Wong Pansy: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Wong Pansy: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:660;Page:8672] 
Hon PANSY WONG (Minister for Ethnic Affairs) 
: 
 I say “Happy New Year” to all New Zealanders. It will be a great Year of the Tiger. What a fantastic background for the incoming Year of the Tiger to have our Prime Minister deliver a statement about step change to growth. Not only did the Hon Annette King make a hash of the Electoral Finance Act; she made a hash of the Year of the Ox and the Year of the Tiger. The Year of the Ox as everybody knows meant that hard-working New Zealanders working together last year staved off the worst of the recession. Not only did the Hon Annette King make a hash of the Electoral Finance Act and the Chinese New Year symbols; she cannot even come up with any original Opposition speech as she was quoting all the time from newspapers and bloggers. That is typical of Labour; its members never have an original idea. We put up with 9 long years of political correctness and mouthing of other people’s policies. There were 9 long years of wasted opportunity. But at long last we have a Government elected by New Zealanders to govern for all New Zealanders—that is European Maori Pacific and ethnic men and women old and young. That is unlike Labour which was divisive with its “tax and spend”. 
I want to reflect on how the “three strikes” policy would have applied to the Hon Phil Goff. The first strike was when he agreed with the Governor of the Reserve Bank Dr Alan Bollard who apparently does not believe that New Zealanders can close the gap with Australia. He has no confidence that New Zealand can close the gap with Australia but that is why neither Dr Alan Bollard nor Phil Goff is the Prime Minister of New Zealand. I am very glad we have an aspirational Prime Minister who believes in New Zealanders and that the sky is the limit. The Prime Minister’s statement was ambitious and aspirational. 
The second strike for the Hon Phil Goff is that he said he would campaign against GST; he would remove GST. We did not realise he opposed GST. He is now in agreement with the Hon Jim Anderton on that issue. 
On the third strike he should be out. I tell Shane Jones to warm up his barbecue because I think the timing is right for him. The third strike for the Hon Phil Goff was when he said to the nation that the only way for New Zealand to get huge economic growth was to cap the salary of 16 chief executives. But those chief executives’ salary increases happened under a Labour Government which had a 5-year programme to increase their salaries. I say the “three strikes and you’re out” Labour Opposition will sit on the other side of the Chamber for a very long time. 
In contrast whenever Melissa Lee Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and I go to functions with ethnic communities they ask us to thank our Prime Minister for delivering on his promises making New Zealand a safer community because we have provided 600 more police and a tougher law and order policy. Ethnic New Zealanders like all parents have aspirations for their children. They want their children to achieve in education. They say: “Good on you for bringing in national standards.” They want to know how their kids are doing. They want them to have a fantastic future. National is delivering on educational achievement. 
I turn now to economic growth. Ethnic business people and ethnic workers want a tax system that rewards hard work not one that punishes them for hard work. They want to work and to start up businesses. They say that a change in the tax system that is fair and rewards hard work should be brought in. This year the Office of Ethnic Affairs will organise a series of business forums because ethnic New Zealanders have much international linkage and a lot of business contacts with their home country. Established ethnic New Zealanders have fantastic international networks. This year they will help us to foster a lot more opportunity with China and they will welcome in the Prime Minister’s statement that there will be more marketing with China. They are so excited. Indian New Zealanders told me they are so excited about the negotiations for a free-trade agreement with India. They will be part of that growing linkage for the benefit of New Zealand. 
This Government will promote and utilise the expertise and international network of our ethnic New Zealanders. This year in respect of the Auckland super-city the Government recognised the importance of ethnic New Zealanders and in the legislation it passed it provided for the establishment of ethnic advisory panels. That is fantastic. Of course the Auckland super-city might have set up those panels but this Government believed in sending a strong signal to the ethnic communities that their voices are important their opinions are important and they will be heard through a legally instituted panel in the Auckland super-city. They are so excited about that. 
It is a privilege for me to be Minister for Ethnic Affairs and Minister of Women’s Affairs. Wherever I go nowadays women approach me and say: “Wow! This is fantastic. We want to join the board.” They say that the Government is promoting a message they have wanted to hear for a long time. The message is that women have expertise and they make a major contribution in the boardroom. 
Hon Annette King 
: They’ve been doing that for a long time. 
Hon PANSY WONG 
: A Labour member says they have been doing that for a long time but I remind Labour that the former National Government of 1972 brought in the Equal Pay Act and the pay gap between men and women has since then decreased. But what has happened since 2001 under the previous Labour Government? Since 2001 the gap was stuck at 12 percent. That Government did nothing about that but this National Government has provided more funding for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. There will be four work streams to look at flexible work and women in trade. We want to champion our women’s aspiration. Women will benefit in the growing economy. 
In New Zealand we are so excited that at long last there is a Government in place that actually believes that a brighter future is for all New Zealanders. It believes that ethnic communities women European Maori and Pasifika will all benefit. The Prime Minister’s statement has all of them involved. It is not a divisive policy. The whole raft of policies will make sure that all New Zealanders can aspire. This Government was elected by New Zealanders to govern for all New Zealanders unlike the previous Labour Government which wasted 9 long years of good economic growth with New Zealanders falling behind. This will be a fantastic year to welcome in the Year of the Tiger because this is the year that New Zealanders will be strong will be aspirational and will be looking forward to a brighter future.