Hawkins George: Budget Debate 
Hawkins George: Budget Debate 
[Volume:654;Page:4197] 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Labour—Manurewa) 
: 
 I stand to actually sing the praises of the National Government. I want to sing its praises. When members opposite came in here after the last election they had the goodwill of the country and everyone thought: “What a great job.” But it has turned sour. It has turned very very sour. The troubles started with Melissa Lee. She was not in the Chamber on Budget day and did not know what was in the Budget. 
Hon Members 
: She was here. You are wrong. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Well she might have been but she was not noticed. I think Jackie Blue would have made a better candidate for Mt Albert. Nevertheless Melissa Lee did not know what was going on; she did not know what was in the Budget. She did not know whether there was going to be a tunnel over in Waterview. That was an absolute disgrace. So the wheels started to fall off. The honeymoon was over for the National Government. Not only did the wheels fall off; it came to a grinding halt. 
When I was in Government we had one issue on the go at any one time. Helen Clark was such a remarkable leader that she could handle that quite easily. But what does the National Government have? It has Melissa Lee in Mt Albert. It has unemployment going sky-high. It had promised tax cuts. We sat in this House on a Saturday debating them. The National Government was going to have its way; it was tax cuts for everyone. 
Dr Rajen Prasad 
: 100 days of action. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Yes there were going to be 100 days of action and everyone thought “Wonderful!”. 
But what happened? Last week the Government brought in legislation that got rid of the tax cuts. When the Government brought in the tax cuts legislation it knew that they were not affordable. It knew that. It builds people up only to drop them down. We had people like John Key give his personal guarantee. Bill English sits next to him in the Chamber with a big smile as he waits for his opportunity. He knows that it will come. He has the knife out he has it sharpened and he is looking at the back that it will go into. He is working on it; he is not in a hurry but that is what is going to happen. 
The Government has a long shadow over it. Although I do not want to talk about Richard Worth that is just another problem for the Government to deal with. The Government has those sorts of problems to deal with plus people are asking what will happen to their superannuation. 
We remember the National Party of the 1990s when its candidates on the hustings did not know their party’s policies. When that happens people become unnerved. In respect of local government legislation an area in which I have some interest the House sat recently for quite some time and a disorganised Government did not know how to get out of it for quite some time. The Government now tries to sell to people the idea that they will have a say on local government reorganisation in Auckland but in reality Auckland was stolen from the people without their say. It was absolutely bulldozed away from them. Did we hear National MPs who knew there was nothing in the Budget for local government reorganisation—not a cent—put amendments? In respect of the Franklin area did Dr Paul Hutchison do anything? Did he raise any amendments to save Franklin? No he did not. But he got together with its mayor Mark Ball and they wrote an article for the  
New Zealand Herald 
 in which they said— 
Sandra Goudie 
: What’s that got to do with the Budget? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: It has a lot to do with the Budget because someone has to pay for the reorganisation of local government in Auckland. 
I know that Sandra Goudie wants to be a Minister outside Cabinet. She sees an opportunity and she thinks that if she squawks enough and Mr King thinks if he squawks enough they might have a chance to become Ministers outside Cabinet. One does not have to be very good to hold that kind of position I can tell them. 
What happened about local government in Auckland? Local government was stolen from Aucklanders but is there any money in the Budget for that reorganisation? No there is not a cent. Who will pay for all of this? There is nothing in the Budget so the ratepayers will pay. Did Judith Collins get up and try to save Papakura? No she went to one meeting and she did not have much to say. When I visit that area I hear that the people are very very disappointed. I think a lot of people would like to keep their old local authority area. It might be all right to provide 300 more cops in South Auckland but not to then steal the whole city of Auckland—steal the lot! People are very upset about that. 
When people look at the Budget they will say they have been swindled—that is what they will say. It will be interesting next Tuesday night at the Papatoetoe Cosmopolitan Club where a public meeting will be held. Although the topic may be local government reorganisation people will also ask questions about the Budget. People will ask about what has happened to their superannuation. They are absolutely confused about that. They are almost as confused as the National Government. 
Everything was going smoothly for the Government. It was plain sailing and all of a sudden it ran out of sealed road and got on to a bumpy track. The measure of John Key’s prime ministership is how he handles it. I do not think he is doing very well. 
Nathan Guy 
: Wind it up. Get to the point. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: A whole lot of National backbenchers want to become Ministers outside Cabinet. Who will take Richard Worth’s place? Well if he goes from Parliament it will be Cam Calder. He stood against me. He is a hard-working person. He was out there from March right through to election date knocking on doors. I tell Rodney Hide that if Cam Calder gets the job he will be knocking on Epsom doors. Rodney should be very worried because not only will Auckland be stolen by the National-ACT coalition but also Rodney Hide’s seat will possibly disappear from ACT. Together with what happens in the Budget— 
Sandra Goudie 
: How does that relate to the Budget? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: I went and told Rodney Hide today. Sandra Goudie wants to be a Minister outside Cabinet. Richard Worth’s body is not cold and she wants the job. He has not even cleaned out the office and she wants the job. The member for West Coast - Tasman is more deserving of it. That would be a good job for him. He has battled hard but— 
Sandra Goudie 
: What’s that got to do with the Budget? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: It has to do with the administration of the Government as a whole and it is in a terrible mess. 
Sandra Goudie 
: What appropriation is that under? 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: It is a thing called the Budget. That member who is squawking as loudly as she can might have to give way to Tau Henare who might get there before her. Will Tau Henare get there ahead of her? That is what the talk going on in the National Party is all about — and I see that Mr King has his hand up.