Mark Ron: General Debate 
Mark Ron: General Debate 
[Volume:630;Page:2497] 
RON MARK (NZ First) 
: 
 I move  
That the House take note of miscellaneous business 
. Is it not interesting here today? One can easily see when the supposed mainstream Opposition has nothing to whinge about because we revert to tittle-tattle and personal snides and slights come from very inexperienced members of the House who are overpaid for doing very little work at all. 
During the election period all of us were out there on the hustings listening to people—[ 
Interruption 
] There they go baying like poodles. We were out on the hustings listening to people tell us about their concerns. Rather than promising to get into the dirt and to roll around in the muck with Rodney Hide and all those other grubby little cretins we in New Zealand First made some promises to some people. And have I got good news for all those people who voted for New Zealand First—and even for the elderly gentlemen in the back row of the National caucus who are about to superannuate after the next election. While some people are rolling around in the muck and making personal attacks on other MPs others are getting on and doing the work. 
What sort of work has New Zealand First been engaged in? Members will remember that during the election campaign we met all those people who were complaining about the $9 economy about underpaid work and about casual labourers. Well there is some good news. What is the good news? New Zealand First has secured a rise in the minimum wage. Is that not good news? And all those people out there will be thanking New Zealand First for doing that. 
What other good news is there? New Zealand First as a result of its agreement with Labour has secured an increase in superannuation—[ 
Interruption 
]—and even “Mr Noddy” over there is saying that that is amazing. I cannot remember his name. From 27 March workers earning the minimum wage will receive a pay rise of nearly 8 percent taking that wage to $10.25 an hour. Is that not amazing? That is an important step towards our $12 an hour target. 
On 1 April the rate of superannuation rose. But wait—there is more than just the fact that superannuation rose. One of the key promises of New Zealand First during the election campaign was that we would peg superannuation so it would never ever fall below 65 percent of the average working wage. Has that happened? Yes that has happened—thank you New Zealand First! Can we fix it? Yes we have done the deal. 
What else have we done? Well the golden age card is coming up. Even Bob Clarkson will get a golden age card. But here is the great news about the golden age card. All the corporates who have been funding a failed National Party campaign are now coming to New Zealand First and saying: “This golden age card—can we be on it?”. That golden age card will be the tear jerker and the heartbreaker in the community because not only will superannuitants get a card that gives them Government-sponsored discounts on power phone prescriptions and doctors fees but now the corporates—which will not back National next time—are coming to New Zealand First and saying: “We can tap in on this; we can help superannuitants.” That golden age card will become a billion-dollar card mark our words and superannuitants—[ 
Interruption 
] Yes Gerry Brownlee’s mum and dad Lindsay Tisch’s mum and dad and Mr Bennett’s grandfather will all benefit and I say to Mr Bennett that if they do not want it they can just hand the money right on back. But that card was from New Zealand First. Did we fix it? Yes we did. 
What else has New Zealand First done? What about the Tauranga Harbour Bridge? The old duffer in Tauranga was running around saying that he was going to put Tauranga on the map but he is totally irrelevant now. The Tauranga Harbour Bridge will be toll free. Can we fix it? It is a done deal; it is good news from New Zealand First. Tauranga residents who are already saying: “Did we really elect that guy to Parliament? Did you hear him speak the other day?” are cringing. Members of the blue-rinse brigade are worried that he might fondle certain parts of his anatomy in public but actually the biggest criticism now is that he cannot put two words together without making himself look like a raging idiot. But New Zealand First is still there supporting Tauranga. Did we fix it? Yes we did. 
What about the 1000 new cops? I say: “How do you like those babies!”. There are 1000 front-line police in blue uniforms. The police are already telling us that they cannot handle the number of job applications. Is that not good news? And it is not just 1000 uniformed staff— 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: Then why are you on 2 percent in the polls? Actually it could be in the negative. 
RON MARK 
: Oh Mr Williamson is there—the computer whiz kid. He was going to solve the problems of the police force. He gave the police a computer to go and catch criminals. That is what he did but it did not have any legs. It could not run fast enough. New Zealand First: can we fix it? We sure as hell can.