Coleman JonathanDEBATE ON PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENTDebate resumed from 14 February.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Is it not great to be back here in the House for the start of election year and what a time it is for New Zealand and for the National Party—with GDP growing faster than Grant Robertson's self-regard an economy more diverse than the range of Labour caucus factions and an unemployment rate heading in the same direction as Andrew Little's approval ratings. But do not take it just from me. What are others saying about the National-led Government in New Zealand? Well I would point you to The Economist of 10 December 2016 which says the Government is popular with a wide lead over the … Labour Party. It is not hard to see why. On a long list of yardsticks [New Zealand] has been a striking success."But to be fair I have taken a wide range of soundings. I was in the Northcote Tavern on Friday afternoon speaking to a long-term Labour Party supporter. I said to him: "What is it like watching your party perform under Andrew Little?". And do you know what he said to me? He said: "Mate it's like watching your favourite pub being burnt to the ground." So what is the Labour Party leader to do when the fight against National is getting so tough? Why turn on his colleagues of course. It is the only natural thing to do: focus on internal Labour Party politics look on which candidates you can take out look on what you can do to upset your own caucus members and then focus on upcoming electorate events.So here are a few headlines: "Andrew Little: No formal deals with the Greens in run-up to election"; "Labour and Greens won't cut deals in marginal seats"; and finally "Little denies electorate deals". But then yesterday there was "Andrew Little's U-turn on dirty deals". So he has had a lot to say about that. He is just determined to get gun-crazy Greg O'Connor into Ōhāriu and on that basis a deal is OK and the Greens are not running.But I can tell you what: Andrew Little will do deals with absolutely everyone—everyone that is except Poto Williams. I must say we have got to commend the bravery of that lone Labour MP; the only support she got was from disgraced King's College old boy Iain Lees-Galloway and serial list-seeker Sue Moroney. But where were the rest of them when they were needed to speak up and support her as unpopular candidate Willie Jackson came in to start taking their list places?I tell you what it is going to be pretty interesting there on 23 June when the Labour list is announced. There are seven list places available if they keep on polling 28 percent and they will be scrambling to get on that list lifeboat. I tell you what—there is not a lot of room there so they will be doing the calculations. They will know which one of them is going and there is going to be very little room for new talent in there. But anyway on this side of the House we are focusing on the important things—the things that matter to New Zealanders—and I would urge you I would urge the public to read the Prime Minister's statement because that lays out the agenda and the progress of a busy National-led Government. We are backing New Zealanders; we are not talking them down like the Opposition. We are backing people who are prepared to take risks to get ahead and grow this economy. We are about aspiration and backing Kiwis to spend their own money in the best way possible to do the right thing in terms of making decisions about their own lives. But at the same time we are there to help those at the most vulnerable end of the spectrum.The Prime Minister has spoken extensively about social investment about making sure that we are investing for the long term to help those who are the most vulnerable in society to build a decent life here in New Zealand. And actually as the Prime Minister has said it is working: 40000 fewer kids are living in benefit-dependent households than 3 years ago and that is real progress.The thing behind that is that there is a philosophical base. We are actually doing something that we believe in something that is going to work. We are not just talking about it; we are taking action. But we have taken a long-term sensible approach to fiscal management in New Zealand and you can see the way the books have gone over the last 8 years. We are in a great position now. The Government has got some real choices around what we invest in to continue to make the lives of New Zealanders even better. GDP growth is up 3.5 percent over the last year and is forecast to grow at a rate of 3 percent over the next 4 years. Unemployment is under 5 percent. There will be 140000 new jobs over the next 4 years to complement the 130000 jobs grown in the last year. The average wage is predicted to go up by $7000 on top of the $12000 it has already gone up under this Government. Wages are growing well ahead of inflation and that means the average New Zealander is better off than ever before. When we have got that prudent financial management approach and the $8.5 million of surpluses forecast that is a signal to New Zealanders that the books have been in the right hands. But that is not just what it is all about. ACC levies are forecast to drop by $126 million with $2 billion in reductions over the last 5 years. The Business Growth Agenda is focusing on the infrastructure that we need. It is focusing on supporting our regions. Legislation is making it easier to do business at the board and of course Paula Bennett Deputy Prime Minister is taking steps on climate change to progress that target of 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. The economy is diversifying. Tourism is now bigger than dairying.In terms of infrastructure $18 billion has been spent in the last 5 years. You can see it I can tell you in Auckland. Cranes are everywhere. Building is taking off. It is happening around the country. Five more roads of national significance are to be progressed over the next 5 years. There will be $32 billion of infrastructure spending over the next 5 years across transport hospitals defence and housing. We are just getting on with it. We are tackling the issues that are important to New Zealanders. And of course that broadband roll-out—we are spending $300 million and over 400000 extra New Zealanders will be connected over the next few years. It is all positive.In terms of health we have spent 8 years improving services and in over about 100 services across the country you would struggle to find one that has not improved. That is the big picture—an extra $4.3 billion has gone into health. There are 150000 more specialist appointments per year 50000 more operations and 6000 more doctors and nurses. We have been building extensively across the health system. A billion dollars has gone into Canterbury hospital infrastructure; the West Coast hospital is well under way; Dunedin is next. We have been left with some tough challenges in the health area but the system is responding and at the same time New Zealanders are getting access to the new technology they need. In the last Budget there was $39 million to roll out a national bowel-screening programme over the next 4 years in Waitematā Hutt Valley and Wairarapa and next off the block is Counties-Manukau.Hon David Cunliffe: 10 years late.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: The member over there says it is 10 years too late. The fact is that the Labour Government talked about it but it did not put one dollar into it. It did not save one life. Labour just stood around talking about it.There are 1100 extra police coming forward with National. So that is going to mean 95 percent of New Zealanders will be within 25 minutes of 24/7 police help. So we are tackling the issues that really matter to New Zealanders and they are law and order health and education. There is massive building going on across the country in terms of schools' infrastructure. I look at my local school Northcote Primary—a fantastic 10-classroom block is going to be built there by the end of the year. We are focusing on the infrastructure that this growing population needs.If you look at it and put all that together there is a strong 8-year history of sensible economic management and we are reaping the dividends. You have got to look at the wider picture and see how New Zealand is comparing on the world stage. Economic growth is faster than in just about any other country in the OECD. We have growing surpluses and balanced books. We are providing the social services that New Zealanders need and demand and very importantly we are responding to those issues that are really important to them. One of the very important things that this party believes in of course is free trade. The public will be very aware of the Labour Party's stance on that particular matter. We believe in a free and open economy. We believe in welcoming people from overseas and bringing in the skills and the capital that we need to continue to build this country. So in summary the outlook for New Zealanders in 2017 and beyond is a great one. Kia ora."