Cosgrove Clayton: Appropriation (2003/04 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
Cosgrove Clayton: Appropriation (2003/04 Estimates) Bill — Third Reading Imprest Supply Debate 
[Volume:610;Page:7695] 
CLAYTON COSGROVE (NZ Labour—Waimakariri) 
: 
 I suppose this is a debating tag team in one respect. Rodney Hide would know about that being a big-time wrestler from way back. I want to pick up where the Minister of Defence left off. Mr Hide’s contribution showed exactly how bereft of any spirit he is. This is the man who we should never forget attacked— 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. My point of order was ruled on and it was ruled in my favour. It is not acceptable that this member—I forget his name—then gets up and uses his speech to discuss my point of order. That is outside Standing Orders. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: That is a very good point and it is one that I think we should follow on every occasion. Once a point of order has been ruled upon a member should not be commenting on that ruling in a subsequent speech. 
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: That is quite correct. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: My apologies; I will not transgress your ruling. Let me say this in respect of Vote Defence. Mr Hide’s career is littered with attacks as our Minister of Defence said on our defence personnel. He is known in this House to wear a Returned Services Association associate’s badge and to parade about as though he were a friend of our armed services. Yet this is the man who got stuck into the Private Leonard Manning affair to the point where the dead soldier’s family told the Minister to get him to back off. Mr Hide is the man who attacked the Air Force because it had decided to pick up—I forget from which island; was it Samoa—a person in distress after a request by a responsible Opposition member who I think was Katherine Rich. The old blunderbuss Mr Hide never gets up to back our armed services. 
There used to be a protocol in this Parliament that when our men and women were overseas peacekeeping fighting protecting others and protecting our country we backed them in unison. I believe that most National Party members generally observe this protocol but not the grubby Mr Hide; if he can smell a bit of a scab to pick off he will be in there. One has to say—no I would breach Standing Orders if I did say it but words like “patriotism” come to mind—that those members who do not engage in his sort of activity are the patriotic ones. 
I turn to the Appropriation (2003/04 Estimates) Bill. We now look at the state of New Zealand in the light of the positive economic statistics that we have in this country in an environment of international uncertainty. If we look at the good economic news—and I know that certain members opposite hate it—we see that a household labour force survey shows an unemployment rate that is one of the lowest in the OECD. That is undisputed. Our gross domestic product growth rate is one of the highest in the OECD; in the last quarter there was an increase of 0.6 percent and there was an annual increase of 4.3 percent. Those are solid economic platforms from which we can build. The  
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series increased in June by 5.6 percent. We have the lowest unemployment I believe for 15 to 20 years. Those are all solid achievements that are good for our people and good for our country. From those we can provide further opportunities for New Zealanders. 
I remind members of Parliament that the last Government raised the white flag on regional development. The last Government sold out the regions sold out places like the West Coast and the Bay of Plenty. It got rid of the business development agencies. I think the Minister at the time— 
Georgina Beyer 
: That’s right. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: My colleague says that is right. It was Max Bradford. It is interesting that we are the first Government to have a Minister for Small Business. We know that small business provides 85 to 90 percent of the jobs. We have a Minister for Small Business but what did the last crowd do? How did those members advocate around the Cabinet table for small business? Let us look at the regional growth rates around the country. I am proud to say that my own province of Canterbury leads the South Island at 4.9 percent and is second only to the Bay of Plenty which is at 5.1 percent. I think they are solid achievements. I think they are the things that people listening here tonight and people around the country want to hear about and want to talk about rather than the sort of flummery and posturing we have from people like Mr Hide. How do I know that people want to talk about development and growth in this country? I say just look at the polls. The polls are a reflection of the support this Government has and I do not say that arrogantly; I say that with a high degree of respect for our people. 
Georgina Beyer 
: It is a matter of fact. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: It is a matter of fact as my colleague says. Let us look at some of the key achievements. Let us look at our progress in health. There are now 1.7 million New Zealanders enrolled in primary health organisations. There were 157000 elective operations in 2001-02 up from 151000. There has been progress in education. We said we would put more teachers into schools and we have created an extra 774 teacher positions for next year. We have invested $78 million in information and communication technology in schools. In the tertiary area we are widening eligibility for student allowances so that we can make tertiary institutions and universities more accessible and more affordable for our young people. Why? Because we value education. What do we get from education? More skilled New Zealanders. What do you get from more skilled New Zealanders? Jobs and tax revenue that we can then redistribute and redeploy to those who need help within our economy. In terms of the progress in law and order we hear a lot of bleating from the ACT party and from—I think his name is Ryall; he reminds me of a jug of beer with big handles. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. 
Madam DEPUTY SPEAKER 
: The member will refer to the member by his proper name. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: My apologies. Mr Ryall bleats on again about police numbers. Here is a fact that members should have etched in their memories: there are more police in New Zealand than in any other time in the history of this country and this is the biggest police budget in the history of this country. 
John Carter 
: Not true. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: I say to the member that I remember that just before the last election Bill English—and my colleague will refresh my memory—put up a paper before Cabinet to cut it by $120 million. 
Hon George Hawkins 
: 540 police jobs. 
CLAYTON COSGROVE 
: My colleague tells me the proposal was to cut 540 police jobs. Had the country not put the sword into Mr English and that Government we would be 540 police down today. National’s biggest contribution to the police was chewing up hundreds of millions of dollars of the police budget not on batons pepper spray cars and those sorts of things and not on personnel but on INCIS a silly computer system that never worked. That was its contribution. [ 
Interruption 
] I invite that member to get off his chuff take a call and justify that. 
Let us take a look at social development which is important within our country. The sum of $153 million will be spent over 4 years to help people move off welfare and into work. I would have thought that was something even Rodney Hide—the tsar of the zany in the ACT party—would support but no those Opposition members will not talk about opportunities for New Zealand; they put the boot in because that is their specialty. 
I want to contrast that with some of the geniuses in the National Party. I ask the House to look at some of the contributions that have been made by National Party members. I want to conclude briefly with Bill English and the National Party on the foreshore and seabed issue. I made a general debate speech this afternoon and I said that their politics of scaremongering is one of the lowest points I have seen in this Parliament. This is an issue that has perplexed and worried a lot of New Zealanders. For some that is through a lack of understanding and I pay no disrespect to people who do not understand the issue. They get most of their information through the media and it is often skewed by members opposite. But the National Party had a chance on this issue to show some leadership. Instead what we got was grubby politics from a grubby party and grubby members opposite. Where has the leadership of that party been on this issue? Instead of scaremongering what it could have done was to say to New Zealanders: “This is an issue that transcends politics. This is an issue where we need to join together and get it sorted out.” 
Well I say to the House tonight that we will sort it out. It is a tough issue it is complex and it will take some time but this Government will sort it out. Why? Because this Government is the only one that can sort it out. It is the only one with the guts to confront the issue head-on and deal to it. The only thing we get from Opposition members is: “You are not moving fast enough. Where is the plan where is the strategy?”. Well unlike the slogans the billboards and all the rubbish that they come up with we are going to get this right. We are going to get the framework up and get the consultation done then we are going to put the issue to bed. All New Zealanders will know thanks to us that they will be able to take the kids to the beach and as John Tamihere said have a barbecue play cricket volleyball or whatever take some fish and have a good time. They will have access as they have today. I finally call on the Opposition to make a decent contribution.