Lee MelissaMELISSA LEE (National): It is a great pleasure to rise to take part in the last general debate of the 51st Parliament. Time does indeed fly when you are having fun as my son says and working hard. I am very proud of the National-led Government which has been delivering for New Zealand and New Zealanders over the last 9 years. Despite natural disasters the global financial crisis and international political upheaval we here in New Zealand have a rock star economy compared with other OECD countries.I know that some people have actually called him the Rock" and we do have a rock of a Prime Minister. He is steady as she goes; he is a stable man who has delivered for New Zealand in his previous role as the Minister of Finance during the global financial crisis and now as the Prime Minister. He is firm unlike some people. I am very proud to be part of the National team—a very stable National team.It is a little bit different from the excitable Labour team. I think it was Mr David Parker who rose to his feet and was really excitable and talked about how they were right behind their leader the brand new leader of the Labour Party. But they did that before. They actually did that for Phil Goff going back to God knows how many years ago. They were just as excitable for David Shearer and he was No. 2. Then another one came along and that was David Cunliffe—No. 3. Then No. 4 was Andrew—Hon Members: Little.MELISSA LEE: —Little. They were just as excited for all of those leaders—Phil Goff David Shearer David Cunliffe Andrew Little and now we have the No. 5 leader of the Labour Party and they are very excited. Good for them—it is about time. I would have preferred the Hon Annette King as the leader; I think she is a fantastic woman and a woman whom I admire greatly. It is a real shame that she has given her valedictory and that she is retiring—shame about that.You know I talk about how I am excited about the work that this Government has delivered for New Zealand. It is not an easy effort but we are working to keep debt down to support job creation—which is really really important—and for better business across our country. The economy is probably one of the most important things in this country to deliver for New Zealanders because if we do not have a growing economy we do not have the jobs for New Zealanders and that means people do not have increasing pay packets that they could take home to support their families. It is very important.It is really important to remember that the economy is front and centre of everything that this Government does and this is because New Zealand must keep the economy growing so that we can all share the benefits of better schools. Today the Associate Minister of Education was talking about the number of school classrooms that he is delivering for many many parts of New Zealand including one in Mount Albert. We need to provide roads and connectivity. We are also working hard to make Kiwi voices heard on the world stage and to support the aspirations and dreams of the country and its people.One of the things that I am very proud of—and I have actually mentioned this before—is that yesterday the Hon Hekia Parata who is the former Minister for Education gave her valedictory and there were a few tears there from quite a few of us who came to Parliament with her back in 2008. In the work that she has led and all the innovative approaches of our current ministerial team led by the Hon Nikki Kaye education is one of the most important as well. The fact is that we have delivered for our students—looking at the record 85 percent of students attained NCEA level 2 in 2016 and that is actually up from 74 percent back in 2011. Other important gains in education include the great achievement for Māori and Pasifika students with results increasing to around 74 percent up from 57 percent back in 2011. More work needs to be done but the improvements are a fantastic result for our children and children are important because children are the future of this country. This National Government has been delivering and will continue to deliver for New Zealand for all New Zealanders up and down this country.Also the amazing infrastructure projects that we have delivered for Auckland are really important. Of course the Waterview tunnel is really important and it cuts travel time. It has been a fantastic Government."