Copeland Gordon: Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill — In Committee 
Copeland Gordon: Public Finance (State Sector Management) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:622;Page:17913] 
GORDON COPELAND (United Future) 
: 
 I must say that that speech from Gerry Brownlee the deputy leader of the National Party was a bit more constructive than the one we had from Simon Power a few minutes ago. Simon Power spent three-quarters of his 5-minute speech criticising United Future and the other quarter slamming the Minister in the chair David Cunliffe. I have never heard such a lot of bluster with such a lack of content in any speech on any occasion in my 2½ years in this Parliament. At no time did National member Simon Power tell this Committee why his party is opposing this bill. It was a novel way to discuss a 500-page bill—never once to refer to the bill’s contents but just to huff and puff to see whether the hot air generated might eventually ignite the bill so that it went up in smoke. It was hardly credible. 
Let us take clause 190 for example which was just spoken on by Gerry Brownlee. Does National really think that Crown entities should not publish their annual accounts? Because I think they should. Let us take clause 192. Does National believe that Crown entities should not tell the New Zealand public what they are paying their staff? Because I think they should. Maybe we should look at clause 196 and ask whether National believes that Crown entities should not have their accounts audited. Is that the proposition that the National Party has brought to this debate today—that Crown entities should not have their accounts audited? Because I think they should. Let us take new clause 199. Does National believe that Crown entities should not have a bank account—that we should operate the agencies of this Government without bank accounts—and that because bank accounts are mentioned in this bill we should oppose that provision? I actually think that bank accounts might prove to be quite useful for most Crown entities and most organisations to operate. 
Here is a really good one: clause 208 in Part 6. The National Party believes that Crown entities should not pay tax. It believes that they should operate make a profit and simply keep the money whereas other entities in this country those in the private sector should pay tax. Well I think that Crown entities should pay tax and that this is a good bill. The provisions in it are constructive. They move things forward. If National members disagree with that then for goodness’ sake they should get up and tell the Committee for once why they are opposing the bill because all we have heard is hot air and bluster. 
It is a sad thing that the once-proud and constructive National Party now bereft of policy and unable to make a reasoned contribution to this Parliament is simply resorting to bluster and hot air. Mind you there may be a secret behind all of that. We have heard recently on a number of occasions to do with a number of policy initiatives that the National Party will keep them secret until nearer the election. I think that when Simon Power goes out next time on the hustings in Rangitikei to campaign for re-election in 2005 he will tell his electors why his party members voted against this bill. Then perhaps at last this Parliament and the New Zealand public will find out why they are opposing the bill. I have listened very carefully to this debate and I have not yet heard one decent reason why those guys are opposing it. But they should keep trying because I have an open mind and maybe they can convince me if they really work hard.