Scott AlastairALASTAIR SCOTT (National—Wairarapa): I would like to reflect on a couple of points made earlier by Dr Clark and Mr Lees-Galloway when it was quite obvious that they had not been to the regions. They did not know what was going on. There were contributions of woe and misery. I just want to reflect on what is happening in the region that I represent the Wairarapa region. People are coming to the Wairarapa. They are coming to the Wairarapa from Hawke's Bay and from Palmerston North. It has a GDP growth above average in the Wellington region. It has a GDP growth rate that is above the Wellington region's average and that is because of several things. Tourism is on the up: 2.5 million people came to New Zealand as tourists in 2010 and 3.3 million last year. Whether it is tourists from the boats that sit in Wellington Harbour driving over the hill to enjoy the wines the balloon events or the aerodrome events tourism is one of those diversified industries that Mr Cunliffe says that we do not have in this country. We have it and it is succeeding and it is contributing massively to the region. I am sorry to tell you the good news guys but the regions are doing well. Capital Precut Solutions is a company in the Wairarapa. Here is what it does. It takes laminated wood product from Juken New Zealand and Kiwi Lumber which is another local business. It cuts it into bits it forms framing solutions and it sends them to Auckland. That is what regions can do. They export to the larger cities and to Christchurch where the building activity is progressing. We know that we are in a construction and building boom—the biggest construction and building boom ever—and the Wairarapa is contributing to that building boom. Waingawa log hub—the Minister mentioned it earlier. That hub has doubled in size. That is a hub where thousands and thousands of trucks—Hon David Cunliffe: Truck lovers".ALASTAIR SCOTT: —truck lovers—truckloads of wood are going on to the rail. That hub is saving 16000 truck movements—16000 truck movements are not going over that hill because of the railway network. So that is what is happening in the regions. Watson and Son's honey is another example. We have heard about mānuka honey the thriving industry that it is—particularly along the east coast of the country. Watson and Son's honey is 50 percent owned locally and 50 percent owned by Ngāi Tahu. That is demonstrating that new money is going into the regions. That business is looking for doctorate and Master's graduates to build its employee numbers in its laboratories. We are not talking low-skilled jobs here; we are talking high-skilled jobs in the regions. Karaka Whips is a simple business. It is a family-owned business. It exports whips throughout the world all from the Wairarapa. I do not know where these guys have been but they certainly have not been in the regions. They do not know what is going on in the regions. I do and other MPs here who represent regions do. Those members talk about immigration funding the economy. Well it has been said before but it is not the number of immigrants coming in; it is the people who are not leaving that is making the difference. It is people who are not leaving who are making the difference.Hon David Cunliffe: That's bunkum. Give us the numbers.ALASTAIR SCOTT: For decades we have been bringing in 40000 to 50000 new immigrants and we have been doing that for ever. The difference is that people are voting with their feet and they are choosing to stay. I tell you what despite these guys on the other side blaming immigrants I will tell you the facts. Last week I was in Nelson speaking to a group of people and I asked them: "How many of you were not born in New Zealand?". I was quite surprised. About a third of them were not born in New Zealand let alone in Nelson. So then I asked this question of the same group: "How many of you were not born in Nelson?". Virtually none of them were born in Nelson. They were all internal immigrants. Hon David Cunliffe: I can't bear this any more. I'm leaving.ALASTAIR SCOTT: Immigration and people are what makes this country great Mr Cunliffe. Immigration is what give this country character and diversity and brings in new ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. That is what we need in this country. We want to encourage it not discourage it."