Simpson Scott: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Simpson Scott: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 22 August 2012. Volume:683;Page:4641. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel) 
: 
 What a pleasure what an honour what a terrific thing it is to be able to stand here today in this general debate as part of the John Key Government which is getting on with the job for New Zealand and for New Zealanders. And what a pleasure what a privilege what an honour it is to be the member for Coromandel because in my part of the world in Coromandel where the previous speaker Sue Moroney occasionally visits her holiday home—we see her occasionally passing through—the people of Coromandel are enjoying the benefits and privileges that come from having a Government that is focused on getting the economy right. 
It has been a wet damp miserable winter in parts of Coromandel. In fact there has been an awful lot of rain about but the businesses and the farmers of Coromandel are getting ready for spring and they are getting ready for a prosperous and bright summer. Part of that will be to make the most of the new wonderful Hauraki Rail Trail cycleway. I had the very good opportunity to spend some time with the Associate Minister of Tourism Chris Tremain earlier this year when we opened that cycleway. It runs from Kopu through to Waikino on to Waihi and then down through to Paeroa and Te Aroha. As I left Thames earlier this week I could see that the concrete was being poured on the way into Thames township. What a great thing that will be because it brings jobs and opportunity to a part of the world that needs jobs and opportunity. And it is going to be used not only by hundreds of local Coromandel people but by families children and visitors from all over New Zealand and all over the world.  
I know that the projections are that there will be something like 52000 people a year using that cycleway and already without having had the first summer usage is twice what was expected. So in towns like Te Aroha Paeroa and Waihi businesses are already getting the benefit of visitors spending buying food wine coffee and what have you but also they are staying overnight. It is just a terrific opportunity because in Otago where the cycleway has of course being going for a lot longer it has something like 20000 people a year using it— 
Jacqui Dean 
: $7 million. 
SCOTT SIMPSON 
: —and it is worth $7 million a year. So if we have 52000 people imagine what that is worth to the people of Coromandel. 
You know the local shopkeepers and cafe owners are already saying that business is up business is booming and that people are buying their coffees muffins and what have you. Indeed just the other day I had a terrific email. It was actually addressed to the Prime Minister and I was kindly copied in by a constituent. It said this sort of thing: “A group of 20 of us from Whangamata recently did the Waikino to Paeroa trail. We stopped for morning tea at Waikino at the train station and then we went on to Te Aroha where we stayed overnight.” Twenty people staying overnight in Te Aroha—that is a big deal for the local moteliers. They had a meal and then they cycled back the next day after having brunch. He says in his email: “Later this year a group of us are also planning to ride the Timber Trail.” So people are getting out and around and about and doing this stuff on the national cycleway. It is a great thing.  
There is also other innovation. I want to just wind up by saying that Dr Simon McDonald at Triodent in Katikati runs a terrific business employing 80 people. This is a business that is only 8 years old that is exporting $20 million a year—export dollars—and making wonderful high tech products used in the dental industry. They are little things. If you have had any crown work done on your teeth you would know about how expensive that is. I held in my hand when I visited his factory just a week or two ago 2000 units in a small little box. I held 2000 of them something like $200000 worth of export dollars in my hand and not a single 40-foot container in sight—not a single 40-foot container. That is smart innovative thinking. That is smart innovative manufacturing going on in Katikati in the Coromandel electorate as we speak. It is a business that is niche that is taking its product to the world and that can compete against international competitors because it is smart innovative and very talented. And what do 80 jobs mean to a town like Katikati? Well they mean opportunity they mean school rolls go up they mean businesses are thriving and they mean the cafes and restaurants are doing well. 
Those are just a couple of the wonderful tangible examples of what is happening under a John Key - National Party Government which I commend to this House.