Wagner Nicky: General Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Wagner Nicky: General Debate 
[Sitting date: 11 May 2011. Volume:672;Page:18572. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
NICKY WAGNER (National) 
: 
 Does Labour have anything relevant to say? Does Labour have any plan for the future? Does Labour have any new ideas? No no and no. Those members are paralysed by their miserable showing in the polls they are squabbling among themselves and they are bogged down in irrelevancy and pettiness. There is no leadership no inspiration and no future. The public is not interested in their petty politics. They are interested in the things that matter to them: the things they need to live their lives well.  
Since National became the Government we have worked hard to deliver on health on education and on law and order for New Zealanders. Despite the financial crisis the global economic recessions and the tragedies of Pike River and the Canterbury earthquakes we have not wavered from our commitment to deliver stronger economic growth for New Zealanders as a whole.  
After listening to Labour’s recent meaningless confusing waffle on matters financial everybody can see that New Zealand needs a Government with a plan a Government with experience and a Government with the skills to manage the economy going forward. Yes our economy is stronger now than it was when we inherited it from Labour and yes we are better-placed to meet future challenges but we still have much to do. Members will see that in the Budget.  
While Labour has been in disarray ridden with scandals and with Goff focusing on putting down leadership challenges we have made good progress on education health and community safety. National is committed to improving our education system. We will not accept that one in five young people can leave school without any qualification. We are fighting to change the system so that it delivers for every child. Through national standards in reading writing and maths in our primary and intermediate schools and through boosting trades and skills training in schools more young people will get the learning opportunities that they need. We are getting better value out of our tertiary education system and providing good new opportunities for young people who are struggling to find work. Every young person needs a quality education and we will make sure that they get one.  
In health National is committed to providing great health-care. With our new clear targets we are now getting much better value for money with over 1000 more nurses and 500 more doctors and with 20000 people getting elective surgery every year. Cancer patients are being treated faster. They now have a maximum of 4 weeks’ wait compared with a 16-week wait and a trip to Australia. Medicines are more accessible and more children are being immunised. By working smarter we are getting more bang for our health buck and all New Zealanders are benefiting.  
All this excellent progress is exactly why Labour members have been slinging the dirt at our Prime Minister attacking him over everything and nothing. They cannot nail us on education they cannot nail us on health and they cannot nail us on law and order. In contrast to Labour’s wasteful negativity and political backbiting National just has its head down and is getting on with the job which is exactly what every good Government should do.