition. So the bard of Harvard is really a son of the soil.As a man who works with his hands Mr Cunliffe will appreciate this week’s announcement of $20 million in the Budget for 6000 more apprenticeships which will give eligible apprentices or trainees an opportunity to apply for a $1000 subsidy towards the costs of tools and off-job course costs or $2000 for those in priority trades. So what we have with Mr Cunliffe is a very very strange person and Wallace Chapman is not the only person to have identified this. He is always secretive and always darting around the edges of the truth. We have the secret trusts we have those extraordinary statements about the whaling case which was a triumph for this country and he denied that we were there. As Sunday’s radio interview showed he is so adept at being tricky that when he has no one to deceive he deceives himself just to keep in practice. He is a very very odd fish indeed. When he talks about the stark contrasts in the next few months I will place the house on this fellow Key going head to head with Cunliffe and crushing him.