Foster-Bell Paul: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFoster-Bell Paul: General Debate[Sitting date: 30 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19681. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]PAUL FOSTER-BELL (National):We are fortunate to live in a country that is working and working in every sense of that word with a transparent uncorrupt growing and developing economy. Last year New Zealand’s economy grew by 3.8 percent in the year to March making us one of the five fastest-growing economies in the developed world. Growth is forecast to reach a stunning 4 percent this year. Average wages have increased by $3000 in the past 2 years and they are on track to grow by another $7000 to $62300 in 2018. An extra 84000 new jobs were created last year in the year to March with forecasts of another 172000 jobs to be created over the next 4 years. This Government is working for New Zealand and New Zealanders are working hard themselves to build a better life for their families.As this is likely to be the last opportunity that I will have to speak in the House prior to the general election there are a few special messages that I would like to pass on. I would like to congratulate all retiring members who are about to give their valedictories this afternoon and in particular the Hon Tony Ryall who has been the finest Minister of Health in my lifetime. I would like to wish Mr Vic Reid an absolute stalwart of our society who has introduced and led the Cooking for One course for older widowers among his many other charitable deeds and community interests a very happy 90th birthday. And I would like to farewell the outgoing British High Commissioner Her Excellency Vicki Treadell who finishes her term tomorrow as Her Britannic Majesty’s representative in Wellington. Since taking up her commission Vicki has been an approachable energetic and modern champion for the relationship between the United Kingdom and New Zealand. It is our oldest relationship with another State.I would like to acknowledge Darryl Stevens Aaron Hape and all the team from Commonwealth Youth New Zealand who organised this week’s student Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here at Parliament. It was fantastic to see so many bright young people—the future leaders of our country—come from all over New Zealand to take part in that conference and learn more about the world around them. We live in an age where bloody and intractable conflict in Iraq Syria Gaza the Ukraine Nigeria Pakistan and elsewhere is claiming innocent lives wrecking economies consuming vast resource and destroying ancient cultures and civilisations. Internal unrest and persecution such as that of the Baha’i faith in Iran which this House was yesterday petitioned to condemn is also tragically common. It is of the utmost importance that the next generation continues to work for peace and to challenge injustice and persecution so as the Glasgow Commonwealth Games play out on our TV screens I applaud the work of the Commonwealth and student CHOGM in maintaining the values of democracy and development that we all hold dear.This country is moving in the right direction. We have a Prime Minister in John Key who is relentlessly optimistic tirelessly positive and unstintingly hard-working for our nation and its people. Here in Wellington team Key is working hard and is delivering on our promises. With the massive Transmission Gully motorway project to the north which is due to start work soon and to be completed by 2020 safer and securer transport around the greater region is on the way. The War Memorial Park over the Buckle Street underpass is on track to be completed in time for Anzac Day 2015 and it will be a wonderful civic amenity. Although I was disappointed to see the Basin Reserve improvements held back I will join with my colleagues on this side of the House to ensure a pragmatic way ahead can be found.Out in the Hutt too our candidates are campaigning every single waking hour to ensure that the public are aware of the progress being made under the National-led Government. Chris Bishop the National candidate in Hutt South is assiduously making huge inroads and may become a constituency MP after the election. A rather cruel wit once said that left-wing politicians and babies’ nappies have one thing in common: they should both be changed regularly and for the same reason. Hutt residents deserve a fresh new representative to push their interests in this place.We are lucky on this side of the House to have a renewed team led by a Prime Minister who aspires to having fairness prosperity and a better life for all New Zealanders. That is why a clear majority of New Zealanders support team Key and will give their party vote to National this year. Thank you.The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.