Luxon ChristopherCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition): Well what a difference a week makes. That's all I can say is what a difference a week makes because finally Grant Robertson does some work. He puts it into his speech—sadly not into the economy. Mr Business Premier" thinks it's all about Business Premier it's all about the economy it's all about the people of New Zealand. He goes up and gets stitched up—the Labour Party leadership transition—so he's all ready to go. I think that's a shame because poor Chris Hipkins doesn't get a go lovely Michael Wood doesn't get a go. I reckon it would be a lot more fun if Willie Jackson had a shot at it. He'd make it interesting for us. Mr Mallard maybe?But what I want to say is that New Zealand—don't you feel New Zealand's a great country? I mean I've lived and worked all round the world and I can tell you this is the best place on planet Earth. But what I can tell you is in this place we also have a little bit of straight talk and we say it as it is right? What we have to say is that New Zealand is losing its way OK and I can tell you why—I can tell you why. It's this Government here. You see it in their eyes. They look tired. They're looking forward to Christmas. Kris Faafoi's there—look at him. I mean he's tired. He's waiting for Christmas. The reindeers are running out of puff. He's running out of puff. He's lost the way. What I want to say—you can just see it. What's happening is this is a Government that does the PR it likes the spinning but it actually doesn't deliver and it doesn't get things done.We heard about that today. We heard about the everyday New Zealanders who are out there waking up this morning going to work paying their taxes getting their kids to school dealing with the congestion and they can't get ahead. They can't get ahead because why? Because wages are half the rate of costs. Costs are up twice the rate that they're going. I want to tell you that parents when you talk to the mums and dads they're worried about education. They know that they need their kids to have a world-class education. But what's the Government doing here? Absolutely nothing. Sixty percent of our kids make it to school regularly—unbelievable. We're in the bottom in maths reading and science in the world. So that doesn't set their kids up for a world-class education either.What's very obvious to us is this Government doesn't care about small business. They seem to think that sitting here in Wellington they get to make everything happen in this economy. They don't realise that it's the punter that wakes up each morning takes a risk gets out there makes something happen wants to get ahead for themselves and their family—Hon Member: A battler.CHRISTOPHER LUXON: The battler—exactly that's what it is. It's a battling New Zealand that's out there who wants to go make it happen. What we're watching here is a Government that's not supporting them. They think they create the jobs but it's actually that individual that small-business person that actually employs the people makes it happen. What we've seen here is a great leap backwards to centralisation and control back to the 1970s back to centralised Fortress New Zealand. That's essentially what's happening and that's a shame. It's a shame when you see enterprise taken out of the lifeblood of a country like New Zealand. People lack the confidence to go out there and give it a go lack the ambition. They say "Why do I bother?" because of what this Government does in terms of treating economy and small business.But there's another group that this Government doesn't care about and it's our rural communities. I'll tell you what: they really don't care about or value our farmers. They're not their people. It's very obvious. I can tell you farmers aren't villains because actually they generate $9000 on export earnings for each and every New Zealander in this country. They're the people that drive 80 percent of our exports. They employ 350000 people. But I can tell you they're doing it really tough under this Government because they don't care about them. They just load them up with costs and regulation. Think about it: significant natural areas the Water Services Bill slope rules wetlands freshwater regulations and literally the farmer is sitting there on the other side of a tennis net being served 10 tennis balls at a time and they don't know which one to hit. I can tell you that industry is very very special. The people are strategic. They care deeply. It's an incredible industry to be part of. They synthesize economy agriculture sustainability.But the worst thing is this Government's become arrogant. It's become really arrogant and it's become arrogant fast. You know the reality is they had lots of promises lots of announcements lots of spin—no delivery. Lots of wasteful spending lots of bloated bureaucracy lots of centralisation control "we know best".But what I want to tell you is that there is hope. I want to tell New Zealanders that there is hope. Hope is coming to a town near you and it's in the form of a refreshed new National Party. We've reset. The National Party is back. We know how to put aspiration ambition confidence and mojo back into this country. We're not going to go play a small fearful inward-looking game. We're out there in the world going to happen to our future rather than let it happen to us. So New Zealand the National Party is back. We're reset we're united we're focused and we're ready to go."