Dyson Ruth: General Debate 
Dyson Ruth: General Debate 
[Volume:638;Page:8631] 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister of Labour) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to contribute to the general debate this afternoon. I want to compliment Gerry Brownlee first of all on his contribution. He said that the fact that this week family support is going up by $10 a week is a very good thing. That was well said by Mr Brownlee. He said that putting up the minimum wage—as the Labour-Progressive Government has done this week by $1 an hour for adults—is a good thing. Mr Brownlee is right; it is a good thing and I am pleased we have done it. We have increased minimum holidays to 4 weeks a year—and I know that Mr Brownlee thinks that is a very good thing because he would like to treat workers fairly. On 1 April we also put up New Zealand superannuation to 66 percent in line with our agreement with New Zealand First. For a married couple on the average ordinary-time weekly wage that means an increase of $20 a week in superannuation. 
Hon Paul Swain 
: How much? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: It is $20 a week for a married couple. For a single superannuitant it is over $10 a week—over $10 a week. Gerry Brownlee said that was good. He went on to say that it was good but of course that is what Governments should do. I say to Mr Brownlee that he has a very short memory because when Mr Brownlee’s party was in Government it did not do that. It cut benefits and increased the minimum wage over the whole 9 years by $1 which is exactly the same amount we have increased it by in just 1 year. And we know what the National Government did to the superannuitants of New Zealand. We know what it did to the superannuitants; it betrayed them. That Government said it was going to remove the surcharge from superannuation. I remember Jim Bolger said: “Read my lips. There will be no surtax.” What happened? The surtax stayed. The National Government deceived every single superannuitant in the country by saying one thing promising something before the election then doing something else. 
National does not seem like it has learnt many lessons. I heard an interjection from Jackie Blue during the previous contribution. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Who? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: She is the woman who was previously involved with the Auckland health scene I recall and with laboratory testing. She made a contribution during Parekura Horomia’s speech. Mr Horomia was explaining to the House how John Key had promised Bill English that in the most recent leadership coup before the last one he would back him. He said John Key promised he would back Bill English. Then what did he do? He deceived his current deputy by backing Don Brash. 
Jackie Blue said: “So what?”. I tell Miss Blue that on this side of the House we think members should say one thing before the election then deliver it afterwards. One should certainly not deceive the public of New Zealand or deceive one’s colleagues which is exactly what Bill English and John Key did. It is no wonder that Bill English always says with that little grin on his face that he will be backing John Key to the hilt. I am not surprised at all that he said that. 
Over the weekend one other thing happened that I would just like to make comment on. As well as the increase to superannuation the $10 a week increase to family support the increase in minimum holidays to 4 weeks a year and of course the increase to the minimum wage I was very privileged to represent our country at the signing in New York at the United Nations of the first-ever United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was a very proud moment for me representing our country. I am sure that it may be an issue on which we can have bipartisan support and pride in our country for the way we have led the development of the convention—led with the make-up of our delegation during the negotiations in the ad hoc committee and led by having a New Zealander as the chair of the ad hoc committee. 
Every other country that went to sign—82 countries signed the convention on signing day which is the largest-ever number to have signed a human rights convention on its opening day—got the proper appropriate applause. But when New Zealand was called to the signing stand we got a huge cheer from those gathered in recognition of the leadership role we have played. 
I know that John Key has found it very difficult to back the Prime Minister when she is representing New Zealand on very important negotiations. That is petty politics and demonstrates his lack of understanding on occasions when the whole country should back our elected leader in order to ensure the best for New Zealand. But I hope National members may have learnt from his big gaffe and back our stand on the convention on disability issues.