Macindoe Tim: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Macindoe Tim: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 27 February 2013. Volume:687;Page:8255. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West) 
: 
 That member for Dunedin North is guilty of uttering the most clichés and the worst speeches of any member from his district for 50 years. I must say that he has even inspired Mr Hipkins to copy his worst haircut in 50 years. 
I want to put on record some of the great things that are happening in my fine city of Hamilton and I will get on to that in a moment but because our Opposition has beamed in again today from “Planet Labour” apart from the odd few over there who are in “Lentil Soup Land” I think it is important that we remind ourselves of some of the facts that the Minister of Finance put on record in his speech today in Auckland to Massey University and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. He has reminded us that although the global financial and economic situation remains pretty uncertain here in New Zealand we are actually doing pretty well. Our opponents do not like that—they certainly do not want to admit it—but the fact is that New Zealanders do and that is why a whole raft of public opinion polls lately have reflected that support. 
Our economy is growing. We are on track back into surplus. We were told when Michael Cullen left office that he was bequeathing the Government coming in a decade of deficits. He boasted that he had spent the lot. Well we have got there in half the time because of prudent financial management. Business confidence is improving. Our companies are becoming more competitive. Wages are growing. Inflation is low. Net household disposable income is around 20 percent higher than it was when we came into office. 
Dr David Clark 
: The member’s wrong—real wages are dropping. 
TIM MACINDOE 
: These are the facts. Compared with when your Government was in office Dr Clark over 60000 more Kiwis now have jobs. It is a pity that the Green member who tried to tell us otherwise is not here to hear that. Of course our unemployment rate remains too high—that is a reality of the times—but we have got the right prescription and we are seeing good results. Interest rates are at a 50-year low and households are saving more. And on top of all of that as the Hon Chris Tremain told us our $30 billion Christchurch rebuild programme is well under way with considerable help from the New Zealand taxpayers. 
Well Dr Clark if that is the worst economic record of 50 years let us have another 50 because that is the right prescription and we are doing well. They are the facts. It is good news for New Zealanders and yet the knockers and the hands-on-your-wallet brigade opposite would have us trying to believe that the opposite is true. 
Let us remember that the Government has a very clear programme. The Prime Minister outlined it in his statement at the start of the year. We were re-elected in 2011 with a clear plan to build a faster-growing economy supporting more jobs rising incomes and better public services and that is what we are doing. Our plan is to return to surplus to reduce debt to push ahead with a wide-ranging programme of reforms to create a more productive and competitive economy to drive better results and better value for money from public services— 
Kris Faafoi 
: If it’s your plan stop reading it. 
TIM MACINDOE 
: —and to support the rebuilding of Christchurch. The reason I read that is that I want to put it into the record yet again that that is the Government’s programme. That is our focus and we remain unwaveringly determined to get there. It is the right prescription for New Zealanders. New Zealanders endorse it. 
Let us look at just a couple of examples of how our plan is resulting in better public services. We have recently had announcements about smart technology for the police and the impact of that will be dramatic. It is the equivalent of having many more officers out on the beat every day in every community in New Zealand. In my city of Hamilton that impact is dramatic. That is one of the reasons why recorded crime is now at a 30-year low. What a terrific achievement that is. 
In health there is so much good news that it is hard to know which one to choose but I am going to talk about something that is relevant to some of my constituents who have written to me lately and that is that over 45000 New Zealanders have recently benefited from new and more accessible medicines in just the past 6 months. That number will continue to increase with $10 million more being invested in new medicines during this financial year. 
Let me close by saying that it has been a fantastic start to the year in Hamilton. We have got a booming city. It is a great place to visit. We have just had one of the most wonderful summer arts festivals that I can ever remember. It is always of a high standard. It is right up there with the best that the arts community can offer in New Zealand. Well done to everybody who has run the programme and thank you. I hope that many other members got there. I want to congratulate the Hamilton City Council on its Green Flag Award for the Hamilton Gardens—one of the best in the country. And well done the Black Caps because Seddon Park is where they win.