Brash Don: Adjournment — Sittings of the House 
Brash Don: Adjournment — Sittings of the House 
[Volume:614;Page:10765] 
Dr DON BRASH (Leader of the Opposition) 
: 
 I intend to move an amendment to the motion because adjourning the House at this point is an utter disgrace. It is totally deplorable. One of the most important announcements in this Government’s history—indeed in the country in the last decade—will be made by this Government after the House adjourns so that Parliament is denied the opportunity of debating it. I move  
That the motion be amended by omitting the words “Tuesday 10 February 2004” and substituting the words “Thursday 18 December 2003 for the purpose of debating Government decisions relating to the seabed and foreshore.” 
 Let us have the announcement tomorrow and let us come back into the House on Thursday and debate it. This is a very important issue. 
Mr Speaker I echo the thanks to you for your hard work this year. It has not been an easy year for you for the Deputy Speaker or for the Assistant Speakers including my good colleague Mr Clem Simich. Like Dr Cullen I would like to thank the messengers the catering staff the security staff the construction staff the telephonists the staff of the Parliamentary Library and all the others around here who make this place tick. Let me thank the parliamentary staff of the National Party and let me thank also my caucus colleagues. This has not been an easy year. Why?Because for three reasons the economy has actually been quite buoyant. The first reason is the great reforms of the 1990s. The OECD report published just a week ago stated that New Zealand was the seventh fastest growing economy in the OECD over the last decade. Why? Because of the reforms of the last 10 or 15 years. It is nothing to do with this Government; it is to do with the 1990s. Secondly we have had the lowest exchange rate in New Zealand’s history through 1999 2000 and 2001. That is nothing to do with the Government at all. As Dr Cullen referred to my previous history the other thing worth recalling is that monetary policy works with about an 18-month lag. What we are enjoying right now is also partly the result of outstandingly good monetary policy until 18 months ago. 
 Let me also thank colleagues in other parties that detest this Government—New Zealand First and ACT. We have some differences with New Zealand First and ACT but like National they detest most of what this Government is doing. Let me also refer to United Future. I greatly regret that it continues to support this Labour-Progressive Government because in many respects the family values espoused by United Future are very close to those espoused by the National Party and fundamentally different from those espoused by the Labour Party. As for the Greens I say that National does not have much in common with that party apart from the fact that we both have a respect for the environment. The problem is that the Greens seem blind to the fact that it is wealthy societies who can and do look after the environment—not poor societies. The Greens have not yet realised that. The National Party is committed to individual responsibility private enterprise and reward for individual effort. The National Party wants a society where there is self-reliance not dependence; competition not State monopoly; choice not compulsion; plain honest speech not political correctness; and one standard of citizenship for all New Zealanders not preferences based on race. There should be one standard of citizenship ideally for all members of Cabinet too. 
What of Labour? It talks of growth and prosperity at every opportunity but almost every policy it puts in place erects more obstacles to growth. Let us take the 4 weeks’ annual leave provision we have just passed. How can Labour members pretend that that will help New Zealand workers? Dr Cullen and Helen Clark like Father Christmas distributing lollies are pretending it is a free good. It has to be paid for by the workers of this country and those members know it. It is deceitful it is disgraceful and it is telling something a good deal less than the truth. The amendment to the Employment Relations Act will reduce wages and employment opportunities. Anything that makes it more difficult to hire staff will make it more difficult for employers to pay staff what they are worth—and key members of Cabinet know it. Despite that fact they proceed in that disgraceful way. 
New Zealanders are a tolerant people but enough is enough. Since this Government came to office a net 30000 New Zealanders have left this country every year. There have been 50000 out and 20000 back—a net loss of 30000 New Zealanders every single year since this Government came to office. That is a net figure of 145000 New Zealanders have left. That is what we risk—a gradual erosion of our country’s future—and this Government does absolutely nothing about it. 
In closing let me ask the Prime Minister and Cabinet as they enjoy their own Christmas to think of those who as a direct result of this Government’s policies will not be enjoying their Christmas. They should think of parents with their children and grandchildren overseas. They have left New Zealand because this country has gradually declined in relation to the rest of the world. Our standard of living is now 30 percent below that of Australia and below that of Singapore the UK and the US. I refer also to victims of crime—the crime this Government has allowed to take place by being soft on criminals. I refer to all the people who are afraid to let their children walk to school unsupervised or to play outside the house unsupervised to all the people who cannot get hospital care when they need it and to all those affected by the accelerating deterioration in race relations in this country. They will not be enjoying Christmas. In spite of all that I have to say that I wish the Prime Minister and her Cabinet a very merry Christmas but I do not wish them a happy New Year because we will ensure that their new year is a miserable one.