Tamihere John: Financial Review Debate 
Tamihere John: Financial Review Debate 
[Volume:607;Page:4162] 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE (Minister of Youth Affairs) 
: 
 I commend the Appropriation (2001/02 Financial Review) Bill to the House. In doing so I support all other speakers from the Government with regard to a number of the following points. We have built a strong foundation for growth. We will continue to provide a stable Government with strong leadership. Our aim is to build and sustain solid levels of economic growth and to fund good public services and infrastructure sustainably. But more important than that I want to spend a few moments to reflect on the heart soul and conscience of a good Government. 
One of the greatest ancestors of the Labour Party the late great Rt Hon Michael Joseph Savage has inscribed on his tomb at Orakei one of the greatest celebrations a leader can ever have granted to him or her. It states that there cannot be any greater acknowledgment than the love and respect of one’s fellow Kiwis. That great man worked for it and achieved it. Under the leadership of this particular Government I am proud to stand in the House tonight and say that our leader—and our leadership—is exhibiting exactly the same fine qualities exhibited by that great ancestor of the Labour Party on any measure. 
I want to spend a few moments on that. Members can hear “the honourable member for bulls” from the Kaipara area the Hon Lockwood Smith and I want to say in terms of his interjections that the only game in town the only intellectual capability to debate a range of major issues resides on this side of the House. This is a very healthy situation to be in not with regard to the bankrupt bunch of bozos who sit over there. 
I want to move on to a couple of issues in terms of a snapshot of our recent achievements because it is vitally important as we debate this bill that we understand exactly the capability and prowess of this Government. This Government is one of the smartest savviest cleverest business-related Governments the country has ever seen. I have caused a search to be done with regard to tax law alone. In the last 3 years this Labour-led Government leading into this new term has passed more taxpayer-friendly provisions than any other Government in the last decade. There is absolutely no secret as to the make-up of that former Government. The Hon Dr Lockwood Smith was part of it and on any research the Hon Dr Michael Cullen as Minister in charge of revenue has moved more taxpayer-friendly legislation through this House in 3 years than the National Party did in 10 years. 
We have presided over a growing economy. There has been an increase in economic activity of over 3.9 percent. This growth has been driven by the household sector and by tourism and continues the solid economic performance of the last four quarters. More people are in jobs. Over 15500 fewer people are on the main unemployment benefit than a year ago and almost 120000 more jobs have been created since we came into Government in December 1999. These are not just marvellous performance indicators. These are gobsmackingly good and the Opposition cannot argue against that. What it prayed and hoped for desperately is some catastrophe but it will not get a  
Tampa 
. It will not get anything like a catastrophe because over here is a very business-savvy Government that is better person for person across every portfolio. The Opposition just does not stand a chance. 
Deep down in the true vein where all Kiwis think we always want things to be fair and what is happening on the other side of the House is absolutely disgraceful in respect of the inability to stand up on any issues with any integrity—or more so with any capability or capacity. They argue on the other side of the House over who should be the Leader of the Opposition. They have no vision no values no policies and no programme with regard to leadership in any sector in this country. They are absolutely bankrupt. On any measure we are right up there. 
Let me just reflect on a few of the Opposition parties’ contributions to this debate. I pause once again to think about a number of contributions from National Party colleagues on the other side of the House and provide some rebuttal. Well there we go; that is it! They did not say anything worth rebutting so I do not think I will waste any more time on that. So much for the National Party! 
It has four spokespersons on welfare: Don Brash is spokesperson one week Katherine Rich is spokesperson another week Bill English is spokesperson another week. 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: And Maurice. 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: Maurice Williamson is always a back-up player. He is a great impact player is our Maurice Williamson and God bless him. Anyway every home has one and thank goodness for Maurice! National has so many spokespersons on one issue that it sends out a very confused message. Walking into its caucus every Tuesday must be very confusing. 
I now move on to New Zealand First. New Zealand First is a very interesting party. Collectively its members have an IQ of about 110. I have to say that Winston is reasonably OK notwithstanding the fact that he has some major problems with being erratic. 
Dr Don Brash 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Does this speech have any relationship at all to the bill we are discussing? 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: It is a wide-ranging debate. If members like they can refer to Standing Order 332—as long as it relates to the issue at hand. 
Dr Don Brash 
: It is drawing a long bow. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I also mention that members’ Christian names should not be used. I refer to Speaker’s ruling 6/1 (Supplement) which states that the only way a member can address a member is by his or her title portfolio or full name. 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: I was talking about the Rt Hon Winston Peters the member for Tauranga. I understand that he is under great stress and I can see that. Having to lead 12 others who sort of wander in here dazed like Brown’s cows has to be a struggle. As a consequence he does not preside over any caucus because he does not have caucus meetings. Notwithstanding that I shall tell members how good some New Zealand First MPs are. When they arrive even security staff stop them 9 months into the sitting of the Parliament. Who are they? What do they stand for? That is enough of New Zealand First. 
I shall move veritably along to the ACT party. That party came into the House and there was much aplomb over the ability to talk about the Appropriation (2001/02 Financial Review) Bill and to have some insightful and scything comments with regard to the backbone of why its members would have entered here. Earlier today we got more gutter politics from Rodney Philip Hide. When ACT party members walk into this House and start to get into debates and they consider themselves to be quite smart because they are driven by white-collar money that understands all about secret commissions and blind trusts— 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is out of order for the member on his feet to suggest that a political party is driven by white-collar money. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member is not actually referring to corruption. Therefore it is not out of order. It is a debatable point. 
Hon JOHN TAMIHERE 
: I just want to settle Rodney Philip Hide down. Under no circumstances would I say that he was involved in anything that was less than generous to Kiwi society apart from a scam conference he did attend and he acknowledges that when $10 million of good Kiwi money relevant to investment went down the gurgler. We also know that pyramid-selling schemes had been discussed in that caucus. We also know that ACT has an office in Wellington—although one would not know that it was an ACT party office—funded by taxpayers to open as an electorate office but it is never open. I shall tell members what goes on in that office. Mr Prebble goes to sleep in it. That is what the taxpayer gets. Richard Prebble goes to sleep in it. 
I shall tell members a few other things for the benefit of Mr Rodney Philip Hide. The day that he gets up in this House and attacks my elder and my leader in terms of the Maori caucus in this part of the House I tell him that he should get his facts right. Mr Hide and Mr Prebble with the knowledge of the Pipi Foundation money going into it with the knowledge that Industry New Zealand money was going into it stood outside this Chamber at a fashion show and welcomed everybody in on taxpayer funds. Richard Prebble was at the front of the queue welcoming people on taxpayer funds. 
Here is ACT’s problem. We are constituency MPs and as such we understand that when we get invites to go to constituency dos one turns up. ACT MPs have no constituency no heart no conscience no soul and would not know how a Kiwi community worked. However they are on the take and that is probably the end of it.