Allan KiritapuKIRITAPU ALLAN (Labour): I've been extremely excited about being able to offer some of my thoughts this afternoon in this general debate. I've been excited about this opportunity because it doesn't come around very often and when you do you get to sit on the side of the House and actually spend some time reflecting on how well this Government is going. What I want to say is that when I'm out there in my electorate in the mighty East Coast what the people are saying to me is Thank goodness that this Government is finally listening to the people listening to the regions and listening to those areas that were for so long forgotten and left behind by the last lot." Now they've gone and they've rallied up their rural MPs for this general debate and they've made them all trot out with their lines to say just how more woeful things are in the regions. Why are they doing that? They're doing that because we are getting it right and they are scared. They are running scared of what this Government are doing.I want to say basic things like for example the people that voted this side of the House in they were pleading to be heard under the last lot on basic things like the area of mental health. Now this Budget delivered immeasurably. This Government delivered immeasurably. This Government listened and heard the pleas of the many out there in regions like mine like Gisborne that had been neglected. And what did it do? It invested $20 million for example in a small town like mine.Now the previous member Andrew Falloon he just wanted to talk about the roading down South. Well I'll tell you something: ever since 2010 in regions like mine that were loyal and loyally gave them the blue vote every single election. They took and they took and they took that roading and infrastructure budget away from little regions like mine and they redirected it to the urban centres. They redirected it to Wellington they redirected it to Christchurch and they redirected it to Auckland. But now this Government is delivering with over $300 million that's just been injected into our roads. So we are pleased.But that's not what I wanted to talk about because everyone knows how wonderful we're going. What I wanted to do was share with the people that'll be diligently watching at home that it's an interesting thing sitting in this Chamber because we get the privilege of seeing up close and personal what's happening on the other side.Now we've been talking for a little bit about the four Ds. They have been desperate divided destructive and divisive. But this week—oh and the last couple of weeks—we've seen an extra couple of Ds added to the list. They're deserting—they're deserting in droves. Well actually the smart ones are deserting. The Hon Amy Adams she knows well they don't have a show of getting in next election because that's what all their polling's saying. That six percent—their leader's got nowhere to go. But the smart ones they are jumping; they're deserting ship. The Hon Nathan Guy: just the other day he announces he's deserting too.But the thing is—the thing is—what happens when the writing is on the wall? I guess the leadership they start to get a little bit desperate. They start to get a little bit desperate and they start to get a little bit worried and I guess all the polling is showing that they should be worried. So what do they do? Well without talking to them the leader strips their best performers—he strips their best performers of their portfolios. Poor old Hon Judith Collins she had no idea she was losing transport and infrastructure and out of the blue just swished away. Why was that? Because she's polling at 6 percent. She's neck and neck and I think she got one up at the last poll. What about the next contender that's doing pretty well? Whilst he looks like Chris Luxon it isn't—no no no. The man that the party want the man that the party have been calling for he's sitting all the way up the backbench there the Hon Todd Muller who has diligently for the last year spent a lot of his time and energy devoted to climate change. Now there is a man that could have taken both the primary production portfolio which he has exceptional credentials to do and the climate change portfolio and actually delivered a comprehensive plan but they screwed him because they were scared of his potential.SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order!KIRITAPU ALLAN: There perhaps was a threat that he was going to do exceptionally well.But finally I just want to say the Opposition leader has made some disparaging comments towards women some disparaging and dog-whistling stuff. Now I look at the member up the back there Maureen Pugh. Now I know that she has been the victim of some disparaging comments. I look at what he said about the Prime Minister this week and I just think dog-whistling—it's desperate. They're done."