Carter David: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Carter David: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:671;Page:17467] 
Hon DAVID CARTER (Acting Minister for Economic Development) 
: 
 I was not going to take a call but a comment such as that from Mr David Parker who has just resumed his seat cannot go without being challenged. The first thing I will do is take an opportunity to remind the member that he has selective memory loss. Let us consider the early 2000s when New Zealand had the best opportunity for economic growth that the globe had seen in Mr Parker’s lifetime. He has the audacity to say that Labour established a pattern of Budget surpluses yet when Michael Cullen handed over the reins he left us with a legacy of facing 10 years of Budget deficits. That was the legacy of the previous Labour Government. 
The member further does not realise that having successfully won the election we faced a global financial crisis—the biggest financial challenge the world had seen since the 1930s. The member may have also failed to notice two earthquakes that have devastated my home city and caused a loss of life. He then said he would take away my budget. I tell him that I was in Christchurch today when we announced another package to assist businesses in Christchurch. I want Mr Parker to stand and say in the Chamber today for the benefit of those businesses whether he and his Labour colleagues support that package for Christchurch businesses. 
Hon Annette King 
: Yes of course we support it. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Oh they now support it. So Labour members want to take my budget from me but also expect me to deliver support packages to Christchurch businesses to help them get through their economic crisis. It is no wonder Labour is struggling to poll over 20 percent. In fact the people who give Labour 20 percent support need to have a serious look at why they have bothered to support it. 
I will give Mr Parker a lesson on the economic plan of this Government. We need to get our tax system sorted out and we have moved to do that—but Labour opposed that measure. We established a substantial amount of investment in innovation and again Labour opposed that. 
Hon David Parker 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The debate is on the 2009-10 year not the 2010-11 year. The Acting Minister seems to be confused about that. I ask that you bring him to order. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy) 
: It is an interesting point of order. The debate is on the 2009-10 financial year and current operations. That does not mean that any member can get into the estimates. It covers current operations. I am listening carefully. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: It is typical of Mr Parker to take such a frivolous point of order when he cannot win the debate while he is on his feet. This Government has a very established economic agenda which was well and truly elaborated to Mr Parker when he worked on the financial review while sitting on the Commerce Committee as a freshman member. He ought to refresh his mind that the examination in that financial review was very much about what this Government was doing. There was a lot of mention of our broadband strategy. There were 10 years of neglect of ultra-fast broadband by Mr Parker and Ms King when they had a chance to do something about it. This Government has stumped up with a magnificent programme involving $1.5 billion plus an associated rural broadband package— 
Hon Annette King 
: Not 1 metre has been laid. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: —and again Annette King continues to decry it. She cannot have it both ways. 
Hon Annette King 
: Yes I can. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Only Ms King would try to have it both ways. Only she would try to go out to the public of New Zealand and acknowledge the good things we are doing and then come into this House and try to argue against them. That sort of presentation to the public of New Zealand is exactly the reason that Labour continues to poll at around 20 percent and I do not think it has much chance of lifting that between now and 26 November. 
Report noted.