McAnulty KieranHon KIERAN McANULTY (Minister of Local Government): Thank you Mr Speaker. I wish to start my general debate contribution today by also acknowledging the contribution of the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern. For five years she led our nation through some of the toughest times that we have ever experienced and I am not sure in this House and elsewhere that she has had the full credit that she deserves. It was pretty disappointing to see the leadership of the ACT Party taking cheap and I say frankly disgraceful pot-shots at the Prime Minister just as it was pretty disgraceful—well not disgraceful in this instance but I think a bit disappointing—to see the National Party heckling the Hon James Shaw in his contribution and his praise for the Prime Minister. On days like this when former Prime Ministers make their valedictory speeches they should be treated with respect. That is how this side of the House treated Sir Bill English when he left this House and I think that is a courtesy that should be extended to all former Prime Ministers. What the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern did was not shy away from the challenges facing this country. She acknowledged what needed to be done she was upfront with the population and she put in measures to deal with it and that's exactly what the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins has done following in her footsteps. The Prime Minister has acknowledged that the primary issue facing this country at the moment is the cost of living and he has made that the primary focus of the Government. He's not taking the lead of the National Party and speaking in slogans. He's not coming up with policies that already exist and trying to reframe them as new. He's actually prioritising the Government's time on ensuring that New Zealanders get through this cost of living issue that we're facing at the moment and there is no greater example of a stark contrast to a massive issue facing this country than in water services reform. We heard in Simeon Brown's contribution some small reference to something that they are going to do. No details—nothing—because that's what their policy is: nothing. This country is facing up to $180 billion that needs to be spent on water services over the next 30 years and their policy after four years of whingeing and saying no and declining to even accept that there was an issue is to come out with a policy that's the status quo. Nicola Willis: Where's your policy?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: They are trying—there's a reason Nicola Willis is yelling out because I'm hitting a nerve. I am hitting a nerve here because they know that we're right. The National Party are trying to convince New Zealand that there isn't a problem. They are trying to convince New Zealand that councils can deal with this by themselves and that councils can voluntarily form council-controlled organisations (CCOs) and that will magically sort out the $180 billion that we need to fund. They are deliberately ignoring the fact that many councils cannot borrow more because they are near their cap and they are ignoring the fact that even in CCOs those bodies cannot borrow more because it is attached to the council's balance sheet. This concept—this false narrative that you can maintain direct control from councils and borrow the money that's required—is not backed up by facts. It is ridiculous it is false and they are trying to hoodwink the nation. That is why their policy is nonsense and that is why they have not been taken seriously by the local government sector. It is true that the local government sector has expressed concerns about the reform agenda under way at the moment but this Government hasn't received a fraction of the criticism of the National Party and I'll tell you why. It's because the one thing that local government don't want is the status quo and that's the exact thing that the National Party are promising. The secret is here: $180 billion. I think they are assuming that New Zealanders aren't smart enough to figure out that the problem is too big to ignore. That is what Jacinda Ardern took on alongside the Hon Nanaia Mahuta and that is what the Rt Hon Chris Hipkins and this Government are going to continue to face. We won't try and hoodwink New Zealanders. We'll be upfront with the facts: we need to find $180 billion over the next 30 years. Councils can't do it by themselves and if National got in and brought in their policy they would be out in the cold and ratepayers would not be able to afford the bills that they'd face—that's a fact. It is based on the council's own numbers. It is based on the Water Industry Commission of Scotland report that has been peer-reviewed twice. Where are the National Party's numbers? Nowhere to be seen. It's based on slogans it's based on feels—it's based on absolutely nothing. They've scaremongered for four years and at the end of it they've come up with absolutely nothing.