Hide Rodney: Appropriation (2003/04 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
Hide Rodney: Appropriation (2003/04 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
[Volume:610;Page:7703] 
RODNEY HIDE (ACT NZ) 
: 
 What a pleasure it is to follow Ron Mark in that very fine speech. He is a man who does do the work and knows what is going on in the prisons out in the communities of New Zealand in the police force and in our military. I think it says much about this Government that on this side of the House we have Ron Mark who was a serving officer in the New Zealand military up against a Minister of Defence whose claim to fame is that he was a peace activist in Taupo. That summarises this Government and the Opposition—the next Government. Of course Ron Mark is also up against George Hawkins. Here we have on this side of the House a man who has carried a gun and used it up against a man trying to run the police force who was an art teacher in a secondary school. Again that shows the difference. 
But I want to talk about Dr Cullen’s economic policy. What is it? Well Jim Anderton announced it. It is hands-on economic management. That is Mr Anderton’s hands in everyone’s pocket grabbing all the cash that he can and spraying it around supposedly for the good of New Zealand. Well the jury is in. We have heard the result: Sovereign Yachts! Remember Mr Anderton and Helen Clark trumpeting Sovereign Yachts? When I questioned that I was a naughty boy! How many people are working in Sovereign Yachts now? How many boats have been built? [ 
Interruption 
] Steve Chadwick is yelling out and saying something unparliamentary. I think she is saying “not very many”! 
Remember The Warehouse? The poor hard-working taxpayers who pay their taxes are unable to get a cop when they call for help unable to get their varicose veins fixed and unable to get any attention from this Government and The Warehouse says it needs $75000. The Government wrote a cheque with taxpayers’ money. 
Ron Mark 
: Everyone gets a bargain! 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Yes everyone gets a bargain! I came down to this House and said “This is wrong.” and Ron Mark and Michael Cullen will back me up. The Government members came along to the select committee and said: “No it meets all our funding criteria.” Oh yes Jim Anderton told this House that it met all the Government’s funding criteria and that Mr Hide was bad-mouthing business. 
Hon Member 
: New Zealand - made! 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Oh New Zealand - made! [ 
Interruption 
] Steve Chadwick now says that she agrees with me. Well I am pleased to hear about that because at the time they gave me a hard time. The Auditor-General’s report came out. 
Ron Mark 
: What did he say? 
RODNEY HIDE 
: He said that that funding was outside the Cabinet criteria and that is a nice way of saying “outside the law”—[ 
Interruption 
] Yes outside the rules. So then the Government had to go to The Warehouse and say “We are very embarrassed could you pay the money back please?”. 
Hon Member 
: That’s a bargain! 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Yes The Warehouse where everyone gets a bargain; but has anyone got a bargain out of this Labour Government yet? Have Auckland ratepayers got a bargain out of Judith Tizard? Have hard-working middle-income New Zealanders in business got a bargain out of Helen Clark? Did the art market get a bargain out of the Prime Minister when it bought the painting? No siree no bargains out of the Labour Government; it is pay pay pay. I heard Clayton Cosgrove give a speech. 
Pita Paraone 
: Did he? 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Yes the media paid attention to him once and then they realised that what he was saying was not true. Then they wanted to interview him about his secretary and it is the last time he has been seen on television—it was his backside running up the stairs and running away from the public of New Zealand. Does that not summarise this Government? [ 
Interruption 
] Oh then we come to this one. We will give $40 million to the Hollywood big film producers. Yes $40 million. 
Hon Damien O'Connor 
: Tell me about the Fiji scam. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Well if Damien O’Connor sits still I will tell him about this scam—$40 million. I have the Treasury reports the Inland Revenue Department reports and the Ministry of Economic Development reports. Damien O’Connor has not been given them and they are shocking.