Collins JudithHon JUDITH COLLINS (National—Papakura): Well thank goodness. I was waiting for the bell to finally call but thankfully that member gave up before it was needed because it was the most boring rendition of nonsense that I think we've ever had.Well we're supposed to believe that this Government cares about farmers—what a joke. Day in day out we hear from that Government over that side and their Green and New Zealand First people bagging farmers and provincial New Zealand—day in day out. The New Zealand First answer to farmers is to plant their land with dirty disgusting pine trees that actually you get turpentine from and which can actually poison waterways when those pine needles get into them. That's their answer to farmers: ruining the New Zealand economy but also the agricultural communities that this country has been very proud to have embraced and that many of us have been part of for many years and certainly I grew up in. It's great to see that the Prime Minister is so intent on listening to everything we have to say today. I think it's amazing the way she's so good with people in their seventies. First it's Elton John; next it's Winston Peters—all people with let's say a pension but also let's say people who like to dress up smartly and have the odd sequin. I think it's good that the Prime Minister is so good with these people. What she isn't good at doing is turning up and fronting up on the hard questions. This is a Government that couldn't even be trusted to put in place immunisations for measles and now we're expected to believe that they could possibly deal with any of the big headwinds that the world is about to face when it comes to a virus that's come out of China and which has had and will have quite devastating effects on parts of our economy whether it's in tourism whether it's agriculture and whether especially it's in the international education sector which are big sectors of our economy.We've got a Government we heard today where the Minister of Housing wants to say blame National—National—for the problems they've got in the State housing sector. When National left office a mere 2½ years ago there were around 5000 families waiting on the State house waiting list.Simeon Brown: How many now?Hon JUDITH COLLINS: There are now 15000 families—15000 families. I heard today the Minister of Housing—and many of you will have heard it—saying Oh that's National's fault." Well no it's not us. They weren't like that when we were in Government and what's happened to the people. Remember Phil Twyford and Jacinda Ardern banging on about how we're not going to have anybody sleeping in cars any more and saying that that wasn't right for the people in New Zealand this wonderful country? Except there are more now—there are more. There are more people now sleeping in cars. Remember how it was terrible that motels were being filled up by people who couldn't get housing accommodation? Oh well no no there are more now. There are more now. What's happened with rents and all the measures that the Government has taken attacking landlords against landlords helping tenants' rights—what's happened? There are fewer places now available to rent and guess what? The rental prices have gone up an average of over $50 a week—$50 a week for a house—Kieran McAnulty: Sell them to foreigners—that's the secret. Open them up to foreign speculation.Hon JUDITH COLLINS: That MP over there that list MP doesn't understand that that's a lot of money for a lot of people—particularly in Whanganui. Whanganui has just had this big increase in some of the rental properties. I've just been speaking with the MP for Whanganui Harete Hipango and what we know is this: rental properties have not just gone up in one particular block of flats by $50 a week—no no no—but by $150 a week and what's happened? The private tenants have moved out and the tenants who are being funded through Work and Income have moved in at that rate. That's what's happening.We're seeing a Government and Government agencies that are happy—happy—to push out people who are trying to get ahead themselves pay their own rent buy their own houses. As we've heard today Kāinga Ora—the new name for Housing New Zealand—is going around taking houses that first-home buyers had signed up to buy. That's what's happening under this Government and they're sitting around saying "Oh everything's going well. Anyway it was National's fault." No it did not happen under National did not happen under nine years of sensible Government that got us through the global financial crisis and this lot over there can't even sort out measles. That's how bad they are and we're supposed to believe they can do anything with the gangs that they were so keen on.Well remember the 501s? Remember Kelvin Davis going on and on about his little 501s that he wanted to go and hug in Australia—just hug them to him—and how mean those Australians were to want to get rid of them? Oh they were such meanie Aussies. Well what's happened? This lot have been in Government for 2½ years and what's happened to all those New Zealand Australians being sent back to New Zealand? Oh I know there are more of them and they're badder—they're worse. Let's use Kelvin's language: "badder"—I think actually that's the Prime Minister's language isn't it really to be frank. They've just got worse. Now we've got Tauranga full of gang warfare we've got Hawke's Bay the same and this Government over here that said "Oh those mean Australians are being mean to those little 501ers." they're finally working it out—that's exactly what happened.Greg O'Connor: Who was going to stop the Rebels setting up?Hon JUDITH COLLINS: Oh that would be the New Zealand Police Association when that guy was the president. Did nothing. All Greg O'Connor did was to crawl around the Labour Party and he was going to do something about it. Twenty-five years getting paid the salary of a superintendent when he was only ever a sergeant—says it all really doesn't it—and now he's come into his retirement job. Great to see that—great to see that. Never achieved a thing. Having said that I think it's great. I think it's great. What's happened to all those extra police? Greg O'Connor: Who was going to stop it from happening? Hon JUDITH COLLINS: What's happened to all those extra police? Greg O'Connor: Who was going to stop it from happening? Hon JUDITH COLLINS: What's happened to all those extra police? Greg O'Connor: Who was the Minister of Police who was going to stop the Rebels setting up?Hon JUDITH COLLINS: What's happened to—DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! This is not getting us anywhere. Carry on.Hon JUDITH COLLINS: Thank you Madam Speaker. What's happened to all those extra police? Well they're probably all down in Tauranga all carrying the firearms that by the way our Government gave them. Our Government did that. We got the funding for the firearms we got the lock boxes in for them we got them the tasers and who was against it? Oh them. Them them them—they're all against it. Why? Why? I remember the Green Party banging on about the tasers. Remember? We were going to have police going round tasering people forever. Well it's just been very nice to have the odd taser every now and again to be able to sort out a few. But I've always found that argument is a better response than violence Mr O'Connor. Let's have a look at corrections. Remember this was a Government that didn't like us building all those prisons and those cells. Well I bet they wish they had them now. Bet they wish they had them now. Their answer to it is legalise drugs and let everybody out. So I think we have some very interesting times coming up over the next seven months if this Government lasts this long. I actually doubt whether this Government's going to last seven months. My take is we'll end up with an early election because the Greens are going to work out that it is extraordinarily bad for them to be in the same boat with this lot over here. They're going to sit around and think "Wow what's going to happen? We're going to get tarnished with them." Very hard to say how good they are when they're hanging out with this lot over here. Then we have—what have we got? Food parcels. Remember food parcels? Oh yes. They were going to stop all that. What's happened? We're hearing from the city missions all over the country—that's right—that food poverty has got worse not better. Worse not better. Well it would you see if people have to pay an extra $50 or sometimes $150 a week extra in their rent. That's what happens. All that's happened is costs have gone up and incomes have not kept pace with it. Every time a fuel tax goes on as it has in Auckland—every time the price of fuel goes up food prices go up. That means supermarkets become more expensive. Priyanca Radhakrishnan: Food prices have been static for a long time. Check your facts. Hon JUDITH COLLINS: It means that New Zealanders who cannot afford to feed their families on the quality of food they want have to make do with what they have or turn up for food bags. I see that other list MP over there from the Labour Party calling out and saying that food prices are stable. She clearly hasn't been to a supermarket frequently. I'd say this to her: that's why food banks' work has increased. It's not because of a National Government; it's all because of her Government. Labour has failed. They need to go and so should all those with them. They need to go. We need National back. Thank you very much. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I understand this is a split call."