Hide Rodney: General Debate 
Hide Rodney: General Debate 
[Volume:623;Page:18488] 
RODNEY HIDE (Leader—ACT) 
: 
 There is no more fundamental duty of a Government than the security of the nation. There is no more fundamental duty of a Government than the security of citizens in their own homes in their places of work and on the streets and byways of our country. The Helen Clark Government has completely failed in its management administration and vision of the protection of the people in New Zealand. 
If Helen Clark were serious about defence and if she were serious about law and order she would not have her two most useless Ministers in charge of those portfolios. On the one hand we have Mark Burton who oversaw the purchase of 105 LAVIIIs which as the Auditor-General quite rightly found we do not know what they will be used for. We do not know how we are going to man them. Contrary to the Minister’s arguments we have not properly budgeted for their maintenance and operation. 
The Minister was advised by his Chief of Defence Force to buy only 50 LAVIIIs. Who has ever heard of a Minister saying to his staff: “I will double what you want.”? The Chief of Defence Force pointed out these problems just as the New Zealand First Party did just as the National Party did and just as the ACT party did before the purchase. But Mark Burton knew better. So the taxpayer has been saddled with a $653 million capital purchase as well as the ongoing costs and the army is saddled with it. What was the trade-off? We have no combat air wing and our air force has broken down. That is the state of our national security. 
Let us consider our homeland security. I look around this House and I see people of varying abilities and qualities but I think that any member of this House picked at random— 
Simon Power 
: Paul Adams. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Any member picked at random—Paul Adams or even David Parker—and put in the seat of the Minister of Police would do a better job. Why? Because they could not be as stupid as George Hawkins has proved to be. They could not prove to be more of a disgrace than George Hawkins has proved to be. They could not be more out of touch than George Hawkins has proved to be. 
Jill Pettis 
: 1.6 percent and falling. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: We hear from Jill Pettis. She is a good example. I want her to support the Minister of Police in what he told this House yesterday in answer to a question. The Minister told the House and the people of New Zealand that the women of New Zealand are more worried about a speeding car than they are about being attacked in their homes. Does Jill Pettis agree with that? Oh suddenly Jill Pettis is busy. She is very quiet. What about Lynne Pillay? Does she agree with that statement by the Minister of Police? 
Lynne Pillay 
: 1.6 percent and falling. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: She does not agree with the Minister of Police. George Hawkins is so incompetent that he said: “That is what the poll shows.” Let us look at what the poll shows. This was a poll in— 
Jill Pettis 
: That is what the poll shows—1.6 percent. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: Jill Pettis has a lot to say during everyone else’s speeches so I will give her an opportunity. I ask Ms Pettis whether she agrees with the Minister of Police George Hawkins that women in New Zealand are more worried about a speeding car than being attacked in their homes. 
Jill Pettis 
: 1.6 percent and falling. 
RODNEY HIDE 
: All she can say is that the great ACT party is on 1.6 percent. That is all she can come up with. Let us talk about a poll—the poll George Hawkins cited. The question had nothing to do with speeding. The question was about whether women were more worried about being sexually assaulted or raped than about being in a traffic accident—an accident caused not by speeding but by a drunk driver—and still the women said they were more worried about being sexually assaulted. George Hawkins is a disgrace and a liar.