Blue Jackie: General Debate 
Blue Jackie: General Debate 
[Volume:655;Page:4836] 
Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) 
: 
 Phil Goff is yesterday’s man. He is hardly the new face of Labour. He might have been in 1982 when he was a new MP in the House but—let us face it—he is yesterday’s man; he is last century’s man. 
This country has been left with a nosediving economy falling economic growth rising unemployment high inflation a rising current account deficit annual productivity growth of only 1.1 percent between 2000 and 2008 deteriorating fiscal deficits and sharply rising Crown debt. This country needs sound economic management going forward and not the spend-it-up “Visa-nomics” “whack-it-on-the-bill” approach that is so loved by the Opposition. The “whack-it-on-the-bill” approach will not work in the worst global recession since 1930. 
This Government is focused on what matters. This Government is focused on creating jobs and reducing employment. Let us refresh members as to what Mr Goff has said about unemployment and job creation: “There is in some quarters a temptation to address the problem of unemployment with simplistic answers. In reality there are no quick-fix solutions. Unemployment has to be addressed at a number of levels. By far the most important are macroeconomic policies aimed at achieving sustainable economic and employment growth.” We agree with that. What about: “The first responsibility of a Government in spending money on improving employment was to run the economy competently. Inefficient structures with high levels of staffing had fed costs downstream inhibiting other enterprises that could have created jobs.”? We could not agree more. These quotes are ringing endorsements of National’s policy to create jobs through improving the economy. I thank Mr Goff. 
This Government has maintained benefits student support and Working for Families and has locked in national superannuation at 66 percent of the after-tax average wage. Members may ask what Mr Goff would say regarding benefits. In a past Government that was confronting high debt and rising unemployment astonishingly Phil Goff supported the decision to impose a surtax on older New Zealanders. Phil Goff said: “It is true that the Labour Party said that a Labour Government would not cut superannuation. Frankly to sustain that point of view against all the evidence would have been totally irresponsible.” Well we are facing tough times but unlike Mr Goff and his Labour Party John Key’s Government has moved to protect entitlements. 
This Government is focused on what matters. We have delivered jobs and support schemes to soften the blow for those who lose their jobs and introduced a package to make life easier for small to medium sized businesses. We have got unions businesses and the Government together to agree on a 9-day working fortnight that has set the scene for good-faith dialogue between all three sectors. We have moved to ensure that interest rates do not rise because of a credit downgrade. Higher interest rates would have removed money from the pockets of every New Zealander who has a mortgage a credit card or an overdraft or who pays rent. 
We are being very careful in the way we spend public money. Labour would sacrifice interest rates and borrow even more heavily— 
Colin King 
: Recklessly! 
Dr JACKIE BLUE 
: —recklessly—against our children’s future. We are delighted Phil Goff supports National’s policy to create jobs through improving the economy. 
This Government is focused on what matters. Our eyes are firmly on the present and the future of New Zealand. I am pleased to report that despite the worst economic times for 70 years business confidence remains positive our unemployment rate is still much lower than countries we are compared with interest rates remain low and the threat of a credit downgrade has eased. I know we will get through this recession. 
Labour has left us with a litany of poor decisions too numerous to talk about today but I want to take a bit of time to talk about the transport area. What about the $3 billion unbudgeted promise for the Waterview Connection when $1 billion is the entire budget of the Counties Manukau District Health Board? That is plain reckless. What about the $8.5 million bill for the Civil Aviation Authority to move from Petone to downtown Wellington? That is just extravagant.