English Bill: General Debate 
English Bill: General Debate 
[Volume:638;Page:8625] 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Deputy Leader—National) 
: 
 I welcome the attacks by Labour members on John Key because the more they do that the higher are his ratings in the preferred Prime Minister stakes. Every time people like Steve Maharey attack John Key or every time the obsessive Michael Cullen attacks John Key it makes the public realise that it is time those Ministers went— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: It’s a recycled speech. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: —and that one in particular. When you are Minister for State Owned Enterprises march into the gallery and abuse and shout at reporters from the company that you are in charge of that is overstepping the limit. When the Minister in charge— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It is very important that the truth in this area is told Mr Assistant Speaker. You do not own the company and I am not in charge of it. The member who has been a member of Parliament for quite a long time—and occasionally not a very good one—should know that. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Yes the member cannot bring the Speaker into the debate. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. More important than that the member indicated that I was the Minister responsible for Television New Zealand. I am not. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: That is not a point of order; that is a debatable issue. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: So apparently it is OK to use four-letter words? Just because technically Steve Maharey— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition made an allegation; he withdrew that allegation. I ask that this member’s allegation be withdrawn; I did not use four-letter words to Mr Espiner. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member has taken offence under Standing Orders 115 and 116. I would ask the member to desist— 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The member never said that he took offence; he just said that he did not like the allegation. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I most certainly do take offence when members lie in this House. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Thank you—and that is out of order too Mr Mallard. So can I have an apology from Mr English and an apology from Mr Mallard. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Then the Minister— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I asked for an apology from the member. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I apologise. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Thank you—and Mr Mallard? 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: So do I. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: We hear these rumours around the corridor that front-benchers of the Labour Party are considering retiring. Well they should; they should consider it. Trevor Mallard wanted to be Minister of Finance. The Minister of Finance told us today that he is staying. 
I do not know why the  
New Zealand Herald  
is so biased in favour of Steve Maharey. It rated him six out of 10. This is the man who wrecked Television New Zealand wrecked the National Certificate of Educational Achievement and wrecked early childhood education. He came back and used Botswana as a pejorative term in talking about education. I wonder whether he said that to the Botswanan Government which paid for him to go there and look at the country’s educational standards. We know what every one else knows—that he is a very slippery character. 
Dr Cullen should look at retiring too. He has done what he came to do. I agree that he has been able to put some semblance of order on this socialist rabble but he has done it they have got to him he has finished his job and it is time for him to move on so the New Zealand economy can take the next step. 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Socialist rabble! 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: The Minister of Maori Affairs should move over for the man who has queued up for his seat; he is right ready to take over. That Minister should retire as well. 
Corrections health education police—those areas show no accountability no responsibility. This is a Government that is washed up finished up and worst of all now just does not care. These Government Ministers actually do not care whether the Department of Corrections gets sorted out because they will not be there. They do not care whether 20 hours’ free education will wreck the early childhood sector because they will not be there. They do not care whether kids who are not getting proper professional teaching in schools can read or write because they will not be there to fix the problem. 
The  
New Zealand Herald  
overrated this Cabinet. Usually I would rate its journalists seven out of 10 but on their Cabinet ratings I would give them five. I think that all the journalists should put up their list of retirements. Should worn-out abusive Ministers retire? 
Hon Members 
: Yes! 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Yes of course they should. Should a bad-tempered Minister of Finance retire after his last Budget? 
Hon Members 
: Yes! 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Yes he should. Should a failed Minister of Maori Affairs retire? 
Hon Members 
: Yes! 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Yes he should. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: I thought he had! 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Oh we thought he had—that is right. No it is the Minister of Justice who has already retired. 
Why is Phil Goff rated so highly when he does nothing—except sit in his caravan waiting— 
Hon Members 
: Waiting waiting. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: —and I think that now he is counting— 
Hon Members 
: Counting counting. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: He is a man who has not had a serious domestic policy job in 10 years. The only one he did have was in justice—and what a mess he left that in! The peak of his justice career was to try to make it legal for people to have sex with 10-year-olds. I invite the  
New Zealand Herald  
to look at what Phil Goff has actually done apart from sitting in his caravan waiting waiting waiting— 
Simon Power 
: Getting his sausages ready. 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: —and getting sausages ready. He has taken the gas bottle down to the garage to get it filled up ready for the barbecue. He knows that the reason Helen Clark keeps up a fantastically busy international programme is that she is waiting for her next star.