Brownlee GerryADJOURNMENTHon GERRY BROWNLEE (Minister of Foreign Affairs): I move That the House do now adjourn. Mr Assistant Speaker Tisch before I go too much further I would like to take a few moments to thank the many people who need to be thanked as this Parliament draws to its conclusion. There is of course the Speaker himself you as Assistant Speaker and the Hon Trevor Mallard who also assists in that regard. I want to also particularly thank Chester Borrows for his contribution in that regard. There are the many presiding officers—and I want to congratulate the Clerk for his successful transition into that role during this particular parliamentary term. I wish him all the best for future parliaments. I would like to thank those who clean and cater for the precinct those who keep it secure and the drivers and the range of other attendants who do work to make this Parliament work. Then there are the teams of people who help us in our electorates in our ministerial offices and in our parliamentary offices so that we are able to do the work that we are required to do on behalf of New Zealanders. I want to say to all involved that your efforts are very much appreciated. What a fascinating 3 weeks we have seen in New Zealand politics—plenty of downs and one or two ups. But overall there is a big question about the confidence and the capability of Opposition parties to be anywhere near Government in this country. There is no doubt though that we have got to acknowledge that we are seeing the rise of a political star in the new Leader of the Opposition—a star in the sense of being light. I understand that Jacinda Ardern is intelligent that she is competent and that by all accounts she is a pleasant person to be around—a likable person. But a likable person does not necessary translate into a strong political leader. As she herself said yesterday she has been caught between a rock and hard place. She was talking about being caught between Ayers Rock and New Zealand. But let me make it very clear that the rock she is caught between is in fact her own caucus—her own political colleagues—because apart from the new smiley face nothing has changed at all. Nothing has changed at all. Then of course it is very obvious that the hard place is the great record of the National Government over the last terms of Parliament. Without question that record has been exceptional in my opinion and in the opinion of a large number of people as this Parliament will learn later this evening. Having a sustainably growing economy and a low-inflation low-interest environment with strong employment and rising wages is important to all New Zealanders. The Leader of the Opposition and her party lack the depth that is capable of ensuring that that economic direction continues in the best interests of New Zealand. It is the one area where those members do not want to have a discussion. The product of a strong stable confident Government is that it is able to serve the communities it represents. So there is the hard place for Labour. It is the place where you get the opportunity to show that you care for New Zealanders by doing things. It is where they get their financial security where they get their welfare security where they get their safety security where they get their health security their education security and their general prosperity and opportunity in life. That is from the economy and that is what Labour does not want to talk about. I will tell you what. We are going to get a speech shortly and I will bet the economy does not feature other than to have a look at it with a bit of a squinted eye from a bit of a distance and to simply say: We could do it better." It is hard work—it is hard work. Never mind that New Zealand is now the envy of the world when it comes to both social and economic matters—never mind according to Labour that it is of no account that Moody's advice is that New Zealand will be one of the fastest-growing economies with a Aaa rating in the years ahead. And then of course let us not pay any attention to the fact that we have a service sector responsible for two-thirds of the New Zealand economy that is growing and continuing to provide opportunities and jobs for New Zealanders. The average annual wage apparently is not a matter of concern to the Labour Party. It is now around $60000 and is projected to be $65000 in the next few years. Apparently it is just not true that jobs are growing at a remarkable rate. Apparently the 180000 New Zealanders who are now in work who would not have been in work had it not been for these policies do not matter. The economy in New Zealand is diversified. We now have tourism bigger than the dairy industry we have a wine industry that is growing at a massive rate we have high-tech manufacturing growing at a huge rate and of course we have so many other areas of the economy that are beginning to emerge as strong performers for New Zealanders. That is the stuff that is important to New Zealanders. That is what really matters. You can go around all you like taking as many selfies as you like and as many smiley moments as you like until it is made clear that to New Zealanders this stuff matters. Then it is just: "I like that person but can't vote for them." I do not think Labour members can avoid talking about the economy for a lot longer. They are going to have to—Phil Twyford: Don't they ask you for selfies? Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Well actually they do. Phil Twyford: Do they? Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Yes and I always tell them: "Put on the wide-angle lens and then we'll both be in it." There is no doubt—[Interruption] Well I will tell you what. If I turned up to one of your meetings everyone would think you had a crowd. It would be a novel experience. It would be quite a novel experience for Grant Robertson. It is without doubt that it was "the Rock"—the then Minister of Finance and now Prime Minister Bill English—who steadied us through the financial crisis that this Government inherited from the previous Government. People have got short memories but we will remind them. We were facing decades of deficits when Michael Cullen and his crew left. We have done a lot by requiring better value for Government services and by ensuring that we get the best value from the dollars that New Zealanders commit to education to health to policing and to all the range of Government services and we would have done it a lot sooner had we not been having to provide for the catastrophic earthquakes in Christchurch which took some $15 billion out of our economy at that time. The Labour Party will try to pretend that that sort of economic management is easy—that it just happens. Do not worry about how it happens; it just happens. Well that is not going to be an easy conversation. When those members have to explain that their $18.8 billion worth of promises—so far—will be paid for from higher taxes from higher mortgage rates and from higher costs on all New Zealand families simply saying "We can do it better so just do it with us." is not going to work. The other point I would like to make is the pride with which all National candidates go into this election. We are proud to stand on a record that has very much delivered for New Zealanders. In the Budget earlier this year we were able to announce a $2 billion package for New Zealanders from April of next year—1.3 million New Zealand families will be able to keep more of the money that they earn and through family support and the accommodation supplement. Labour voted against that and the question is why. Well apparently because it is going to put together some hand-picked bunch of cloth-cap economists who are going to give the Government advice on how to tax all New Zealanders more. What a tax—just one. And now you see those members out there saying: "Don't worry about it. We're going to put more costs on farmers but it won't have any effect on food whatsoever." Well that is the sort of economics that they are trying to sell to New Zealanders that just will not work. Then there is the vexed issue of capital gains. I think—Hon Member: Ha ha!Hon GERRY BROWNLEE: Oh they laugh. They laugh—right? Hard-working New Zealanders who have made a few quid are going to have to pay more under them and they laugh. That is very very very sad. I would suggest to Jacinda Ardern that she should today tell the House the terms of reference that she will give to that bunch of left-wing economists to work out the tax system. [Interruption] I do not mind saying that—it is absolutely true. There should be a great deal more clarity around water tax—a huge amount more clarity around the water tax. To suddenly say "Oh when we're in Government we'll have better information so we'll know how much we can charge them." flies in the face of a party in Government that says it will not work. I think that as we go towards the election day the great call that says "Just do it." will be beaten by a Government that is delivering and will deliver for New Zealanders."