Lotu-Iiga Sam: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLotu-Iiga Sam: General Debate[Sitting date: 30 July 2014. Volume:700;Page:19675. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Minister of Pacific Island Affairs):It is a pleasure to speak in this the general debate the last general debate before Parliament rises in this the 50th term of Parliament. I want to start by using a word that you will not hear from the previous speaker Mr Cosgrove and that you will not hear from the Labour Party and that is “positive”. Positive is the contribution that the Hon Tony Ryall has made over the last 24 years. Positive is the contribution that John Key in this John Key - led Government has made over the last 6 years. I mean positive because when you look at the Labour billboards you see more “positive” than you see of their leader. What a joke—another joke of how they cannot support David Cunliffe. I went to Waimakariri. I saw the billboards for the Hon Clayton Cosgrove. They are not red they do not mention Labour and they do not mention David Cunliffe.Hon Clayton Cosgrove: I seek leave to table one of my billboards which shows exactly the opposite to what that member—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No I am not putting the leave.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: If you cannot stand the heat get out of the kitchen. We are being positive because this Government stands for education and standards in schools. This Government has led to an increase in the achievement rates for Pacific kids in our schools. Seventy-two percent of Pacific kids across this country have now reached National Certificate of Educational Achievement level 2 achievement rates. That is something that I am particularly proud of.You cannot expect Labour Party members to govern when they cannot govern themselves. That much is clear this afternoon and it has been clear for a very long time in this debating chamber. Can you imagine what you would get with a Labour Government? You would get back to the future with Annette King would you not? The Hon Annette King—you would get back to the future. I go up and down this country and when I am talking to my constituents in Maungakiekie—when I am out doorknocking putting hoardings up and delivering pamphlets—what are the things that they demand from Governments? They demand better public services. They want services in education health housing and law and order and that is what this National Government is delivering day upon day in this country governing New Zealand.We have got 40000 more people receiving elective surgery since 2008. We are keeping our kids and our families healthy. Ninety-one percent of 8-month-old children—[Interruption] Miss King knows this because she was the Minister of Health. It has gone up and 91 percent are now being immunised and 98 percent of those kids under 6 Annette King have access to free doctors visits day on day.We are also attacking diabetes which is a particular problem in my neighbourhood and heart disease and rheumatic fever. That is something that under Annette King Labour neglected for a very long time—a very long time.Sue Moroney: Oh what rubbish!Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Sue Moroney knows this. In the area of law and order we are making a difference because crime rates are at their lowest for 25 years. [Interruption] That is 25 years—25 years—Mr Simpson. We have lower youth crime and lower violent crime. We are putting victims at the heart of our justice system so I want to thank the Hon Judith Collins for leading that.We are as I have said getting success right across the board in education. It is positive for our communities it is positive for local people and it is positive right across the board. It is about getting skills education and qualifications. What does that do? It promotes your ability to get a job. When New Zealanders get jobs—Hon Members: Where are the jobs?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: —they are free to choose and free to get jobs independent of the State. Members opposite might ask where the jobs are but in the last year there has been just under 80000 jobs created and for Pacific people that is 8000 jobs created over the last 12 months.In my own portfolio of local government we passed the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No 3) last night which has meant a more effective way of delivering local government services. It means that development contributions are going to be fairer and more transparent. It also allows for councils to promote consultative processes that are appropriate for the circumstances. We have a clear choice on 20 September. New Zealanders right across this country have a clear choice. Vote for a party that is in disarray caught up in “gotcha politics” and that apologises every time it delivers a policy or vote for a party that is focused on the issues that matter to all New Zealanders—on improved public services growing the economy and growing jobs and on education skills and training. National is a party for New Zealanders who believe in their own future.