King Colin: Address in Reply 
King Colin: Address in Reply 
[Advance Copy - Subject to minor change before inclusion in Bound Volume.] 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 Mr Speaker may I begin my contribution to the Address in Reply by congratulating you on your reappointment to the role of Speaker and may I also take the opportunity to congratulate the other presiding officers. 
Effectively at the election there were two propositions that voters could vote on. National’s proposition was to return the Crown accounts to surplus by 2014; to ensure that the Government developed good quality public services and to cap the size of those public services; to do its utmost in rebuilding our second-largest city Christchurch City after those severe earthquakes; and to make available to the public a minority shareholding of four State-owned enterprises—Mighty River Power Genesis Meridian Energy and Solid Energy—and also to reduce the Government’s shareholding in Air New Zealand. 
Labour’s proposition was to introduce a capital gains tax of 15 percent raise the top tax rate and borrow more money from overseas banks and—yes—pay the in-work tax credit to those not working. The Greens were very similar. They were going to introduce a capital gains tax at the marginal tax rate which would have been in the 20-plus percent range as we see it. As a result it is plain to see that the voters of New Zealand supported National giving it 47.3 percent of the party vote and returning 59 members of Parliament. Together with a solid support from the ACT Party and United Future National under the leadership of John Key has formed the Government—an outstanding result in anyone’s definition. In fact it is the best percentage party vote ever in the environment of MMP. 
One could ask the question: “Why was that?”. The answer is simple. It is because the policies National canvassed with the public during the election made sense to the public. The policies that National canvassed with the public during the election made sense with the public. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I am sorry to interrupt the honourable member. Could I just say to members that it is a longstanding convention in this House that members should not conduct conversations unless it is necessary to do so and then only so as not to disrupt proceedings. They should show some courtesy to the member who is trying to address the business of the House. 
COLIN KING 
: At the conclusion of 2011 the Governor-General gave the Speech from the Throne which articulated that work programme of the National-led Government for the next 3 years. As expected it was based on those four aims: return the Crown accounts to surplus by 2014-15 deliver high-quality public services rebuild Christchurch and offer the public those minority shareholdings of the four State-owned enterprises as well as reducing the Government’s shareholding in Air New Zealand. The largest-ever percentage of New Zealanders voted in favour of those policies. 
In the electorate of Kaikoura we achieved also that best-ever share of the party vote and I would like to make the point again of asking the question why. Well it is very simple. It is because under a National-led Government in Marlborough one gets to keep more of what one earns. In Marlborough Kaikoura and North Canterbury if we send more money to Wellington we never see it again. This means less investment less growth and no jobs for our youth. 
National is determined to address those difficult issues and in Marlborough we are putting together a strategy that has the dual aims of removing the roadblocks to economic growth and creating enduring job prospects for our youth. At this moment we have King Salmon going through the Environmental Protection Authority process. It has done the science it understands what needs to be done to have a successful operation in aquaculture and we look forward to it coming through the Environmental Protection Authority process whatever the outcome is. If it is successful that represents 200 jobs in Marlborough. 
In terms of infrastructure and energy TrustPower has a project in Marlborough already consented but still not yet started. That again represents another 100 jobs in Marlborough. In aviation we have Safe Air in Marlborough; we also have the C130 programme. That too potentially can contribute another 50 jobs into the future. From those three opportunities that present themselves there is also the enlargement of the contribution of the manufacturing services—another 50 jobs. Forestry needs to double its ability to process forestry and timber; that represents another 50 jobs. And with the ongoing upskilling of our workforce in Marlborough the NMIT—the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology—also can build another 20 jobs. So if we can progress the agenda of this Government my electorate looks to gain 500 jobs and that is what we need to really ensure that there is a place and a career in this country for our young folks. 
To those who are objectors to economic growth I would say: “Show me your alternatives.” Show me your alternatives for youth employment your vision for Marlborough and for that matter your vision for New Zealand. Too many people for too long in this country have limited the potential of the provinces and rural New Zealand and that is why since 2004 this country’s tradable sector has shrunk dramatically. Labour’s dislike of the rural sector is well known and its regular attacks on the rural sector before and during the election were obvious for all to see. Is it any wonder that when one looks at a map today after the 2011 election it is entirely blue with regard to provincial rural New Zealand in the party vote situation? Why? Because National is committed to the economy. It is not a tax borrow and spend Government. 
In this term the National-led Government will continue its agenda to address those issues that New Zealanders care about. I will make that point again. The National-led Government will continue its agenda to address those issues that New Zealanders care about—issues such as better education for our youth starting with a goal of 98 percent of all children accessing early childhood education before they start primary school and identifying and supporting those youth who need support around literacy and numeracy. Without that essential support we are committing them to failure. May I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Ministers Anne Tolley and Hekia Parata for the wonderful work that they are doing and have done. 
National will continue to unclog the health system from its managerialism or its over-managerialism ensuring that money reaches the doctors and nurses so that they can perform their miraculous procedures and add to the quality of people’s lives. Today our hospitals are performing 20000 more elective procedures than they were under the last Labour administration and what is more National’s goal is to increase the number by at least 4000 further elective procedures. Has the Minister of Health Tony Ryall not done a great job? 
National will continue to take the lead and bring along the public in developing better ways of preventing child abuse. An outstanding example of this is the present Green Paper for Vulnerable Children which is being conducted by the Minister for Social Development Paula Bennett. What a great job Minister Paula Bennett is doing in this area. 
National made significant progress in reducing crime during its first term in Government by increasing the number of uniformed police and equipping them with the tools to do their job better. We look forward with confidence as Minister Collins continues the outstanding work started by the previous Minister Simon Power in the law and order area. 
That is but a flavour of the work streams that this hard-working Government has as its programme for the next 3 years. I am sure that my fellow colleagues will articulate the many other work streams that this Government has to address going forward in their presentations to the House. In conclusion New Zealanders can have confidence and trust that this National-led Government will do its level best—it will do its level best—for all those who are prepared to help themselves. Thank you.