Ross Jami-Lee: Address in ReplyText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoss Jami-Lee: Address in Reply[Sitting date: 30 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:432. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany):What a great day it is to be part of the National-led Government in this House. What a great day it is to be a member of this National-led Government because in about 15 minutes’ time this House will be expressing confidence in this Government to continue working for New Zealanders for the next 3 years. This House will be expressing that confidence because the voters of New Zealand expressed confidence in this Government after the hard work of the past 6 years—after 6 years of delivering for New Zealanders after 6 years of doing what we said we would do and after 6 years of focusing on the issues that matter for New Zealanders.When the public went to the polls on 20 September they looked at the people on the list for the National Party they looked at the fine members of our caucus—all 60 of them—and they decided that they were fit to govern this country. When they went to the polls and looked at the Opposition they decided that it was a bunch of parties that could not work together could not agree with each other did not support their leaders and kept focusing on the negative issues that New Zealanders do not care about. Their failed policies and their failed leadership were resoundingly rejected.This party actually focuses on positive matters. It is all fine and well for the Opposition to say it cares about positive things but actually you cannot say you are going to focus on positive issues on day one and then forget about it for the rest of the election campaign. We have had 6 years of delivering for New Zealanders. That is why we are sitting over this side of the House and I am proud to be part of this party.I sat through many of the maiden speeches that were delivered in this Chamber and I have to say that I was incredibly impressed by the calibre of the top-quality candidates that we have on this side of the House. We have 14 new MPs from various backgrounds representing New Zealand. Because of the diversity the knowledge the integrity and the huge skill that they bring to this House I am proud to be standing alongside them.When you sit here at question time and you look up at the Government members on the backbench you see a party that is focused on renewal you see a party that is focused on diversity and you see a party that has brought huge talent into this Parliament. When you sit here and look at the other side of the House you see the same old faces with the same old failed policies and the same old negativity that they brought during the election campaign. Listening to question time this week you would not have thought that we had actually had an election because exactly the same issues that New Zealanders rejected—rejected—only a couple of months ago were still being talked about by the Opposition members. They have not learnt the lessons. They are still talking about their failed old policies that New Zealanders rejected.This party is delivering strong stable government for New Zealanders. That is why we were re-elected. We have a Prime Minister who is a strong leader and who has led this country through some difficult times in the past 6 years. But we are coming out of it and looking pretty good as a country. We are coming out of it as a country that is more confident and as a country that is achieving more for New Zealanders living in this country. New Zealanders know that. The voters know that.New Zealanders want to see an economy that is growing. Under the leadership of Bill English as the Minister of Finance we are delivering a growing economy for New Zealanders. Eighty-three thousands jobs in the past year growth of 3.9 percent one of the fastest-growing economies in the OECD—that is what New Zealanders care about the most and we are delivering for them on the economy.We also care very much about the housing situation in this country. The Opposition likes to characterise us as not caring but we are delivering the policies and we are delivering the legislation that will lead to more affordable housing in this country. We need more houses to be built in Auckland. That is what Minister Nick Smith has been delivering in the past few years. We are also focusing on getting more people into housing. The Opposition thinks the only way the Government can help with housing is to own the housing. We are actually focused on the people who will be in those houses not necessarily on owning the houses. Under the leadership of Paula Bennett with Nick Smith and Bill English I am confident that housing will improve for New Zealanders in this country.When it comes to law and order New Zealanders know that we are safer in this country because of the hard work of the past 6 years. Crime rates are down. Crime is at a 35-year low. Reoffending is down. We are going to be putting more effort into rehabilitation in our prisons and more effort into getting working prisons.Pita Paraone: What have you done for the north?JAMI-LEE ROSS: That is achieving for New Zealanders and no amount of squawking from the newer member Mr Paraone in the back will help because we are delivering for New Zealanders in this area.In education I think we have 60 members on this side of the House who were very proud to see policies being promoted in the election campaign that will lift the achievement levels for all Kiwi kids. We are seeing better achievement levels being delivered but we have to get better-quality teaching. The Labour Party cares only about what the unions want. We care about what the parents of New Zealand want for their children. New Zealand parents want a better-quality education system so their children can achieve at higher levels. That is what we will be delivering for New Zealanders.When it comes to the health system the 40000 more elective surgeries being delivered for New Zealanders means that better public services are being delivered to the people on the ground. Under the health system more Kiwi kids are going to get the health care they need. More Kiwi kids are getting access to general practitioners. More Kiwi kids are getting immunised. As a parent in this country I am proud to see that we are delivering on the health policies that New Zealanders deserve.When we look at the Canterbury situation one of the regions in this country that really delivered for the National Party at the election was Canterbury. Why was that? Because the effort the hard work and the investment that we are putting into Canterbury show that this Government cares about the people of Canterbury. They have been through some incredibly tough times. The Opposition again just focuses on the negative. We are focused on the investment we are focused on getting more apprentices there we are focused on getting more housing going we are focused on getting more building happening in Canterbury and Canterbury is working for New Zealanders as well.I am incredibly proud to be a member of this National-led Government. I am proud that we have a Prime Minister who is working hard for New Zealanders every single day. We are part of a Government that is delivering for New Zealanders every single day. The National-led Government looks forward to working for New Zealanders for another 3 years.To the Opposition if I can give those members some advice I say stop worrying about the leadership and stop worrying about the infighting. Focus on what the issues are that matter to New Zealanders: the economy law and order health and education. It is a novel idea but it actually works. It is a novel idea but it actually works because when New Zealanders wake up in the morning they care whether they have a job to go to they care whether they can put food on the table they care whether their kids have an education system that is working for them they care whether they have a health system that will deliver for their children. They want to know that they have a home that they can live in and a home that is affordable. We are delivering for New Zealanders. That is why John Key is the Prime Minister again for another 3 years. I look forward to working with these fine individuals for the next 3 years.