Foss Craig: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFoss Craig: General Debate[Sitting date: 23 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19400. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister of Commerce):I would first of all like to acknowledge my colleague my good mate the Hon Chris Tremain CJ who has obviously just run a quick triathlon or something in the last 40 minutes. It seems like just yesterday that the two of us turned the bay “blue”. CJ turned the good seat of Napier to National after 52-odd years of Labour representation—a feat that will go down in history. He has done such an awesome job with his passion for and love of our province and Napier. He is just a top man. Also his achieving the status of Cabinet Minister the first Napier MP to be a Cabinet Minister—CJ you’ve done really well mate.The joint sheer drive between myself and Chris for an even better Hawke’s Bay being relentlessly positive for our beautiful bay has been recognised by the good people and the voters in the Hawke’s Bay as the party vote for National across the Hawke’s Bay has increased in each and every single election since. In fact it has increased to the point where my opponent and the Opposition candidates up there this time are not even campaigning for the party vote. They are not even on the list this time. I have got plenty of stories I would love to tell. I have got only a few minutes but I also know that Chris’ valedictory is pretty soon and he will have the last word so I had better not wind him up too much.Of course there has been interesting attention on the regions in the last few days—fair enough—but I would just like to note that like the rest of New Zealand the region of the Hawke’s Bay is actually performing very very well. It has awesome opportunities in front of it and good leadership and there is commitment faith and confidence in our region. We will continue to absolutely fly.Interestingly with Labour’s announcement yesterday I would just like to note that the last time Labour paid any attention to the province of Hawke’s Bay or the region was actually when one David Cunliffe as health Minister sacked our district health board. Incidentally the health board has since been essentially re-elected and essentially unchanged twice. I do note that his last commentary on the Hawke’s Bay was his famous quote where he described our health board of the time—remember this is the man who wants to be New Zealand’s Prime Minister—and he overreached. Yes there was a situation in the Hawke’s Bay. He overegged it. He overreached and basically he stuffed it up. He described the good members of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board at that time as a nasty mess of self-perpetuating provincial elites. That is from the mouth of the person who wants to be the Prime Minister for New Zealand and the regions. We should note that that was the last time he paid any attention.Incidentally he is now busy saying sorry for being a man. He is saying sorry for wearing a scarf. He is saying sorry for being sorry. He is saying sorry for all sorts of things. But you know what? It would not take much but he is yet to apologise and say sorry for what he did to the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board. Yes it was a few years ago but quite frankly that shows the nature of the man who wants to be the Prime Minister of New Zealand. If anyone wants to know what he is like under pressure have a look at how he reacted have a look at the paperwork and have a look at the affidavits of what he did to the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board.National is continuing to promote initiatives across the country and in the regions. Hawke’s Bay is one. Across the Hawke’s Bay due to our policies we have seen 27 more full-time equivalent doctors. We have seen 116 more full-time equivalent nurses across the Hawke’s Bay just in the last few years. There is about a 100 percent increase in foot patrols of police on the beat in eastern districts in 2013 and crime is low. There has been an investment of $2 million in the clean-up of rivers in the Hawke’s Bay and 13322 Hawke’s Bay homes have been insulated because of the good policies of this National Government.I acknowledge again my good mate CJ Tremain. Hawke’s Bay is in a much better state because of the work you have done and because of your passion for our province. Cheers.