Duynhoven Harry: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
Duynhoven Harry: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement 
[Volume:629;Page:1096] 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN (Minister for Transport Safety) 
: 
 It is always a pleasure— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Here’s the petrolhead. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: —to follow John Key who has established himself as one of the leading contenders for a future job. But let us have a look at what is actually happening here. This is the first real debate of the new Parliament since the election that focuses on the direction of New Zealand in a way that allows parties to expose their policies and their ideas to the stark glare of the public and enable them to see where parties want to take New Zealand. 
I have an amazing sense of déjà vu being here today and listening to the speeches that have been made particularly those from the National members. Regrettably I was a new MP in the 1987 to 1990 period. I have served 15 years so it does not take an Einstein to work out that I have not been an MP continuously—that is why I say “regrettably”. But the beginning of my first 3 years in Parliament had speeches exactly like this from the National MPs. Those National MPs absolutely believed that they had a divine right to be the Government after the election and they were still on the Opposition benches. They believed that their destiny was to be in Government because of course Labour comes in for a while to clean up the mess then National resumes its rightful place. That is how they viewed it. After the last election we are seeing exactly that again. National MPs are making the sorts of speeches now that we heard back then. But they need to remember one thing—that is that voters never elect parties that are unable to govern themselves. 
That should be the lesson that those who were new MPs with me at that time should take from that 1987-90 period. Labour was having a huge philosophical debate as some of us who are still present in the House will remember. It resulted in a difficult period for Labour. National is going through that philosophical debate right now and that is what the leadership argument is all about. 
Even National’s own supporters in a poll shown on TV3 on 8 February just 6 days ago showed overwhelming support for a change of leader. I have a bit of a problem with that. I like Mr Brash. I think he is a decent sort of guy who is nice to get on with and very pleasant to talk to. But I find that when National voters were asked who should replace Dr Brash 53 percent said it should be John Key Bill English was next on 11 percent then deputy leader Gerry Brownlee at 4 percent and Simon Power at 3 percent. So even National’s own members do not have a secure plan ahead but they are very clear on one thing: it cannot go on like it is. The  
New Zealand Herald  
states quite clearly in a very good article that if it becomes apparent to enough National MPs that Dr Brash stands between them and their occupation of the Treasury benches then they will quickly lose patience with him and he will go. 
Today’s speech must have been joy to the ears of some of those contenders for the top job. Last year New Zealanders did not elect to Government the National Party or the other parties that have made it their business to run New Zealand down and predict a grim future. They talk around the world about how glum it is here yet we have had the best economic conditions in the regions and overall that this country has seen in decades and we have had the best Government making the best use of the position we are in to build that economic prosperity. But Opposition members are still running us down. Even their core heartland supporters in the rural districts will happily admit when one talks to them that things have gone very very well. They recognise that life is cyclical that there are ups and that there are periods when it is not quite so buoyant. Even right now the 1.7 percent growth being predicted for the couple of years ahead is way better than National ever achieved. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: That’s wrong. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: Not on a continuous basis. In the entire period that Labour has been in Government we have had an average of 3.8 percent growth. That is better than Australia at 2.8 percent or less over that same period. Yet the National Party says that that is not good enough. What was the growth rate when National was in office for all that time for those 9 long dreary years when it took a slash-and-burn approach and said: “Let’s try to reduce the wages of New Zealanders. Let’s try to cut costs. Let’s try to reduce the ability of New Zealanders to be competitive with anywhere in the world instead of building on our strengths building on our talents and building on our very good technology to improve New Zealand’s position.”? 
We need a strong economy and Labour has been building that. We do not get that by a slash-and-burn mentality which National does not seem to have grown out of. We need well-educated highly motivated people who are confident to drive New Zealand on and forwards—and we have them. National members keep talking things down but I ask them to explain this to me: why are we seeing so much building going on in New Zealand? 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Building consents are down. 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN 
: Who will occupy all these new homes? I can tell Dr Smith that hundreds of new sections are being developed in my electorate. Four homes are being built on the section next door to my home. Who will occupy all these homes if we do not have a growing economy? Why do we have people coming into New Zealand and wanting to be here—and not just people who do not have skills and talents who want a better place in the world for them and their children but people from overseas who have clearly established businesses skills knowledge and talents to bring to New Zealand? That is who is coming to our country. That is why our population has just passed 4.1 million; not because we have suddenly had a huge increase in the birth rate—although we do have an increase in the birth rate—but because there are more good people coming to this country to make a new and better life and to contribute to a country that they see has a strong future. 
New Zealanders revolted against the agenda of talking things down in 1999. They revolted against the idea that we should cheapen ourselves and cut the wages of those in lower socio-economic levels to make everything cheaper to reduce costs. They revolted against that idea in 1999 and have done ever since. Labour can be very proud of the policies that are working. In the election campaign National members did not want to debate the economy. No they did not. They concentrated on everything else. They concentrated on all the issues that divide us and itched every scratch. The reason they did not want to debate the economy was really simple. It is pretty hard to debate an economy and portray it as being bad when one has the best period of economic growth there has been in New Zealand for years. 
So what has changed? Five months down the track National members are hoping with every bone in their bodies that things will turn bad. Well I am by nature an optimist—sometimes too optimistic—but I want to see this country progress and go forward. I am proud of the things—and Nick Smith yelled out: “You’re a petrolhead.” at the beginning of my speech—like the film about Burt Munro that wonderful Southlander. When will there be a feature film about John Britten Denny Hulme or Bruce McLaren—or any other innovative New Zealanders who have done wonders for our technology and our country? Let us be proud of the things we are good at and go forward. I tell National members that for God’s sake for the people in this country who want to believe in a future they should stop talking New Zealand down. They should be proud of the things that we are good at be proud of our accomplishments talk about a policy that builds on what we have and not talk things down all the time. It is negative nonsense.