Power Simon: General Debates 
Power Simon: General Debates 
[Volume:613;Page:9728] 
SIMON POWER (National—Rangitikei) 
: 
 I have not heard a noise like that since I was in standard 4 and my friend ran his fingers down the blackboard. That was an appalling display of articulation by that member. The allegation that members on the Opposition side of the House are doing nothing for the women’s vote is just appalling. Murray McCully has been more than making up for that in recent days and I am confident that we will deliver on that promise without too much difficulty at all. 
I just say this to Government members: Dr Brash provides a clear studied and articulate vision for this country and I want those members to know one thing very very simply. Dr Brash is above the smarmy backhanded comments that come from Dr Cullen in this House and above the niggling and nastiness that come from the Prime Minister during question time. Dr Brash is a man who has one thing on his mind and that is: what is best for New Zealand? That is why members on the Opposition side of the House will wait with patience until the 2005 election when Don Brash will become Prime Minister of New Zealand. As Gerry Brownlee said it will be a pleasure to serve in his Cabinet. 
What is the Government going to do in the meantime—between now and 2005? Well the Prime Minister articulated her vision leading into the 2005 election yesterday when she said it was not the policy of this Government to put things right. Well is that not the truth? Nothing has been put right by that Government in the last term. Members need only to look at what is going on with regard to our defence forces. Troops are being deployed as an instrument of foreign policy to make up for gaffes that the Prime Minister has made and to cater for a domestic political market that is out of step with what is going on in the international arena. 
I say to members of this House that Helen Clark is getting ahead of herself. The arrogance that surrounds the Prime Minister and her small cabal is absolutely clear and it is patently obvious to the voting public. She is now far too important apparently to deal with domestic political issues and simply swans off at short notice around the country leaving Dr Cullen to deal with every domestic problem that she leaves in her wake. What are those problems that the Prime Minister leaves in her wake as she travels around the country? Well rural schools are being closed by Trevor Mallard. Trevor Mallard is out there shutting down the lifeblood of rural communities in New Zealand. Auckland roading is in crisis and what does the Prime Minister say about that? She says: “It is not the policy of this Government to put things right.” That is just not good enough. That type of throwing away of responsibility just will not be tolerated by the electorate. Rates are climbing in local and rural districts because this Government’s new local government legislation has forced massive costs of consultation on to local government and I can tell members that pensioners in my electorate are furious with this Government and the implications of its local government legislation in terms of their rates rises. That is just not good enough. 
We know there is a problem with the Labour Party when Steve Maharey kicks off the debate for the Government. We know there is a problem when king hitters like Martin Gallagher are held back to let Steve Maharey kick off the debate and fine well-meaning debaters like John Tamihere have to just sit in their cabbage-coloured shirts and say nothing. It is just not good enough to have the likes of those Ministers leading debates. Where is David Parker? He is a man rumour has it who— 
Darren Hughes 
: He’s campaigning. 
SIMON POWER 
: He should be campaigning I tell Mr Hughes and I will tell that member why he should. Allegedly David Parker recently had a conversation with the chairman of Dunstan Hospital who when explaining the fact that the whole board was about to resign apparently said Mr Parker had no idea how difficult Katherine Rich was making his life in Otago. Let me tell David Parker and members of the Labour Party that she has not even started yet. The Otago seat is gone and it will come back to National at the next election. 
Whatever happened to Clayton Cosgrove? 
Hon David Carter 
: Who is Clayton Cosgrove? 
SIMON POWER 
: He was such a promising member in the first term. Now he is confined to the back benches far from the circles of influence and is frustrated about his ability. He is knocking on the Cabinet door asking whether anyone is in there and whether he can come in. He is being told no he has to stay outside until there is a change of regime and Phil Goff comes back in. I say to Mr Cosgrove that once Phil Goff is leading the Labour Party his chance will come again. Mind you at least Mr Cosgrove is attending functions in his electorate—unlike Darren Hughes who is renowned for no-shows all over the Otaki electorate.