Pettis Jill: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Pettis Jill: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:615;Page:10969] 
JILL PETTIS (Labour—Whanganui) 
: 
 We on this side of the House the Labour-led Government have a very positive story to tell about how much is being achieved in this country. We have so much good news that it is coming out our ears. In the time that I have this afternoon I want to cover some of the excellent stories that are happening around our provinces. 
I represent a provincial electorate. I have had the privilege of doing so for a decade and I intend to do so for a very long time. One of the issues of particular interest to me at the moment because of its topical nature is rural health services. We in this Government believe that rural communities should have the same access to all health services as urban areas and it is a priority for this Government. 
At the moment a maternity services review is taking placing within the Taranaki District Health Board to consider services at Stratford and Hawera hospitals. I want to state quite clearly in this House that I do not support any reduction of services in the maternity services area because this is a time of considerable vulnerability not only for mothers and young families but grandparents and wider extended families. Having maternity services close to where one lives is an important part of helping to make communities strong. While I have met representatives of the Taranaki District Health Board and advised them of my views I want it placed on record in this House that I am emphatically opposed to any reduction in maternity services in either Stratford or Hawera. 
 Some fantastic statistics are occurring in health as a consequence of the priority that this Government is placing on delivering health services to people of all ages based on their needs. Yes we are positively discriminating in favour of people who need additional health services. My first career was as a nurse and I am very proud to say that even all those years ago when I was a trainee nurse we discriminated positively in favour of people who needed extra health services. I am proud that this Government has the foresight compassion and courage in the face of appalling flak to continue to provide health services where the need is greatest. 
I am also very pleased that we have an intelligent and compassionate Prime Minister who is prepared to continue to put great emphasis and priority on the provision of those services. This Government puts it money where its mouth is with regard to health spending. Total spending for Vote Health under this Government in 2003-04 will reach $9.61 billion. That is an increase of 43 percent— 
David Benson-Pope 
: How many percent? 
JILL PETTIS 
: It is 43 percent since 1999-2000 based on need [ 
Interruption 
]—absolutely—as it has been in this country for years and years. This current scaremongering is so superficial and unresearched and it is just extremely difficult to understand why. 
I am proud of the extra health services that are available to older New Zealanders. I am proud that we in this country and most certainly under this Government positively discriminate in favour of the aged. I hope to grow into a very old woman and I hope that good public health-care services are there for me all my peers in this House today and right throughout New Zealand. I hope my male colleagues grow into very old men and enjoy long happy and fruitful lives. We have done some fantastic work in the area of public health services and are providing services in areas where they have not been provided before particularly in remote parts of New Zealand. As I said earlier we are putting our money where our mouths are. 
Some fantastic things are happening in my electorate. I am aware of being very privileged to represent the electorate of Whanganui which extends from the Whangaehu River in the south up to and including Manaia Kaponga and Eltham in the north-west and right up to Pipiriki up the Whanganui River. So it is a large and diverse electorate— 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: With a great climate. 
JILL PETTIS 
: —with the fourth most equitable climate in the world. 
One of the fantastic events that occurred on Waitangi Day in my electorate was in the town of Patea. Patea has had some rough times economically and on Waitangi Day the townspeople absolutely came to the fore with the most fantastic “Paepae in the Park” concert. Three thousand people turned out to celebrate being a New Zealander. The people in Patea Wanganui and Taranaki who came together for this hui know what it is to be a New Zealander. They do not need some inept description from some incompetent person about what it is to be a New Zealander. They got together and sang laughed and cheered about being together. It was an emotional day for me because it was so wonderful and the sun was shining. It was just fantastic. 
One of the other good things happening in our electorate is the service the Heartland office has attached to our Work and Income New Zealand office in Hawera. It is providing services for housing the Maori Land Court and the Inland Revenue Department—all those services that were cut by that hard callous and uncaring National Government. 
The economy in my electorate is absolutely buoyant. I have pages of statistics with me in the House today about how buoyant Whanganui people and businesses feel. Ninety-five percent of the businesses surveyed believe that their business will continue to improve and that the likelihood of them employing more people is very high. The results of the survey show that the economy in Wanganui City in particular which this survey is concerned with is taking a “full steam ahead” approach in the short to medium term. 
Just the other day Jim Anderton officially opened a new Vitapower business in Wanganui which is providing additional jobs adding value to products and working in conjunction with Massey University. This is a positive partnership between business the Crown research institutes the universities and the community. It is a partnership that is working. 
We also visited Masterfoods—locally known as Lucky Pet Foods—which continues its wonderful success story and is being supported by the regional initiatives fund. This Government works with business it supports businesses financially by giving them research and development assistance and that money is being appreciated. 
 Those Tories over there know what is happening in the provinces know that the economy is strong know that people are feeling good and that is why they are scratching that ugly ugly itch. When I was a kid my grandmother and my mother used to say to me: “God will punish you if you say that.” I say they should beware of the implications of what they are saying.