Pillay Lynne: Budget Debate 
Pillay Lynne: Budget Debate 
[Volume:631;Page:3330] 
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
: 
 Who was that man? He should hang his head in shame. He was somebody who worked in the health system—a general practitioner I understand—and who saw the major boost in funding the increases and the absolute improvements in primary health care under this Government and he has the audacity to come in here and bleat whine and grizzle about how bad things are. I pity any one of Jonathan Coleman’s constituents who went along feeling just a little bit down to talk to him as their general practitioner. Such people would be feeling suicidal by the time they left. 
I think it is appalling the Opposition does not recognise and will not acknowledge the things this Government is doing for good hard-working people in this country. The Government is transforming New Zealand’s economy into a dynamic knowledge-based innovative one—something National members would know nothing about. The Government is improving the quality of life for all Kiwi families both young and old—even those as old as the members on the other side of the House. It is building pride in New Zealand and its unique national identity. 
New Zealand has much to be proud of. It has talented artists and musicians—I have to say they are overrepresented in Waitakere—but even right throughout New Zealand there is so much talent. That talent has been nurtured and supported by a Labour-led Government. There is a myriad of diverse and exciting cultures in this country that are participating being made to feel welcome and are really contributing to making this country the wonderful country it is. New Zealand’s innovation talents and skills are second to none; they are what makes this country strong. The Labour-led Government is proud to be the Government that is nurturing and supporting all these great initiatives. 
I know my other colleagues have talked about the great targeted tax relief for hard-working families through our Working for Families package. As a former nurse—before I was a trade unionist—I celebrate the enormous boost to primary health care. There is an exciting new initiative in west Auckland. In Glen Eden we have what is known as the “WOW bus”—which stands for Wellness Out West. That bus is taking health checks out to the people and the communities. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Marvellous. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: I agree with my colleague. This can only happen with sharp innovative doctors nurses primary health organisation and Government. I guess the medical— 
Steve Chadwick 
: Fraternity. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: —fraternity I thank the member was not too perturbed at losing some of its members to this House because I do not think those members were that innovative. I do not think they made the most out of promoting primary health care in our country. 
On Monday I attended the 20th birthday of the Community Organisations Grants Scheme. It was so wonderful to hear of those community organisations that took ownership of getting grants out to community organisations. This scheme started again under a Labour Government. It was a wonderful thing to acknowledge. 
This Government certainly looks after people from the cradle to the grave or as we say now in a more PC way—I apologise to Dr Mapp—from birth to later years. Paid parental leave was opposed by the National Party and we have now extended it to self-employed people. A policy of 20 hours of free quality early childhood education for every 3 and 4 year old in New Zealand is in progress and will be introduced in 2007. I go on about apprenticeships a lot and they are something the union movement lobbied for. I still remember when Helen Clark spoke at a union meeting before Labour became the Government and said that we would return an apprenticeship system. She got a standing ovation and everyone said how dreadful the National Government were when they scrapped the Apprenticeship Act. The return of apprenticeships is wonderful and there is more for young people. There are the interest-free loans and the KiwiSaver. These things are making life so much more exciting and they are making young people think this is a great country to be educated in to start a business in and to raise a family in. 
I have to acknowledge Chris Carter my westie colleague here—who is looking so attentively at me—for the wonderful innovation in housing projects in this country. I acknowledge the investment in housing right in Glen Eden. I acknowledge the Friendship Centre Trust a wonderful organisation that has worked with the Government in west Auckland and Glen Eden to provide firstly emergency housing— 
Hon Chris Carter 
: $1.2 million. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: —yes $1.2 million—and has now entered into a partnership arrangement with this Government to provide good quality housing for families in west Auckland. Why did they do it? Because like this Government they care about people. They care about families and they know that if children have a good start in life—if they have a good home—then the rest follows. They perform at school and they just go from strength to strength. That is what we are seeing under this Government. 
I cannot go past talking about transport. We know that under this Government over eight times as much is being invested—not spent invested—in public transport. Nothing happened under the National Government and now we see eight times as much being invested. Then last Friday the Auckland Labour caucus a group of very hard-working and conscientious MPs— 
Lindsay Tisch 
: Who? 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: “Who?” asks that member. The National caucus never goes anywhere. They sit under the desks sucking their thumbs worrying about what else they will bleat and whine about. Well we do not do that. Our caucus went out and visited the transport projects in Auckland. What an exhausting day! There was so much to see and so much to do. It was incredible. Those transport people were so excited about the extra funding they had with which to push forward their projects. There is so much to celebrate. 
I look across the House now at that poor sad pathetic group of people over there that they call an Opposition—the grizzlers. I try—because I am not a negative person; we all know that—to think of something positive to say about that group of whiners. I tried to think of something and then I thought that maybe there was something positive I could say. I could acknowledge that the Leader of the Opposition is at least multinationally committed. He is multinationally inclined and very committed. What does he say? He says: “My wife is from Singapore my policy is from America and my future’s in Australia.” So at least we can acknowledge that the leader “Bondi Bill” has an interest. 
But the problem with that party is it has so much interest in looking overseas and no interest in what is happening here. National members cannot see what is so exciting and innovative about the New Zealand identity. Instead they are looking overseas—where people from other countries are telling us they think so much of us. They say we have such a strong extraordinary leader and that we can hold our heads high on the world stage. They say we have so much to be proud of. Instead those members wallow wallow wallow. I cannot even hear from this side of the House the—what do I call it? [ 
Interruption 
] I could never call them interjections. 
Darren Hughes 
: Rabble. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: The rabble. I cannot hear a coherent word from any of them. 
Debate interrupted.