Gallagher Martin: Budget Debate 
Gallagher Martin: Budget Debate 
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MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 It is a great pleasure to follow my good colleague from Christchurch Central. It is wonderful to be a member of Parliament when one can be truly proud of one’s country—unlike the knockers on the other side. It is a very proud moment for me to be a member of this Government presenting this Budget which obviously is a very very good Budget for our country. 
In summary I think it would be really good to bullet point again the major features of this Budget. It is a prudent Budget. The gross debt is forecast to drop to 21 percent of gross domestic product by 2007-8 and surpluses of above $5 billion are forecast. Our economic outlook is positive. Unemployment and inflation are to remain low and wages are to increase steadily. Basically we are in a situation of having a very very sound economy. 
In terms of the Waikato I will talk a little about health in particular. I also say along with my colleagues Dianne Yates and Nanaia Mahuta how delighted and proud we are to have recently been part of the announcement of the major capital upgrade of our major base hospital Waikato Hospital. We are also very proud of the recent announcement of increased funding for orthopaedic surgery in this Budget. It is really good to see that for example in our own area twice as many hip and knee replacement operations will be performed in the next 4 years. This project will ultimately enable over 9000 New Zealanders each year to regain their physical independence and quality of life. This particular spending initiative will help a number of people get back to work. It should be obvious to most people that people in need of hip or knee replacements are often severely limited in their ability to work or live a normal quality life because of the pain and disability they suffer. It is really interesting to note and I do want it noted that the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists said that the Government’s announcement to double the number of orthopaedic operations on hips and knees over the next 4 years is great news for patients and senior doctors. I quote: “Implementation of this positive announcement will relieve the pain and suffering and improve the quality of life for thousands of New Zealanders. Improving patients’ quality of life is one of the most rewarding things senior doctors can experience.” It is really good to see that the Waikato region gets very very significant funding in this area. 
The other initiative that is assisting the Waikato area is the extra funding for primary health organisations. Now 6 to 17-year-olds can receive and are receiving reduced cost health-care. Special targeting means that people aged 65-plus who are enrolled in primary health organisations will pay just $3 for prescriptions. This Budget in terms of health is all about a fair shake and a fair go. It is all about access. It is so wonderful to be part of a positive Government that is doing great things for our country—unlike those in Opposition who meet in their dark rooms and ask what they can knock today. We have there a party of knockers and here a party of doers. 
Education is another area where it is really good to see increased funding. It is really good to see that pupils in 266 primary schools across the greater Waikato area will get an important boost to their education thanks to new funding that sees laptops rolled out to primary teachers nationwide. It is good to see an improvement across the board in terms of operational funding for our schools. 
I will touch on an issue that I believe the Budget is making great strides to address and that is of course the scourge and the tragedy of P drug addiction which like in a number of other countries has grown in this society at a very alarming rate. I chair the Law and Order Committee and we recently went to Australia as part of the trans-Tasman exchange. We had a number of interesting discussions particularly in Western Australia and New South Wales and at the federal level on what the Australians are doing to combat the P drug epidemic. It is very important I would stress that we have full trans-Tasman cooperation. Again it is excellent to see that the Budget allocates just under $40 million over the next 4 years in additional funding to tackle the P trade and organised crime. 
Indeed these initiatives are but another example of this Government’s commitment to making communities safer by ensuring that the police have the capacity and the capability effectively to target crime. This funding is primarily aimed at reducing the supply of drugs and achieving more prosecutions and is in addition to earlier initiatives like the reclassification of the P drug as a class A drug with its penalty of life imprisonment. We want and certainly commend the initiatives being undertaken in allocating resources so that we can crack down on drug manufacturers who must fulfil the definition in my view of human scum in our society. Those people one or two of whom actually have a respectable facade in the community prey upon our young people. I cannot think of something more inherently evil and base and it is really good to see that the Government and the country are focusing on this issue and recognising it for the very serious issue it is. 
It is really good to see the extra funding for the Institute of Environmental Science and Research. In terms of my visit to the institute in Auckland along with other members of the Law and Order Committee last year I want to compliment those scientists and teams on the fantastic work they do. Again I commend the $17 million of extra funding for the institute. It enables it to hire a further six scientists and technicians by Christmas including one scientist who is just about to start now. Its methamphetamine analysis team will increase to 18 and obviously the more people there are doing that work the more chance we have of achieving successful prosecutions. That is one example of a major problem afflicting our society at the moment that is addressed by some very very positive initiatives in this Budget. 
In summary I have focused on a few issues close to my heart obviously. One issue is the extra funding for health particularly for hip and knee joint operations which are a quality of life issue. Another issue is the funding to halt the P drug epidemic in order to protect our young people and the other is the major funding for our schools. Other speakers have spoken comprehensively about the extra funding and assistance we are giving to New Zealand families. We hear a lot particularly from the Opposition benches about tax cuts. We through this Budget process have given some really meaningful tax cuts in terms of providing assistance to families where it is needed most. The number of young people who in terms of opportunities improved health-care and improved education—extra cash coming into the budgets of families—have benefited and will benefit from this Budget is hugely significant. 
Finally as I said at the beginning of my speech I am proud to be part of the Waikato team with Nanaia Mahuta and Dianne Yates. I am proud to reflect on the significant benefit to our region. I am proud to reflect on the major spending on health services in our area the major spending to combat crime in our area and the major spending in terms of schools and education to assist our young people and give them the future they deserve. This has been said before but I will restate it: this is truly a good Budget—an excellent Budget for all New Zealanders. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Just before I call the next member I tell the House that I understand that New Zealand First is to share its 10-minute slot. There are two speakers Craig McNair and Barbara Stewart. I will ring the bell at 4 minutes to inform them.