Mallard Trevor: General Debate 
Mallard Trevor: General Debate 
[Volume:648;Page:17328] 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister for the Environment) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. I am going to spend most of the debate today talking about the things that are not protected under any possible future National Government—the things that are Kiwi. But one could not go a minute in this debate without referring to the dark looks the shaking the anger and almost the tears of John Key today after Nick Smith made his intervention. I have never seen a member of Parliament looked at in such a dirty way by his or her leader in the House. I do not know whether Nick Smith did it deliberately—maybe he did do it deliberately—or whether he did it accidentally. What did they call those young boys over there? It was not the “goon squad”. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: The brat pack. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Whether it was part of the brat-pack undermining of John Key or whether it was totally accidental John Key’s knees were taken away from him by Nick Smith in the House today—and we thought it was great. What is also really interesting is how John Key could not handle it. He got angry he shook and he started mouthing. It was a joy to behold from this side of the House. 
But that is not what this debate is about. This debate is about things Kiwi. It is about KiwiRail it is about Kiwibank and it is about KiwiSaver. It is about the things that the National Party in its slowly evolving policy—slowly evolving very slippery policy—is not committed to. As the member of Parliament for Hutt South I thought it was amazing that the National Party opposes spending $200000 on looking at whether we could assemble locomotives in New Zealand. Why does it object to considering the question of putting locomotives together in New Zealand? I think it is a great idea. I do not know whether it can be done or whether the economics will work but considering the question is something that I think is really good. 
I think it is amazing how the National Party - inspired websites have the Rt Hon James Brendan Bolger on them with—do members know what title is underneath? 
Hon Member 
: No. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: It is “traitor”. That is what the National Party - inspired websites are saying about National’s former leader. I think those members opposite need to have a look at someone like Mr Bolger who can look at the interests of New Zealand in the way he has. It is absolutely clear that having a working rail system is in the interests of New Zealand and the only way of doing that is to have a Crown purchase. 
I thought it was very interesting that we are getting a pattern of privatisation. National says it is not going to sell assets—that it is not going to sell Television New Zealand or the Accident Compensation Corporation. 
Hon Member 
: Into several pieces. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: No no. But it will privatise the functions. National will not sell them but it will— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: It’s called choice. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Oh it is called choice. National will privatise the function. It will not have a public broadcaster but will give the money to the overseas-owned TV3 instead. Well that is an interesting approach. National will not have a New Zealand accident compensation system. Instead National will give the resources to its donors from the Australian insurance companies. 
It is really interesting that National’s tax proposals are now beginning to leak out. People who are low-income earners now know that National will be committed to those changes that are happening on 1 October but not to the ones scheduled to happen in the out-years. So low-income earners will get what they are going to get from Labour but the National Party policy will be that there are no further tax changes for people— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Rubbish! 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: The member says “Rubbish!”. It is very very interesting that— 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: He knows everything doesn’t he! 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: He says he knows everything. Bill English has been consulting people but not Nick Smith.