McKelvie Ian: Address in ReplyText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMcKelvie Ian: Address in Reply[Sitting date: 29 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:380. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]IAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei):I have Prime Minister done my maiden speech and actually I have had only a couple of turns in the House though I must say. But having to follow that lot really is a little bit like I guess playing Sevens after an All Black test at Athletic Park. For those of you who can remember Athletic Park it was pretty cold—a very breezy place and I must say were they not spectacular?I must get on with the serious business of the House Mr Assistant Speaker Tisch and I wish to firstly congratulate you on your re-election as an Assistant Speaker. I also want to particularly mention my friend and neighbour Chester Borrows and commend him for his election as Deputy Speaker of the House. I think it is pretty special for him and it is certainly special for us in the Rangitīkei to have a Deputy Speaker next door to us.I want to also congratulate all the new members of the House—wherever you sit. At the end of the day we all come here for the same reason. We might have different opinions but we do come here for the same reason and I think that is the special thing about this place—we do not agree but we do definitely come here for similar reasons.I want to particularly make mention of Jono Naylor. He of course has just made his maiden speech. He lives in Palmerston North. He will I guess put a little bit of blue on the Labour seat of Palmerston North and I look forward to having him as a local ally. I think he will be a great asset to our region and certainly to the people of Palmerston North.I want to take this opportunity to thank the people of the Rangitīkei electorate for returning me with a much increased majority despite a very hard-working Labour candidate. I also want to put on record my thanks to my campaign team led by Jamie “Diesel” Cunningham and Kath Johnson—two out of thousands of people throughout New Zealand who worked so hard to ensure the return of a John Key - led Government.Out on the election campaign we heard so much about what Labour and New Zealand First with its 96-page manifesto were going to do for us all in rural New Zealand. We heard nothing from the Greens interestingly as they were missing in action in my electorate. I noticed that back here it is back to the same old thing: blame the Government and come up with nothing new.I want to tell the House today that parts of the Rangitīkei electorate are as challenged economically as anywhere in New Zealand but the outlook is improving. It is improving on the back of activities of the National Government over the past 6 years and will continue to do so. The reasons for this are simple. In tourism we have an industry that is safe secure and green. The cycleways initiative our opportunity to walk ski climb canoe and generally use our beautiful rivers and mountains—the central North Island is an environmental tourism Mecca. A good deal of that central North Island is in the Rangitīkei electorate. In the last quarter the accommodation industry’s overnight-stay figures were 25 percent ahead of the same quarter last year in the north of my electorate. This will continue to create more work opportunities and put buoyancy into our region that has not been seen for many years.In agriculture sheep and beef farmers play a huge part in the fortunes of the Rangitīkei electorate and are doing comparatively well. Beef and lamb prices are both at very good levels. Wool is poking its head up and forestry is on the move once again. Anyone who has looked at the local port just down the road here will have noticed that.The dairy sector is important for the fortunes of the Rangitīkei and I am confident there is light at the end of the tunnel here as a set of unique circumstances work their way through the trade chain. This sector is providing more job opportunities and added value and the servicing industry will also pick up strongly in the future. The roads of national significance are going to have a significant effect on the Rangitīkei electorate with the completion of the Kapiti Expressway and the subsequent completion of Transmission Gully and the Whirokino Trestle Bridge. As Minister Guy said yesterday in his speech to the House areas to the north of Wellington will benefit significantly from these projects and my electorate is no exception to this.In the Rangitīkei we have families challenged by circumstances we have people looking for work and we have challenges around health and education but we know that this Government is putting in place policy and law that advances our cause through better services and economic growth.I am very proud to represent the people of the Rangitīkei. It is a privilege to be in this House and I thank you for the opportunity to address the House today.