Lee Melissa: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Lee Melissa: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 19 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5386. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MELISSA LEE (National) 
: 
 It is a great pleasure to rise to speak in this general debate. I join my female colleagues across the House in congratulating all women and celebrating the 119th Women’s Suffrage Day. I remember the centenary celebrations in Auckland. That was probably the first time I had actually heard about the suffragettes because as a migrant I had heard that New Zealand had in fact given the vote to women first around the world but I had not actually heard the stories about Kate Sheppard. So I feel very proud to be a New Zealander. But having said that I would like to comment on a couple of things that were actually said before by Sue Moroney. 
Miss Moroney talked about how Kate Sheppard would be ashamed of our stance on the extended paid parental leave that Labour proposed. I have to say that in my view Kate Sheppard would be ashamed of Miss Moroney. She stood for ambition. She stood for equality. I do not know but back in those days I would have thought that the suffragettes would have actually carried their babies fighting for equal rights on their backs or on their fronts. They would not have actually sat there and said that they wanted 6 months’ paid parental leave. I have to say as a mum who actually went back to work who actually took responsibility for my own child I actually went back to work and I should not be made to feel embarrassed or ashamed that I went to work and that I was not a good mother which is what the Opposition tries to make us feel. 
 We are proud parents. We are proud mothers. We are women. Do not say in this House that Kate Sheppard would be ashamed of us. I think she would be ashamed of Sue Moroney for saying that women should cower and say “We are women. We should have more. We actually deserve more than this.” I do not think so. Kate Sheppard stood for equality. She stood for ambition and aspiration for women. That is not what she actually asked for. 
Annette King was talking about homelessness and single women. Of course none of us celebrate that. We all want to make sure that all New Zealanders including women have better opportunities and do not have issues with homelessness. But I have to say I am surprised that she commented on that because the Labour Opposition has opposed every single initiative that this Government has proposed to improve the lot for New Zealanders including things like more mining for oil and gas exploration. What about making welfare work? The Opposition opposed a 90-day probation period for new employees. It actually opposed that. Thirteen thousand new jobs were created as a result of that particular policy and 60 percent of the employers would not have gone out there and given that new person a job had it not been for that particular policy. Thirteen thousand new jobs is a lot of new jobs. 
Foreign investment is another initiative the Opposition actually opposed. What about foreign investment? Let us talk about Mr Cameron the Canadian film maker. James Cameron moved and bought a farm a big big big farm in the Wairarapa. He invested millions and millions of dollars in the Wairarapa. The Opposition opposes foreign ownership. Let me say Mr Cameron just announced I think that he is going to be making a sequel to  
Avatar 
 which will create 1500 new jobs.  
Hobbit 
 haters  
Avatar 
 haters I say let us actually celebrate these kinds of investments. They provide investment in New Zealand and they provide more opportunities and more jobs for New Zealanders. 
What about the public sector reform? What about the health service? I have to say that I love the fact that we have more doctors we have more nurses and we have more midwives remaining in New Zealand instead of going overseas because we have created an opportunity for them to stay here. The bonding scheme has meant that we have in total 1800 more nurses—1800—263 more doctors 218 more midwives and 13 more radiation therapists who have stayed in New Zealand since that scheme was introduced in 2009. I remember back in—