Connell Brian: Imprest Supply Debate 
Connell Brian: Imprest Supply Debate 
[Volume:628;Page:457] 
BRIAN CONNELL (National—Rakaia) 
: 
 This is the first opportunity I have had to take a call in the forty-eighth Parliament so I would be pleased Madam Assistant Speaker if you would convey to the Speaker of the House my congratulations on her reappointment. I would also like to convey my congratulations to you and your colleagues on their appointments. To the members of the Government who have been favoured with ministerial warrants I convey my congratulations. I am sure that most of them will take their responsibilities very seriously and will execute their duties accordingly. I tell those members to enjoy the baubles of office because we in the National team intend to make sure that they earn them. 
I would also like to take a moment to pay my respects to the memory of Rod Donald. He was a man I came to admire because he had the courage of his convictions. When people all around him myself included on occasions were shouting him down he still had the strength of character to get up and articulate what he believed in and I admired him for that. 
Therein I have a message for new members of the House. I have listened to some outstanding maiden speeches over the last few days. Most have cited a desire to come to Parliament to do something for their constituents to get things done. I say to them that if they are going to achieve those ambitions they will need to exhibit some of that Rod Donald backbone. They will need to challenge conventions they will need to challenge conventional wisdom and they will need to stand up and be counted when things get tough as they will in this Chamber let me assure them. 
The last 6 years have been good economic times for New Zealand and whilst National has significant differences from the Government particularly around taxation and areas of Government expenditure an objective assessment of the Government’s performance would have to say that it is fiscally responsible—the same assessment though would also have to mention that it should have been because this economy has been awash with cash. If the Government could not do it in the last 6 years it was never going to be able to do it and the test for this Government and the concern that I have with this bill is that I do not see anything to give me any confidence that when things get tough as they will over the next 3 years there is a coherent strategy in place to address those issues. 
Despite all the rhetoric Labour’s economic strategy to get New Zealand back into the top half of the OECD remains a mystery. When all the rhetoric is put to one side a detailed strategy that will bring Kiwis back to New Zealand and keep them here a detailed strategy that will see Kiwis get a better deal is not easily found. When economic commentators look at this Government they say that to date Labour’s performance or strategy would get a rating of “not achieved”. I know from experience that it is easy to go into a business—in this case an economy—and make things look good when things are good. The real test of character and ability is to go into an economy or an organisation and put things right when they are tough. That is the mark of a good Government and this Government I think will be found wanting.