Dowie Sarah: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDowie Sarah: General Debate[Sitting date: 30 March 2016. Volume:712;Page:10025. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SARAH DOWIE (National—Invercargill): All I can say about that contribution is that it was a lullaby and a diatribe. This is a land of opportunity. New Zealand is a land of opportunity and I am very very proud of this country and I am very very proud of what this Government is delivering. We are delivering a framework that is creating a stronger economy and through that jobs and that is where people gain opportunities. They gain opportunities through work through being productive members of society and through putting more money in the pockets of their families which means that they can achieve their hopes and dreams. New Zealand is a land of opportunity.Let us contrast this side of the House with the Opposition on the other side of the House. Like I say we are delivering results. We are delivering a framework that means our businesses have confidence to invest another dollar to hire another person and again to put money in their back pockets and achieve their hopes and dreams. What is the Opposition doing? Well Opposition members are having a talkfest. They are talking about what work looks like. They are talking they are yapping but are they delivering? No. We are the ones who are delivering.Let us talk about that delivery. What is happening is while they are pontificating about what work looks like we have one of the highest labour participation rates ever in this country at 69 percent. And what about Southland? Let me tell you. We roll up our sleeves and we are very very hard workers. We are at 74 percent. Did you get that Mr Hudson? Southland is at a 74 percent labour participation rate. We are the envy of the OECD. We have an unemployment rate of 5.3 percent and in Southland what is it? It is 4.1 percent. And why is that—why is that? It is because this Government has a framework to diversify our economy and to diversify our markets.I am ashamed—I tell you when I am out talking to my dairy farmers and my beef farmers and my manufacturers they are concerned that the Labour Party would be turning its back on 30 years of supporting free trade. That is disgraceful and they are worried.My people in Southland are export-driven. They are export-driven and they know that we need to open up new markets. We are treating people as New Zealanders to trade with breaking down the tariffs breaking down the barriers and creating more opportunities so they can invest in their business and take on more people in respect of jobs. The Trans-Pacific Partnership? Well they are thrilled actually to have that across the line. My beef farmers are absolutely thrilled to know that they will be trading with 11 other countries around the Pacific Rim. They are jumping for joy.New Zealand First has the audacity to say that it is there for the regions. Well I kid you not they certainly do not believe that in Southland. We are pragmatic people and we believe in free trade.In respect of Southland talking about dairy—yes dairy—our dairy farmers are hurting at the moment and my sympathies are with them. But we are more than a one-trick pony. We are a diversified economy and we are providing a framework that allows people to take chances to start up businesses and to grow into other sectors.Let us take a look at tourism in Southland—30000 people visited Stewart Island a fledgling tourism site that is steeped in absolutely wonderful nature. We have got our Minister of Conservation sitting right here. The work that she is doing with the kākāpō with the natural beauty with the geckos and with the wonderful things that are going on down in Rakiura—people want to see our nature. They want to enjoy it and they are paying good money to do it. How many jobs have spun off from that? A whole economy is supporting Stewart Island.What about aquaculture? We have aquaculture as well. Aquaculture is growing and it is an opportunity down in Southland. With regard to our Sanford operation that is producing 20 percent of New Zealand’s national salmon production. It employs 20 staff on Stewart Island and another 80 in Bluff. That is traditionally red territory that I won back—80 in Bluff. Why are we winning that back? Why are we winning? Because we are supporting families.I support families. I support growth. I support putting wealth in their pockets and that is through jobs. Thank you.