Clarkson Bob: General Debate 
Clarkson Bob: General Debate 
[Volume:629;Page:1388] 
BOB CLARKSON (National—Tauranga) 
: 
 Every time I speak in this House I usually write a few notes down to follow through. But every time I listen in this House I have to put some extra notes at the top because I get quite offended by some of the things that happen here. I would like Labour members and others to open their ears and listen to this statement: I am not going to fight for any particular religion but I would like to tell this Government it should understand that the Bible says that God’s word will be spread in many ways. That should be taken into consideration when people rubbish the Exclusive Brethren or I think they will burn in hell. 
The second point is that Labour members are very consistent; anything they say is not to be believed including road reports. During the election I put a bit of pressure on the ex - member for Tauranga—the loser the Rt Hon Winston Peters—and he responded. The Rt Hon Winston Peters promised the people of Tauranga better roads. The Rt Hon Winston Peters promised a second toll-free harbour bridge. We all got excited. We thought that when the Rt Hon Winston Peters did the deal with the Labour Party and became a half-pie Minister for Foreign Affairs it was all on. 
The truth is now coming out. We have delays in our roads. Construction has been pushed back for years. Some of the people in Tauranga who trusted Winston and there were a few of them have found that the Rt Hon Winston Peters has deserted them and moved to Auckland. This promise by the way is right there in the agreement between the Government and the New Zealand First Party. The National Party and Winston— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: The member must use the full name. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: Sorry I apologise. The National Party and the Rt Hon Winston Peters promised we would begin building roads in Tauranga immediately after the election. If National were the Government those roads would have been started by now and we would be well on the way. 
I am deeply disturbed by this dead-beat Government. The future of the Mayor of Tauranga hangs in the balance because of Winston’s promises— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Order! 
BOB CLARKSON 
: Sorry I apologise again—the Rt Hon Winston Peters. I would rather forget his name but however! Somebody has just yanked the chair away—the mayor is gutted; I have actually talked to him. The mayor’s whole plan was to get another bridge in Tauranga. 
It also saddens me that productivity for the whole of New Zealand is out the window. Roads are the key to successful businesses and to improving the economy. New Zealand is in a holding pattern until it can get rid of this do-nothing bunch of wallies in Government. When National becomes the Government we will get roads built and put the wheels back on the bus. I am in deep despair. As a businessman I cannot believe that we are living in a country where only a few weeks ago the roads in Tauranga were blocked up for 2 hours for no good reason. That is beyond belief. It should not be allowed to happen by any sane Government. This Government has been in power for 6 years. All the excuses in the world cannot shift the blame. The failure to build roads is the Government’s responsibility. 
New Zealanders have worked hard. We have been through the best period of commodity prices for years. No other Government has had it so good. 
Lindsay Tisch 
: They have squandered it. 
BOB CLARKSON 
: It has taken taxpayers’ money and squandered it. In some cases it has stolen that money for its own use. 
If voters gave National 6 years we would have roading in this country up to speed or well on the way. We would have this place humming. Government members will say that we would borrow millions. National would borrow only a small amount of money. Out of the consolidated account we would take the tax that was taken off for road users. Those roads to a certain extent would be self-funding. The accident rates would drop. Productivity would increase and people would be allowed to go about their business in the best possible way. 
The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.