Mapp Wayne: General Debate 
Mapp Wayne: General Debate 
[Volume:639;Page:9846] 
Dr WAYNE MAPP (National—North Shore) 
: 
 The Minister who has just spoken Clayton Cosgrove was described recently by the  
Listener 
 as too sinister to ever be a leader of the Labour Party. If we were to compare him to anyone I would have to say Tony Soprano. He is the hit man of the Labour Party more interested in spilling blood and dark deeds. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I take deep offence at being compared to Tony Soprano. He has more hair than I do and I do not think it is fair on him. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: No that is a frivolous interjection that can lead to disorder. The member has his first yellow card. 
Simon Power 
: You gave him a yellow card before. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: No I did not. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Yes you did. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: No I did not. I know what I did. 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: I have noticed that the position of High Commissioner in London will become vacant in March next year. That is the truth of it and we just know that Helen Clark is looking at her bench mate Michael Cullen and thinking that there is something that could be done there. The Speaker Ms Wilson could go to London. Michael Cullen is the big embarrassment of the Labour Party; the man who denies New Zealanders at every single turn the opportunity of getting a tax reduction. Helen Clark is thinking it is time for him to go sideways to the role of Speaker. I was not at all surprised to see that Labour decided that Phil Goff would lead off today. Labour is grooming him and getting him ready for the role of finance spokesman. That is the truth of it. That is what Labour is trying to do because it knows it is in a deep hole. 
We had only to listen to all of those speeches today; all of those speeches were about National winning the next election. Labour members know deep in their bones that we will win the next election and that they are going to lose it. That is why they spent all their time complaining about how well we are campaigning complaining about the policies we are developing and complaining for heaven’s sake that we even talk to journalists. Can members imagine that? They are complaining about the fact that we talk to journalists. 
In our region the Auckland region we have to listen to Labour’s failure and Dr Cullen is leading that litany of failure. He has been going around Auckland for at least 12 months saying that he is the man to reform local government. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Ha ha! 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Yes well it is humorous—derisory even because even Auckland local authorities have given up on Dr Cullen. They know that he simply cannot deliver. The fact that Labour has Judith Tizard and Mr Burton as the lead players along with Dr Cullen says it all really. No one in Auckland has any belief or faith in the possibility of local government reform before the next election. This Government is deeply beset by malaise. It has no traction. Everything is spin everything is reports everything is denial. Even the reports of the Ombudsmen are denied as was so eloquently pointed out by Mr Power today. The Government is in complete denial of its impending fate and the public are saying “Just go! We are sick of this Government and we want to see the end of you.” 
Whenever the public asks for something meaningful—that after 13 years of surpluses it is about time for a tax cut—what does the Government say? It says that KiwiSaver is as good as it gets. So we had to listen here about a month or so ago to 40 minutes of the Budget speech with only one idea: KiwiSaver. How important is that for the future of New Zealand? Actually it is not that important. This Government has simply lost its way and it is evident right across all of its portfolio responsibilities. 
We heard today the Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues talk about action plans strategy documents planning bodies and consultations. In fact she was even confused about who is responsible for local roads. She happens to think that the Auckland Regional Council has responsibility for every little path and street throughout the Auckland region. With that level of knowledge it is no wonder people have lost faith. 
On behalf of the people of the North Shore I have to say to this Government that they are sick of it. They are sick of this Government. The last thing they want to do is to have to wait right through until November next year for another election. They want that election now because the alternative they are faced with is more malaise more spin and more opportunistic attendances at funerals—not with any real intent of faith with the family but simply to gain votes and the public saw through that. They saw the cynicism of that and they are sick of it. I have to say that when a Government has run out of ideas and when a Government has no policies it is time for that Government to go.