Coleman Jonathan: Urgent Debates — Rugby World Cup—Broadcasting 
Coleman Jonathan: Urgent Debates — Rugby World Cup—Broadcasting 
[Volume:658;Page:7194] 
Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Broadcasting) 
: 
 Well that was a bit like being savaged by a dead sheep. It is no wonder that the Labour members do not like it if that guy Brendon Burns asks a question in question time. I ask members whether they know who asks all the broadcasting questions. It is Pete Hodgson. I think we have seen a pretty good demonstration of why that happens. 
I will briefly expand on the speech of the member the Hon John Carter. It was a good speech. It was very succinct. But basically I say the people of New Zealand are completely happy because they will get to watch the rugby free to air. The members opposite do not get it; they do not get what is important to New Zealanders. I can tell members that all the stuff that Mr Burns was going on about is very important here in Wellington. It creates a lot of activity and people get very excited about it. But do members know how many emails I have received about this issue? Two and they were both from people who said they were very very happy that they will be able to watch the rugby free to air. 
I must say that Prime Minister John Key has put together a fantastic deal for New Zealanders. It is not surprising that he has taken National to 60 percent in the polls. Meanwhile where is Phil Goff? He is at 6.2 or 6.1 percent—something like that. 
I will tell members what was quite interesting about Trevor Mallard’s speech. I was at a function a few weeks ago and many of the Opposition members would have been there as well. There are 2 years to go until the Rugby World Cup and Trevor Mallard got up and said he was not going to politicise the Rugby World Cup. He said Labour was right behind the Government in wanting it to be the massive success for New Zealand that it should be. But what is the Labour Party doing? At every opportunity that it gets it talks down the Rugby World Cup. It wants the Rugby World Cup to be a failure. We heard that from Trevor Mallard. That is completely unpatriotic talk. We also heard that from Brendon Burns. All that the Labour members want to do is to pick holes in the Government’s performance and they are not getting behind this event. They are not acting in a New Zealand manner and quite frankly that is being reflected in the polls. What the members opposite do not get is that people want them to get behind the Government and support the Rugby World Cup. I can tell members that Labour can talk all it likes about where information came from but the reality is that what was happening was well known out there in the market place. Mr Mather a man who was very keen to stand for the Labour Party was telling all and sundry what he and the Maori Television Service would do. 
I think we now have a great situation. We have had National working together with the Maori Party. It is true that in any relationship things will happen but the overall relationship between the two parties is very very strong. We have put together a deal that works for Maori for the Maori Television Service and for all New Zealanders. I am sure the Labour Party will want to support us in this. We can all look forward to a fantastic 2011 Rugby World Cup which will be seen free to air throughout New Zealand. We are delivering a good thing. Roll on the rugby! 
The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.