Swain Paul: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Swain Paul: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:615;Page:10994] 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 Mr Speaker— 
Lindsay Tisch 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I see on the speaking schedule that the next spot goes to an “other” speaker not a Labour speaker. As that position is vacant I sought the call first and would expect to be given the 5-minute call to take the “other” spot. This is a 14-hour debate and there are two Labour speakers scheduled for later on at 10 minutes each. But this is an “other” debate and I would like a ruling on it. My understanding is that the spot is available to whoever takes the call first and I was the first to go for the call. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Thank you Mr Tisch. 
David Benson-Pope 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am the person who prepared the roster before us and circulated it to the other parties for comment. This matter was raised at the Business Committee at the start of the week. The “other” refers to an entitlement for Donna Awatere Huata who is an Independent. It is not an option for another party. Mr John Carter knows that. I discussed it with him about an hour ago so if Mr Tisch would like to discuss it with Mr Carter he will know that his statement is not correct. There are many occasions where there have been consecutive Labour calls because Labour has 360 minutes of this 14-hour debate. This call is either for Donna Awatere Huata or a subsequent call would be a Labour call. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Thank you very much. I call the honourable Minister. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I ask for a point of clarification. If the allocation of 5 minutes is not taken up by Donna Awatere Huata who gets the other 5 minutes? Because on the schedule that the senior Government whip has identified those times have been allocated out. My understanding is that that is a free 5 minutes and that is why I sought the call. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: All I can say is that obviously arrangements and agreements have been made within the Business Committee. I take the member at his word. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I want to begin by making a brief comment about Waitangi Day. I spent the day at the Orongomai Marae in Upper Hutt. That was an absolutely fabulous and fantastic day. It was a day of celebration—many cultures celebrating what it is to be a New Zealander. I want to congratulate the kaumatua and the kuia who organised that successful event and look very much forward to being back there next year. 
When I hear the whingeing and the whining from the National Party I wonder what New Zealanders think when they hear that. When I look across the House at the National Party it reminds me of looking at black-and-white television—if people can remember the old newsreels the pizzicato violins the breathless narrators talking about motherhood and apple pie; the kind of New Zealand of the 1960s when we were innocent and things were uncomplicated. That is exactly what the National Party is trying to present. It wants to take us back to the 1960s when everything was black and white and everything was uncomplicated. 
Of course every New Zealander—apart from National Party members and their supporters—knows that New Zealand is not like that any more particularly with race relations. That is a particularly important issue for New Zealand and we have to tread forward carefully but tread together hand in hand. If one compares the black-and-white television image of the National Party with the Labour-led Government it is like looking at colour television. There are different shades of colour it is more interesting more modern much more representative of the 21st century—and rightly so. So despite their whingeing and whining grizzling and groaning New Zealanders actually feel good about themselves and about New Zealand. Despite the fact that members of the Opposition are trying to run New Zealand down New Zealanders are proud to be New Zealanders and are feeling particularly good about themselves. 
I want to go on and talk about why New Zealanders have that particular feeling. It is because a Labour-led Government has introduced policies that are taking New Zealand forward—not like the National Party which wants to take New Zealand back. That is the critical message being shaped by members on this side of the House which is why so many of us are so very proud and pleased to be standing and supporting the Prime Minister’s statement. 
When we look out over the future and the choice between those who want to move forward and those who want to move back obviously the Labour-led Government is the one that will be taking New Zealand forward under the growth and innovation framework that was announced not so long ago. When one looks at the figures one knows that the economy is booming. 
Debate interrupted.