Ryall Tony: Financial Review Debate — Procedure In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
Ryall Tony: Financial Review Debate — Procedure In Committee Speaker Recalled In Committee 
[Volume:616;Page:11865] 
Hon TONY RYALL (National—Bay of Plenty) 
: 
 This Prime Minister scuttled down from her office high above in the Beehive to broadcast to five listeners when the Leader of the Opposition will be talking to hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders tonight. The Prime Minister of New Zealand is in the Chamber only because Dr Brash is not participating in this debate. As Mrs Rich said this is a momentous day in Parliament because for the first time in memory the Prime Minister did not use a set-piece written speech in a debate. 
I think the Prime Minister is not on the  
Holmes 
 show tonight because she fears the phone-in from the public. The Prime Minister will not debate Dr Brash on television but she was happy to pick up the phone and demand to be put on air with Don Brash and Linda Clark 2 weeks ago. [ 
Interruption 
] 
The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I refer members to Speakers’ rulings 56/1. They might like to have a look at them. Interjections are to be rare and reasonable. If members wish to make a speech they can do so next time. 
Hon TONY RYALL 
: The Prime Minister may fear the phone-in on the  
Holmes 
 show but she did not fear debating Don Brash when she rang up Radio New Zealand’s Linda Clark show and demanded to put on air. Instead this Prime Minister came down to the Chamber and appeared so forlorn about what has happened with Television New Zealand. This Prime Minister is so contrived that she is the only person I know who can cry out of one eye. 
I ask the Government to answer three questions. I ask the Prime Minister whether there will be Crown ownership of the seabed and foreshore in this country unreserved and unfettered by any restrictions or other titles—yes or no? I ask when the legislation will come before Parliament and when will we get the opportunity to debate it? Thirdly when will the Prime Minister debate Dr Brash on public television? She was happy to debate Dr Brash on Linda Clark’s show. She was happy to pick up the phone and demand to be put through to that show though it was not a debate—but when will she be prepared to debate Don Brash on the  
Holmes 
 show? 
When will she come to rural New Zealand and debate the great comment that she never supported the closure of rural schools? How stupid does the Prime Minister think the people of New Zealand are that she can say she never supported the closure of rural schools? Does anybody in New Zealand accept that from the Prime Minister? No. Does anybody in New Zealand seriously believe that the Prime Minister was never consulted about the closure of rural schools? No one accepts that. 
So this Prime Minister came down to the Chamber and asked when the Leader of the Opposition would debate—knowing that the Leader of the Opposition would not be participating in this debate. That was when she came down. She then tried to say that fronting up to Parliament in a debate—and for the first time in some years not using a set-piece speech from which she could read—somehow indicated that she was providing leadership for this country. 
She has had opportunity after opportunity in this debate to answer simple questions about the most burning issue of her term in Parliament. She has the opportunity to bring this country—which is riven by division because of the Government’s separatist policies—together and she chooses not to. She could start this country down the road to a better future if she would tell New Zealanders when unfettered unreserved and unattached Crown ownership of the seabed and foreshore will happen.