Young Jonathan: Debate on Prime Minister’s StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeYoung Jonathan: Debate on Prime Minister’s Statement[Sitting date: 10 February 2015. Volume:703;Page:1408. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JONATHAN YOUNG (National—New Plymouth): Happy New Year. Welcome back to the House. I am very pleased to stand in support of the Prime Minister’s statement and support the confidence that this side of the House has in his leadership and also in where he is taking this country.I just want to comment on some of the statements that one of my fellow members of the House Eugenie Sage made that will I think demonstrate perhaps why New Zealand though holding the issues of the environment as a very high value also trusts our Government in terms of its development of our resources. She raised the issue of Māui’s dolphins and the marine reserve off the west coast of the North Island and decried this Government because of permits that it has granted that touch on some of these areas. We know that over the last 40 years of exploration offshore there has been no detrimental effect on the Māui’s dolphin population. In fact it is a population that many people do have concern about because as she said there are only 55 adult members of that species who are of breeding age.But as science has shown us the greatest threat to the Māui’s dolphin is not in fact human intervention and exploration offshore by the oil industry. At Massey University where they do biopsies of beach-cast Māui’s dolphins or what they consider to be Māui’s dolphins they have discovered that especially on the west coast of the North Island every one that they have found beach cast has been infected with toxoplasmosis which is a parasite. Of those that are infected just under half suffered death because of that. It is a parasite that affects the Māui’s dolphin and it is something that comes off I guess the water and the streams that come off the land. It affects them in a very detrimental way. In fact what they have also discovered is that the dolphins they have done biopsies on are actually Hector’s dolphins and not Māui’s dolphins. So there is some research in fact around this on their mortality. Suffice it to say that it is not actually petroleum exploration that is the great threat to the species.Of course let us keep it to the science because we also know that Labour in its election conservation manifesto made a determination that it would not allow any drilling to occur in a marine reserve. We know that that was speaking specifically of the west coast of the North Island in a particular area where the Pohokura field is. I am sure that by now Labour would understand that in order to develop that field which is producing 40 percent of New Zealand’s domestic gas supply and in order for that field to continue it would have to at some point in time go into a second tranche of exploration and drilling to get what is called the side pockets of that field to keep producing. This is absolutely critical to the New Zealand economy. Gas is one of the best hydrocarbon fuels. It is three times better than coal in terms of its carbon footprint in terms of its reduction of impact. It is considered to be a transition fuel.When the Māui Pipeline sprang a leak in 2010 over 1 week of repairs while that pipeline was shut cost the New Zealand economy $200 million and agriculture $40 million as part of that cost. So we do understand that gas is very important for the New Zealand economy. It fuels industry as well as fuelling homes. So we understand the issues around the environment and we do have policies that protect it but at the same time I believe we have a responsible attitude towards using our resources and our reserves. I think that this is why the general public has confidence in this Government. We hold those things in balance. We do not say we are going to go and explore the oil fields and the gasfields of New Zealand and produce at the expense of the environment. In fact you will find that the explorers as well as the fishermen are all environmentalists. They all care for the environment. They are very protective and very careful and they have the highest health and safety records perhaps of any industry that operates in New Zealand because they know about the issues around social licence.All of this is to say that I believe that this Government under the leadership of John Key understands the complexities of these issues and handles them for the betterment the progress and the building of the economy of New Zealand in such a way that we do not compromise on our environment. You would have to say that the Taranaki region—the region that has petroleum exploration in it—is one of the pristine environments as well. Tourism goes hand in hand. It is a great environment that people come to and enjoy. So we demonstrate that we do it very very well.I just want to say that is the reason why I believe we have had a Prime Minister a leader of our party—in fact we have had only one leader of our party over the last 8 years whereas the Opposition has had five over the last 8 years. So I think that sort of solidarity that sort of consistency and that sort of confidence not only from the public who has voted in National for three consecutive terms now but a caucus who stands solidly behind him demonstrates that we know where we are going we have a vision we have a purpose we have a plan and we are making great progress along that.We have a Cabinet stacked with experience talent and energy. We have 14 talented new MPs unlike that lot who struggle to find one or two new MPs but found five new leaders over that same period of time. We have rejuvenation. We have new ideas fresh ideas fresh energy and great representation in our country. We have had effective relationships with our confidence and supply partners over the last 6 years—ACT United Future and the Māori Party. Wherever I go people talk very positively about our relationships particularly with the Māori Party. I think that what it demonstrates is the breadth of our ability to relate to New Zealanders. In fact you go around New Zealand and people always talk about the Prime Minister as somebody who is very approachable. He is the sort of person you could speak to in a pub yet at the same time he is very comfortable talking to world leaders. So he is approachable. I think this is where people feel this Government is successful; we are connected to them. We hear them and we translate their aspirations into policies.We have seen some tremendous advantages as we have been in Government. The economy is growing. We have all heard those figures. Average wages increased 15 percent over 5 years. Look at the last year. Look at inflation and see wage growth in comparison. It is three times higher than inflation. That is a great indication that this economy is strong it is growing and it is offering a future to New Zealanders. We have 80000 more people employed than a year ago; 217000 more people employed than 5 years ago.Tracey Martin: 80000 employed; 70000 work visas—how’s that work out?JONATHAN YOUNG: They squawk and bark from the other side of the House but I think what we are seeing is that New Zealand is becoming one of the most attractive places on this planet to live. It is a great place for us to enjoy. But let us be sure that all of this happens because of a good plan a strong plan strong leadership stable Government and a policy set that is consistent with the aspirations of New Zealanders. We are not lurching one way or the other way; we are making steady progress. I am very happy to support the Prime Minister’s statement and where we are going as a country.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): The next call is a Labour call and a split call.