Duynhoven Harry: General Debate 
Duynhoven Harry: General Debate 
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Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN (Minister for Transport Safety) 
: 
 Thank you for the opportunity to speak in this debate today. It is actually rather interesting to follow Dr the Hon—as he insists on being called which is an unusual title in this House—Lockwood Smith. 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: No he doesn’t at all. He is very happy to be just called Lockwood Smith. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: No no. He is the only doctor in this House who insists on being called Dr the Hon. Everybody else is called the Hon Dr. However the issue is not about Dr Smith’s title; the issue is about integrity. He has been raising it. Well let us look at integrity. Let us think back just a little to 1990. I was a member of Parliament in 1990—unfortunately not in 1991 as I am sure Dr Smith is about to remind me. I fought an election campaign where blatant lies were being told where the Opposition of the day including Dr Smith gave absolute guarantees that things— 
Hon Mark Burton 
: No ifs no buts. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: “No ifs no buts no maybes”—cast-iron guarantees written in blood. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: I seek leave to table a document showing that the stated surplus of the Government in 1990 was $59 million. I also seek leave to table a document showing in 1991 that that was a complete lie told by the then Labour Minister of Finance David Caygill and the Prime Minister at the time Mr Mike Moore. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: The member should not interrupt the speaker for that purpose but leave has been sought to table two documents. Is there any objection? There is. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: I say to the member that some of us could also cast our minds back to the shambles that Labour inherited in 1984 when it came in after a National Government. It was an absolutely deceptive mess left for the incoming Labour Government in 1984. We inherited that mess but moved the country along from it. 
I look at issues like integrity. Dr Smith interrupted me when I said that some of us had to fight an election campaign where impossible promises were being made. We were actually fighting a campaign where students had been told there would be no fees where students had been told there were absolute cast-iron guarantees and where we had a whole bunch of issues that were plainly lies—and we said so at the time—and then later were proven to be untrue. We had to fight a campaign where we challenged the issues. Our ads were taken off television because there was no proof then that what was being promised would not happen. We are in a similar situation now I suspect where an Opposition that does not have policy has its members out there saying National will do this or that etc. etc. and contradicting each other and doing all sorts of on-the-hoof policy making. We are now in the position where there is no policy from the Opposition. It has had 7 years. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: One example. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: There are lots of examples but let us have a look at the flip-flop on mainstreaming for instance prior to the last election where we had Dr Brash on one occasion saying something about mainstream people and Mr Brownlee on another occasion saying something completely different. So these are issues that we as Government MPs— 
Gerry Brownlee 
: Stop telling lies. 
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: Mr Brownlee you are not to imply that another member is telling lies. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: Certainly I am prepared to table the quote if Mr Brownlee would like me to but let us go on. Let us talk about what is actually happening. 
Let us look at some of the achievements. KiwiSaver—we said we would do it; we are doing it. The bill is before the House and it will provide long-term savings for New Zealanders—they will develop long-term saving habits—and build on our existing efforts to better prepare the country for the challenges of an ageing population. Every financial commentator says it is a good idea. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: No they don’t. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: Certainly the vast majority think it is a marvellous idea. There is great commentary on the lack of savings in New Zealand and on how this country is moving ahead now. 
I move to education and primary school teachers. Let us look at the number of new primary teachers in schools. We have 455 additional teachers; we are enabling schools to actually put in place 455 additional teachers from next year. That builds on the over 3000 additional teachers we have already put into the system since 1999. That is over and above those required for roll growth. That has to be good for the kids of New Zealand because it lowers class ratios boosts quality and allows individual attention to be given to our young New Zealanders. 
We have made real progress on student interest loans write-off which was greatly welcomed. We have stopped all future interest charges. That is encouraging people to stay in New Zealand in order to contribute to our economy and society. It gives them more opportunity to get ahead and reduces the burden of their debt. 
Last night I was at the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy conference in Waihi. I had representatives of companies telling me that they are getting New Zealanders returning to work in New Zealand for the lifestyle and good income they are getting here which is a really good situation. This is a real turn-round from where we have been for years and years under a National administration.