Barker Rick: Debate on Crown Entities Public Organisations and State Enterprises — In Committee 
Barker Rick: Debate on Crown Entities Public Organisations and State Enterprises — In Committee 
[Volume:647;Page:15989] 
Hon RICK BARKER (Minister of Internal Affairs) 
: 
 It is with great irony that National Party members stand in the Chamber and complain about the state of the Fire Service Commission. Let us remember it was the previous National Government that set fire to the Fire Service Commission through the actions of Roger Estall. National set volunteer against professional; professional against volunteer. Let us remember it was the National Government that slashed and burned the budget for the Fire Service Commission. Let us remember it was the National Government that stopped the replacement programme for new fire machines in the 1990s. Let us remember that National never built or replaced another fire station in all the time it was in office and that it had that live wire Minister responsible—Jack Elder! That was the leadership National showed for the Fire Service Commission. It is absolutely galling for National members to come into the Chamber and complain about that. 
But not only are National members silly about it; they are plain wrong—plain wrong. We have just had it put on the  
Hansard 
 record that Sandra Goudie said that no fire engines were replaced in 2002 yet in question for written answer No. 2275 I told Sandra Goudie that in 2001-02 15 new appliances were put into the fleet. That is not none; that is 15. Sandra Goudie went on to say that in 2003 there were no fire engine replacements yet in the same written answer I said that there were 16. She also said that in 2004 there were none but in answer to the same written question I told her that there were 36. That is part of the written record. Sandra Goudie cannot even read the answers to her own written questions let alone get things right. 
I will now make another point that has escaped Sandra Goudie as it has escaped the National Party. The point is there is a global boom on. People are mining digging up parts of Australia and mining all over the world so trucks are in incredibly short supply. It is hard to buy a new truck. The Fire Service has a stack of orders out and in question for written answer No. 3084 I told Sandra Goudie that the Fire Service Commission had advised me it has 79 appliances on order. The people cannot deliver them on time. The Fire Service Commission has put into place 22 new appliances so far this financial year. It accepts there is a lag but if people cannot supply us with the new engines then we cannot commission them. 
What is driving this talk of course is that some people want the Fire Service to go and buy second-hand trucks out of Britain or Japan. It is really interesting; they have a deal for the Fire Service Commission! Oh boy they have! The service is told that it needs trucks out of Britain and that those people can supply them. The problem with that— 
Shane Ardern 
: We did that. 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: That is right; Shane Ardern is saying they did that. It was not a good idea because it means there is a huge variation in the fleet maintenance costs go up and there are all sorts of other problems. It is much better to have a standard fleet. So we have a very good model of truck and we are buying them in large numbers and we will go ahead and do that. 
But of course there is no point in supplying an answer to Sandra Goudie’s written questions because she does not read them. She simply does not read them. That is another very good example of why the National Party should never ever be considered for the Treasury benches. 
I say to Sandra Goudie that I am happy to argue our record of what we have done for the Fire Service Commission and what National did. We have built numerous new fire stations all over the country. Dame Margaret Bazley has attended over 80 new openings. We have put new fire engines all over the place. I went to hand over the keys to a new fire engine in Waipukurau. It was the first time they have had a new fire engine since the 1930s—the first time they have ever had a brand new machine. The volunteers turned up and they were admiring this nice new glossy bright red machine with all the whizzes and stuff on it. It is a little beauty. We will go through and replace all the old buildings. We are commissioning fire trucks building new fire stations. 
The National Party also failed to note that we are recruiting new people as professional firefighters. The number of professional firefighters has gone up under this Government. Under the previous National Government the number went down. We have replaced all the firefighters to make New Zealanders safer. We have done the right thing: more firefighters more volunteers more professionals newer trucks and more fire stations. The National Government slashed and burned. 
Members should remember just one name above all else—Roger Estall. He was the high point of the National Government’s policy on the Fire Service Commission ably led by that intellectual genius Jack Elder! He was the best person National could get and he demonstrated all the fine skills of a Tory Minister. 
Report noted.