Joyce Steven: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Joyce Steven: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 29 August 2012. Volume:683;Page:4871. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
 Thank you for the opportunity to speak this afternoon. In regards to the previous speaker Metiria Turei look everybody in this House I think will want to see children do well and children be successful. In fact I think probably most of us are here to see the future of our children be enhanced and improved for the benefit of the whole country. The problem is the diagnosis of how to do that. The Greens unfortunately constantly talk about doing it but then actually oppose ways in which we can get families to earn more income. They oppose job opportunities for families and oppose opportunities for growing businesses. In fact right this afternoon there is an example. We had one of the members of the Greens getting up and criticising a worldwide agritechnology and biotechnology conference being held in New Zealand and saying it should not be here because of some of the subjects that are being discussed—discussed mind you not implemented—and saying that that is something that should not happen in this country. 
The Greens have no shortage of things that should not happen in this country and most of the things they want to stop are the things that would give families incomes and things that would help the economy grow and provide job opportunities and higher wages for New Zealanders. This Government is determined to put our children first by focusing on those opportunities for New Zealanders. We have got a comprehensive plan. One example just this afternoon is our investment in infrastructure. Mr Brownlee is going out and laying out the plan which Labour and the Greens have opposed. They want to stop the plan. They want to invest more in transport that nobody uses instead of the transport that people use thereby reducing the competitiveness of the New Zealand economy. 
We are also very focused on a natural resources agenda which is also something opposed by most of the parties on the other side of the House. One thing we can all agree on I think is that we are focused on building innovation. We are spending massive amounts investing in that and that is probably one thing they would agree on. Then when it comes to capital markets if you are going to build exports—one for Mr Peters opposite—that needs investment. That investment has to come from overseas and that means not being paranoid about Chinese investment in this country. That means not being paranoid about Chinese investment. This Government is not being paranoid about that. So when you take infrastructure our skills agenda natural resources innovation export markets capital markets the competitive tax system which Minister Collins referred to and our approach to balancing the books and giving confidence to businesses and keeping interest rates low this Government has a comprehensive agenda which New Zealanders know and endorse. 
The alternative is one of the flimsiest bits of paper that I have seen in many a day—David Parker’s midnight scribblings Labour members’ so-called alternative. One hundred words in total. One page 100 words in total about what they would do if they were in Government. It is no wonder Labour is languishing at 30-odd percent in the polls. This is the most appalling piece of flimsy lightweight information I think I have seen. 
Here are a few examples of some of the initiatives that the Opposition is promoting. Changing gear—they would like to change gear. No idea what that means. There is no elaboration on what that means. There is a website apparently that you can go to if you want to change gear. So there you go that is the Labour Party’s approach—changing gear. Grow the heartland—well we are all in favour of growing the heartland. How are they going to do it? High-value manufacturing—well yes we are all in favour. Hang on what else is here? Warm puppies—they are positive about warm puppies. Motherhood—that is another. Apple pie is supported by the Labour Party. In fact all of these things are simple platitudes. The party that accuses us of being lightweight is the most lightweight party on the planet. 
Here is my favourite: saying that New Zealand should save more. Well I have visions of David Parker being elected one day in the 22nd century wearing a sandwich board wandering around the country exhorting New Zealanders “Save more. Save more.” Well aside from the fact that actually they are saving more—and if they save more that would probably slow down the productive economy a little bit at this point because they are already saving a lot—and aside from the stupid economics it is the most appalling lack of any sort of initiatives. And they think that that is some sort of plan. That is not a plan; that is a series of sound bites that say absolutely nothing. They have the gall to get up and criticise the Government’s agenda and then wander around with a flimsy piece of paper with 100 words on it that achieves absolutely nothing.