Ryall Tony: General Debate 
Ryall Tony: General Debate 
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Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 On the evening of Wednesday 28 July in the office of the Hon Chris Carter three leading members of the Labour Opposition gathered with Mr Carter. They were talking about when to change their leader and when to strike. Although Shane Jones and Ruth Dyson earlier in the afternoon had given speeches criticising this side of the House for a lack of leadership they were no doubt part of a group that was gathering on the evening of 28 July or one of the 17 who Mr Carter said were involved. We need to know the answer. Were those members two of the 17? Or were they one or two of the three gathered in the office of the Hon Chris Carter? The party opposite is riven with internal division. We see it every day in the House. Ruth Dyson and David Cunliffe twitter to each other about the performance of their colleagues on the bench next to them. We see where they look. They do not look up and look at Mr Goff when he asks any questions; they twitter amongst each other about whether the debate was very good or whether it went anywhere. 
Who was in that office on 28 July with Chris Carter? Who were the 17? It is to be expected. We have been there done that. It is to be expected as Labour had 9 years in office then it was kicked out and now it is unable to get any traction. Labour has stuck at around 27 or 28 percent in the polls and it is unable to get any traction anywhere. It is grabbing every little win it can possibly get. So of course they would be gathering in the evening on 28 July in the office of Chris Carter to choose the date to strike. Who were those three people? I am sure that he will tell us eventually. He will tell the public. Who were the 17? Well I reckon we know who the 17 are and speakers on this side of the House will no doubt put that across to members who are listening. 
While the Labour Party is fixated on its internal problems and those members talk about how long the Goff-King failed team can possibly survive—whether people first elected during the 1980s are the faces of the future—members on this side of the House are focused on the things that matter to New Zealanders. We are focused on the real progress needed to keep New Zealand moving forward. We are putting New Zealand forward. This month there were tax cuts across the board for all good New Zealanders. The average wage earner will be almost $15 a week better off. The family on an average household income will be $25 a week better off. That has put money into the pockets of hard-working New Zealanders who deserve the chance to get ahead. What is more those New Zealanders who have served our country so well during their working lives and who are now on superannuation will be $11 a week better off for a married couple as a result of this Government. 
Those older New Zealanders could be those getting elective surgery as the number of older New Zealanders getting elective surgery has grown by 11 percent in the last year under this Government. We are providing more operations faster emergency departments and faster cancer treatment. More kids are being immunised more people are getting home support and more people are getting the care that they need from a Government that is determined to get the best value for money. More New Zealanders are getting their homes insulated. 
Michael Woodhouse 
: How many? 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: Over 60000 homes have been insulated under the Government’s home insulation scheme which is more that that party opposite ever imagined. More New Zealanders are getting the benefits of the services of this Government. More important more and more young kids are getting the benefits of national standards in their schools. This Government is focused on the issues that matter not on the internal problems that started on 28 July in Mr Chris Carter’s office.