Dunne Peter: Adjournment — Sittings of the House 
Dunne Peter: Adjournment — Sittings of the House 
[Volume:659;Page:8627] 
Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
: 
 Mr Speaker I will begin by acknowledging the tremendous job you have done as our Speaker in the last 12 months. Many commentators have made reference to the way in which you have brought a sense of dignity and order to the House. I think as someone who has been here for a little while that you have done more to restore the standing of Parliament in the public eye than any other single politician in the time that I have been here. I say that not lightly because you have had a very awesome task ahead of you. I think the combination of people sitting down each day to watch on television question time and seeing your insistence—much I suspect to the infuriation of Ministers at times—that Ministers answer the questions that are being put to them has had two consequences: firstly the quality of answers is better and secondly the quality of questions being asked is better too because the prospect of getting an answer is that much greater. I acknowledge the work you have done and I think that all of this House owes you a huge debt for what you have done to restore the standing of Parliament in the public eye. 
I want also at this early stage to acknowledge the commitment dedication and support I have received from my own staff during the year including my office staff and my departmental staff in respect of inland revenue and health; the Cabinet office; and the myriad other people who work to make this place the institution that it is: the library staff the catering staff the security staff the Parliamentary Service staff Ministerial Services the Cabinet Office the VIP drivers the gardeners and everyone—you name it—who makes Parliament this unique village that it is. 
We often overlook the fact that as we come to our adjournment their time goes on. Their shifts will continue. I was talking today to one of our security people who told me that he was manning the Christmas and Boxing Day shift at this building. While we are out celebrating the staff who serve us will continue to work here. I think we should acknowledge that. 
For me this year ends on a very high note. I know that members will forgive me a little bit of obsession perhaps but I was delighted that yesterday saw the culmination of what has been for me a very long campaign to see the Transmission Gully decision finally made in the interests of the people of Wellington. It has been 15 years since I took up this cause. In that time we have had petitions to Parliament I have brought members’ bills to Parliament and I have managed to get it in confidence and supply agreements with both Governments. I want to acknowledge particularly the support of the Hon Winnie Laban and the Hon Darren Hughes on the Opposition side and the support of the Minister of Transport on the Government side in bringing this matter to fruition. 
This issue has for the rest of New Zealand I think a certain quaint feel to it. Why on earth are we obsessed in Wellington about a motorway or a highway? But the reality is that for the people of this region it is important and I think that the overwhelming majority of people of the region will be grateful for the fact that the campaign has transcended political boundaries in the main and is finally now being successful and I think we should celebrate that right on Christmas. 
I was also delighted last week to be able to release an issues paper regarding what has been a long-held United Future policy of income splitting for parents with dependent children as the next step towards the introduction of legislation that will give effect to that policy next year. As part of our confidence and supply agreement with National there will be support for a bill being referred to a select committee. I believe that in the broad context of the way in which we treat households and the whole issue about the best way of ensuring that those kids and families get the best start in life this will be a very timely issue for debate next year. 
It will come along at the same time as we will be engrossed in working through the detail of the report of the tax working-group due shortly. Given its brief of looking at how the Government’s medium-term objective of aligning tax rates could be achieved and all of the issues that have arisen in consequence as part of its consideration a very critical part of the work that the Minister of Finance other colleagues and I will be doing early in the new year will be to translate its recommendations into good sound policy for the future. That is another reason to make sure that the forthcoming summer break is a good one. 
Many people have mentioned in the course of the debate already that this has not been the easiest of years for New Zealand. At the start of the year we faced the enormous uncertainty of an international economic crisis the depth of which we knew not and the duration of which we could only speculate upon but we could note at the time the international anxiety that this looked like being the Great Depression all over again. As 2009 draws to a close we can perhaps breathe a little easier in New Zealand that our worst fears have not been realised. But that is not to diminish the fact that for many New Zealanders this has been a tough and difficult year. The consequences will take some time to work themselves out. As we approach the Christmas break I think we should reflect upon the fact that for many people it might not be the warm and effusive time it might otherwise have been. There may be some cutting back on the presents for the kids and there may not be the level of hospitality around the Christmas table but Kiwis are trying to make do and Kiwis are looking forward to the future. 
I want to make this observation as well: we are all looking forward to our summer break and to the sentiment of the gathering of family and friends but there will be a category of New Zealanders for whom that will not be possible. There are many people for whom Christmas is a time of dread actually. They may have lost a loved one during the year or they may have family overseas. For whatever reason they will be alone. For them we should spare more than a passing thought. They are the people who as all of the commercial and other pressures about the Christmas period weigh down upon them become increasingly fearful of what it might mean. While we are celebrating and while all of us are looking forward to escaping this place I ask members to just spare a thought for those who will be less well off less fortunate and who will be waiting for Christmas to pass so that the normal sphere of life will resume for them. 
Next year will be a year of huge challenge. This year the Government has really been settling down. The challenge next year—and the Government knows its challenge—is to translate a lot of the plans that have been put in place this year a lot of the preparatory work that has been done into definite plans policies and actions. I know that Ministers have a big workload ahead of them and the consequence of that is that next year will be full of immense excitement. There will be all sorts of issues for members to grapple with. The select committees that have been working hard this year will work even harder next year as the legislative programme will be fuller than it has been this year. On that reason alone members deserve a good break. They deserve some time to recharge the batteries to perhaps read the books they have thought about reading all year but have had to discard in favour of the latest departmental or other report to reintroduce themselves to family and friends and to perhaps just be able to enjoy a normal lifestyle for a period of time. 
I do not intend to detain the House longer. I simply want to wish everyone right around this Chamber and throughout these precincts the very best for Christmas and a happy and successful 2010. When the House resumes in February I look forward to the political debate resuming as well.