Coleman Jonathan: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeColeman Jonathan: General Debate[Sitting date: 10 July 2013. Volume:692;Page:11864. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Defence):It is a complete joke for that member Moana Mackey to be lecturing the National Government on power prices because the Government that she was a part of raised power prices from 1999 to 2008 by 72 percent. So if she is complaining about the price now that is because power prices went up under her Government. Under this Government power prices have gone up by only 16 percent. So when Labour members say that they have got the answer on power prices they know that they are dead wrong. Quite frankly there is a word for that beginning with “h” that would describe anything they say about electricity prices.Those people over there are truly theunelectables. There is no question about that. When you look at the options once David Shearer goes it is not a very pretty sight. Grant Robertson was doing his leadership audition here today and I must say that it was not too bad really if you wanted a light comedy routine. But when you team him up with Andrew Little and Shane Jones you have got three guys—two of whom cannot win an electorate seat and the other one is completely unelectable as the leader. So I reckon that although they might be happy individually they are in a pretty bad space.What I think is really disgraceful is the way that they are acting towards their leader. If that Twitter explosion from last night was not treachery at its worst—and if those denials do not actually signal that the coup is on—I do not know what is. Grant Robertson is pretty happy because he has convinced David Shearer that he is allowed to answer only one question each day. That is why 37 times since he was elected leader David Shearer has come into this House and said: “Prime Minister do you stand by all your statements?” or “Does he stand by all his statements?”. That is the one question that David Shearer asks every day and the rest of the time he is totally dazed and confused.I think that the Labour research unit is pulling David Shearer’s chain. It is conning him completely because quite frankly it is not giving him a fair go. Grant Robertson there is not supporting his leader. He cannot wait for David Shearer to go. David Cunliffe was up there today having a go. Who else was there? There was the other fellow—Shane Jones. Shane Jones is suddenly back in the game because he knows that the coup is coming and it is all going to be up for grabs. Even Darren Hughes’ landlady might fancy herself as making a bit of a comeback. It could be anyone. The good news is that they are all completely unelectable so it is good times ahead.The one man they do really want to ban is David Shearer. They want to get rid of this guy but there is no one there with the steel and the political nerve to actually grasp the chalice. If Grant Robertson was up to it he would never have let Shearer get that job in the first place. That is the fact of it. Grant cannot do the job. Old what’s-his-name Shane Jones is not up to it either. He had his chance. So really there is not the next Labour Prime Minister in Parliament at this stage and that is a very big problem.Tomorrow we are going to be voting on the Skycity Casino legislation. That is going to be a conscience vote and I am looking forward to Phil Goff Kris Faafoi Clayton Cosgrove and David Shearer all voting for it because they would not want to look like hypocrites.Hon Tau Henare: Annette King.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Oh and Annette King. You would look like a bit of a hypocrite if you went to the Skycity box if you drank all night and if you ate all night and you came in here and voted against the legislation—Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I was in the Chamber last night when the Chairman of the Committee ruled against the use of the word “hypocrite”. I am surprised that you did not pull the member up particularly as I could have thrown that back at him as a member who went to a corporate box with a tobacco company—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption ] Order! The member is quite right. The word should not have been used and I ask the Minister to stand and withdraw the use of that word.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I withdraw but I think you get the gist of what is going on. So anyway those guys over there—Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. He cannot then comment on your ruling.Mr SPEAKER: That is true. Would the member now that he has withdrawn that comment just continue his speech.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I withdraw. But as I was saying those four Labour members were at the Skycity box so of course morally they are compelled to vote for the legislation tomorrow because Annette King is for jobs and growth and Phil Goff is for jobs and growth. Grant Robertson is not and he is the only option Labour has got as the leader for the future. The more it gets bogged down in things like the man ban the less it is able to connect with the people of New Zealand.I can tell you a story. A lady I know in Auckland a friend of my family had a couple of plumbers around last week and they said: “Well I guess it’s the last you’ll be seeing of us.” She said: “Why?”. They said: “Well the way it’s going if Labour ever gets into Government we’ll have to send only female plumbers here.” The point of this story is that once the plumbers and the blokes driving the white vans are getting the message that the guys over there are against the “blokeytradies” as Shane Jones calls them those guys have lost. So I think that with the man ban thing Labour has conscribed itself to the wilderness for a decade I would say. It is looking pretty bad for Labour.Meanwhile over here we are focusing on the economy—the best economic growth in the OECD bar Australia—the jobless rate being down inflation being down and good economic times. We are looking very good. Those guys there are absolutely hopeless.