Ryall Tony: General Debate 
Ryall Tony: General Debate 
[Volume:659;Page:8383] 
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) 
: 
 That speech from the Leader of the Opposition can lead us only to diagnose him with RDS—relevance deprivation syndrome. Relevance deprivation syndrome is how Gareth Evans once described going out of Government and that speech shows how irrelevant Mr Goff and his failed party opposite has become. 
I understand the situation they find themselves in. I remember going into Opposition after 9 years in power and it is true that one goes through the seven stages of grief. First up there is shock and denial as one reacts to learning of the loss in numbed disbelief: “You … deny the reality” and “Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once.” That is what it is like. During 9 years in office the media and the left-wing rags were telling them that they were completely impenetrable and that they were the best Government New Zealand had had so of course it is now shock and denial. 
The second stage is pain and guilt: “As the shock wears off it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain … You may have guilty feelings or remorse over things you did or didn’t do”. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Speaker does not have painful thoughts. 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: I am quoting from a document. Do members remember Labour members apologising for the seabed and foreshore legislation? They are guilty about that. They are saying that they should not have been so politically correct about that. They are saying that they should not have brought in the Electoral Finance Act. They are telling us to feel their pain and their guilt. 
The third stage of the seven stages of grief is anger and bargaining: “Frustration gives way to anger and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame … Please try to control this as permanent damage to your relationships may result.” We are seeing that in the party opposite. I have not seen David Cunliffe speak to Phil Goff in question time for a very long time. That is very sad. Of course bargaining is going on. There are deals about who will go to Phil’s barbecue this Christmas who will replace him and what will be going on. That is stage three. 
I think Labour members are stuck between stage three and stage four which is reflection and loneliness: “Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you.” I remember that Nick Smith remembers that— 
Hon Simon Power 
: I remember that. 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: —and Simon Power remembers that. It is pretty tough. That is why that party sits embarrassed with its head down when its leader gets up and gives that sort of general debate speech. When we are 2 weeks from Christmas and the party president has to stand up with the leader and pledge undying loyalty— 
Hon Member 
: This member has been loyal to everyone! 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: We remember that. It is so disingenuous. They get up and pledge undying loyalty. They say that there are no problems that caucus is happy with everything and that there are no concerns at all. Then the guy from Wellington Central Robertson is out talking to members of the press gallery and giving them the full story on what actually happened! 
So there are seven stages of grief. Opposition members are nowhere near the next step which is the upward turn—that is about 9 years away. Then they have to go through reconstruction which could be David Cunliffe’s big opportunity to deal with everything—with reconstruction. Then one moves to acceptance and hope. But the country can see there will be no acceptance of another Labour Government when it considers how the previous Labour Government failed over 9 years to provide this country with the kind of leadership and direction that John Key is providing to New Zealanders. Members opposite fail to realise as has been said in Australia that they are not a Government in exile; they are in Opposition. The country told the previous Government that it was time it left and it is time that members opposite realise they have a long way to go.