King Annette: General Debates 
King Annette: General Debates 
[Volume:613;Page:9956] 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Breaking news—today is Wednesday and so far there has been no leadership challenge in the National Party. At this moment as far as anyone can tell the plotters the plonkers and the permanently peeved-off members of the National caucus are united with dagger at the ready behind their new leader—the new face of the National Party Dr Don Brash. I could be being a little hasty; there are still 2 working-days left for the National caucus. They may well change their minds and I am not prepared to put any money on it. But after a shonky ballot which was then disputed by the new deputy leader of the National Party to the extent that it left him unwell Dr Brash moved very quickly with his portmanteau to his limousine and into his new office. It was “Bye-bye Bill and hello Don.” 
 In his first speech to the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and Industry Dr Brash said that he has a great team—in fact he emphasised it several times hoping that that would make it true. I say that the great team looks more like a line-up of unwanted dried arrangements than a winning combination that could lead New Zealand into the future. 
Let us have a look at them. Let us start with Mr Sowry. He is bitterly disappointed. He is angry because he was dumped off the front bench. He was dumped out of the deputy leadership and not only has he lost to the youngest member of Parliament—with the biggest majority ever held by a member in that seat—but he is now being called a loser in his own party. 
Next to him is Mr Ryall. He is absolutely livid because his progress backwards is nothing short of spectacular. Then we have Dr Lynda Scott. She was desperate to stay on the front bench of the National Party’s line-up. She even went to her local newspaper the  
Marlborough Express 
 the day after the leadership change and said that “Brash will be better”. That was the headline in the  
Marlborough Express 
 a day after the dumping of her close friend Roger Sowry and the former leader Bill English. She thought that if she was to cosy up to Dr Brash he might just leave her sitting on the front bench. She is devastated and a wounded brat pack is a dangerous brat pack indeed. 
Then we have some of those who were always on the fringes but they have been wounded as well. Georgina te Heuheu is very disillusioned. She supported Don Brash but she was bumped back even further than when Bill English bumped her back because National believe that her views on Maori are irrelevant. Then we have Dr Wayne Mapp a very serious man who felt he deserved his front-bench seat. It fitted very nicely around his bottom. He had become very used to that front-bench seat; he has been demoted and demeaned and is very disgruntled indeed. 
Then we have Gerry Brownlee. Gerry Brownlee could not care less quite frankly about whether National is coming or going because he figures that it is all about to fall into his lap. All the pearls will fall into his lap and Gerry Brownlee will just carry on as Gerry Brownlee does. 
The person who I think is the most maligned and disaffected in the National Party must be John Carter. He is loyal he is hardworking and he has been long-suffering. He had his integrity questioned by the new deputy leader of the National Party. What an insult that was to John Carter a man whom I respect. For years he has had to put up with constant coup-plotting with dysfunctional leadership with underperformers and with prima donnas. He did not deserve it.