Woolerton R Doug: General Debate 
Woolerton R Doug: General Debate 
[Volume:646;Page:15726] 
R DOUG WOOLERTON (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First wants every single citizen of this country to know something that we have been saying for many years now: New Zealand First will not sell strategic assets. We will not sell strategic assets and we are very very pleased that other people are starting to come on board with that message because that is what New Zealanders want. New Zealanders want to know that those things that were gained by the sweat of the brow of former generations through hard work and sacrifice will not be flogged off to people to the advantage of other countries. New Zealand First has made that an issue in its very name and has followed that up ever since we were formed. We will take that issue into the next election. 
Just last week National said it would not sell strategic assets in its first term. If we put that around the other way we could say that National said last week: “We will sell strategic assets in the second term.” and of course it will. It will sell more than strategic assets; it will have schools for developers. We will see Bob Clarkson’s portfolio which now includes retail shops all over Tauranga extended to schools. 
Simon Power 
: Oh oh oh! 
R DOUG WOOLERTON 
: There is no “Oh oh oh” about it; that is what he does. [ 
Interruption 
] Exactly. 
Simon Power 
: Well so what? 
R DOUG WOOLERTON 
: And National members say “So what?”. Its members are quite happy for Mr Clarkson or any other developer in this country to own schools. Their response to that is “So what?”. 
The National Party dithered around over the recent sale of Auckland airport. At first National members said they did not know whether they would sell it but when Labour—thank heavens—stopped the sale National members said that of course they would have sold it. We knew all along that National would have sold it so I do not know why Mr Key could not have said that right off the bat. That airport returned to New Zealanders $101.9 million in the last financial year—$101.9 million year on year. Something that we have to learn in this country and something that we want to say to the shareholders of Auckland airport who are moaning about the fact that they could not make a windfall gain—in other words they only bought their shares for a quick sell-off for a quick sale and for a quick profit—is that shares in New Zealand should be bought and investment should be made for the long-term benefit of the company of the entity and of this country. 
That is what we said about Fonterra which is another iconic company built up by former generations in this country. New Zealand First fought—and thank heavens sense was seen by the shareholders of that company—so that shares would not be listed on the stock market. We want to see citizens of this country grow their wealth through the wealth of companies they have a beneficial holding in. We do not want to see short-term capital gain becoming the whole and sole purpose of the New Zealand stock exchange and stock market. 
There is another situation further south where a little company called Nutritek has been taken over by Russians. It is the same thing and members can mark my words the New Zealand dairy industry is under threat because bit by bit people from other countries will come in and grab that absolutely prized export commodity of New Zealand farmers. New Zealand First is the only party in this Parliament that can stand up with an unblemished record of opposing asset sales and we will continue to do that into the next years ahead. 
It is no use people running around and papers reporting that New Zealand First some way or another will disappear at the next election. That will not happen. Everybody is hoping that will happen. I remember a Speaker of this House who said we would be dog tucker. 
Pita Paraone 
: That’s right but where is he now? 
R DOUG WOOLERTON 
: He is dog tucker and we are still here. We will remain here and we will stop these asset sales.