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Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): All the speakers who have gone before me have given a rich tribute to Mike, and so I just want to take a few minutes to offer some personal reflections on Mike Moore but also to pick up a couple of the themes. The first of those was his love of this institution of Parliament, ... |
He once told me a story, when he came back in after 1978, about the fact that he really worked hard to keep in contact with his constituents. In those days, the phone bills for MPs went via the Prime Minister's office before they were released. One year, the then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon recognised that Mr Moore h... |
My own first experience of meeting with Mike was actually as a student president. I'm not sure, Paula Bennett, if you were with us that day or not, but he was the leader of the Labour Party at the time, and a group of student presidents had come in to lobby him very hard about reversing the introduction of fees and the... |
A lot of people have talked about Mike's connection to trade, and, again, I won't dwell on that either. I had the privilege of being a New Zealand diplomat just after Mike took on the role of being World Trade Organization director-general. He came to New York, where I was posted, and he was involved in a number of int... |
He had a great relationship with Ministers of trade who followed on from him, and one of his favourites, as our colleagues across the House will know, was Tim Groser. I think I'm right in saying that Tim actually worked in Mike's office when he was the Minister of overseas trade, so they had a long-lasting relationship... |
I recall one story from Washington when Tim came up as the Minister. Mike, as Mr Brownlee has already mentioned, had the most extraordinary set of contacts in Washington, and he brought together this amazing array of people for Tim to speak to. The moment came in the evening for Mike to begin the formalities. He got up... |
I just want to finish on two points. The first of those is that Mike Moore had every reason not to trust me or support me. I represented a couple of things about the Labour Party that Mike wasn't always that fond of, but he showed me throughout my political career the most extraordinary kindness and support. I made a c... |
I have a feeling he was trying to deal with a few regrets and the odd little demon about what happened to the Labour Party, particularly in the 1980s and early 1990s, and he built those bridges with a number of colleagues on this side of the House who are here today. I think he really wanted to hold together the party ... |
My final words are for Yvonne. Yvonne Moore and Mike Moore were a team. They were a partnership beyond a loving relationship and marriage. They were part of the same journey in politics and in life. What they did for people, their friends, and their colleagues was huge, but Yvonne went at every step in every way with M... |
E te rangatira, haere, haere, haere atu rā. |
Hon SHANE JONES (Minister of Forestry): Kia ora anō tātou. E Maika, tōku mārohirohi. E Maika, tōku tautōhito. E Maika, tōku taitoa. Kua pau te wā i whakaritea ai mōu hāereere ai i waenga tonu, i runga tonu i te motu. E hoki koe ki te iwi, kua oti noa atu i a rātou te takahi atu i te ara whakamutunga. Nā reira, e kara, ... |
[Greetings again to all. Mike, my strong one. Mike, my wise one. Mike, my courageous one. Expired is the time that was allowed for you to travel amongst us, and on this land. Return to the people, those who have completed their traverse of the final path. Therefore, my friend, rest, rest, rest in eternity.] |
It was 1988 when, for a mercifully short period of time, I was employed by Geoffrey Palmer. I was sent to represent Geoffrey Palmer because of blistering attacks coming from the National Party against the Lange Labour Government's Treaty policy. In that meeting was Koro Wētere, Roger Douglas, Mr Prebble, and Mike Moore... |
Mike also wrote a book. He was a great believer in encouraging people to self-educate, to persevere with expanding the frontiers of knowledge. He got this book published and brought it to Matauri Bay. It was about a thousand pages long. The name of the book was A World Without Walls. It was his gospel of free trade, fr... |
There's a famous saying, and if I'm not mistaken, it's from Julius Caesar, that "A coward dies many times before their death". This man was no political coward. He has died only once. Sure, he suffered setbacks, but he stood up and kept going, whether it's as a cancer survivor as a very young man, whether it's as a fai... |
To his wife, Yvonne: ngā mihi nui ki a koe. Without a doubt, on Friday, it will be a difficult day. But for those of us who will be present to support you in that particular, searching period, we offer you our prayers, we offer you our support, and we know that friends and others will gather around you after the crowds... |
The final saying is that good men must die—me mate te tangata—but death cannot kill their names—e kore ō rātou ingoa e mūreia. A good man has died, but his name will live on in this House and amongst those of us who practise the arts of democracy and politics. Kia ora tātou. |
SPEAKER: Members, I'm going to take a little indulgence and make a few comments myself. I first met Mike in these buildings when Norman Kirk was the Prime Minister and he was an Auckland member. |
In 1983, when I was first a candidate for the Labour Party in Hamilton West, Mike, as part of his lamburger tour, came to Hamilton West and opened my campaign. The comments that Grant Robertson made about "Call me collect" were nearly accurate. Actually, Sir Robert Muldoon, who was at the time the Minister in charge of... |
But I can remember Mike was both happy and unhappy at that stage, during the lamburger tour, because the Minister in charge of the Legislative Department had ruled that notwithstanding a campervan, which he was using for his tour, being cheaper than a rental car and the hotel bills, Sir Robert would not approve the pay... |
During that meeting, kicking off the campaign and kicking off the canvassing, Mike used the name of my then opponent, Mike Minogue, somewhat in vain. He described not a lamburger, but a "Minogue burger". He described it as "half tongue and half chicken". That was reported in the first edition of that day's Waikato Time... |
Others have referred to Mike's role in international trade. He saw it as not that complicated as far as economics was concerned. It was about people doing what they were good at and sharing it with other countries. Mike was very firmly of the view that poorer people could eat more if it was cheaper, and the way to make... |
There are going to be lots of stories told, I'm sure, over time, and we've heard the story of the shared job. I know a little bit about how that actually ended up occurring, because Mike had picked up that idea. He tried with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make contact with the Thais and, you know, the phone was no... |
I worked for Mike for three years, between 1990 and 1993. I think it's fair to say that it wasn't always easy. Mike used to himself say that he wanted to have more yes-men in his office, and he didn't always appreciate contrary advice. But in that time, I got to know him. I got to really appreciate Yvonne and Mike as p... |
Mike was incredibly generous, even to those with whom relationships at the time weren't always positive. He helped me when I had a relatively significant legal battle—still unresolved, I might say to some people on my right—both with obtaining good legal advice and financial support for that advice. That gave us a chan... |
I do want to underline the fact that Mike was the first Minister responsible for the America's Cup. You know, most people at the time thought that the idea was mad, it was ridiculous, and we could never win it, but Mike was the person who saw how technology and innovation and renewal could make a difference to New Zeal... |
Jane and I visited Mike last year. It was when he wasn't great physically, but, as others have said, he was still absolutely sharp mentally, notwithstanding the obvious pain that he was in. It was only meant to be for a few minutes, but Jane and I were there for about three hours. |
Yvonne—as she always was—was exceptionally supportive, as Mike was of Yvonne. I mean, one of my memories was of Mike in I think 1993, when he had missed an important meeting with a foreign visitor to his office. We sort of said, "Well, why didn't you catch the plane, Mike?" It was the fact that their cat had died and Y... |
She was always the most important thing in Mike's life, and I'm sure that all of our thoughts will be with her. |
Motion agreed to. |
Honourable members stood as a mark of respect. |
Waiata |
SPEAKER: Thanks, Mike. |
The House adjourned at 3.28 p.m. |
WEDNESDAY, 12 FEBRUARY 2020 |
The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m. |
Karakia. |
VISITORS |
Republic of Iceland—Steingrímur Sigfússon, Speaker of the Althingi |
SPEAKER: Members, I'm sure that you will wish to welcome esteemed Steingrímur Sigfússon, Speaker of the Althingi of the Republic of Iceland and his delegation, who are present in the gallery, and the Speaker is to my left. |
Steingrímur Sigfússon, accompanied by the Deputy Speaker, entered the Chamber and took a seat on the left of the Chair. |
[Applause] |
DEBATE ON PRIME MINISTER'S STATEMENT |
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): I move that this House express— |
SPEAKER: No. I think we've got the presentation to do first. |
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Sorry. Excuse me. I present the Prime Minister's statement. |
SPEAKER: That paper is published under the authority of the House. Copies are available on the Table. |
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I move again, with much enthusiasm. I move, That this House express its confidence in the coalition Government and commend its programme for 2020, as set out in the Prime Minister's statement. |
I want to start where I started in January, as it were, because today is not the first time that I have spoken of the aspiration that this Government has for New Zealand and for this Government's programme for the next year. The first time that I spoke of the aspirations of this Government in 2020 was on 31 January, an... |
I want to share with this House what I shared with Mike Moore that day: that our agenda for 2020 is based both on where we started—the circumstances and context under which this Government took office—and on where we are now and the environment that we're operating in and the experience of New Zealanders, and it is foc... |
So let's start at the very start. In the beginning, before there was light, there were nine years of darkness. It wasn't like a black darkness; more a dark shade of blue kind of darkness—the worst kind. Now, those words may be familiar, at least to members on this side of the House. They were written by a very great wr... |
After nine long years, there may not have been a blue smoke, but there was plenty of denial. There was denial that we had a housing crisis. There was denial that kids were doing their homework in cars. There was denial that children in this country—an affluent country—did not have all that they needed to thrive. There ... |
That denial seemed to exist until, after those nine years, we entered into an election phase. When we entered into that election phase, National emerged from the smoke of denial with a weighty tome known as a press statement. In that press statement they promised much. They promised roads. They promised infrastructure.... |
But, as a very wise man said on the paepae at Waitangi, know us by our deeds. Know us by what we do, not by a press statement at the eleventh hour before people go to the polls—know us by what we do. That is why I wish to reflect on where we are now, as well as projecting forward into where we must go. Those deeds tell... |
I have a visual aid. The Leader of the Opposition loves this one! The Leader of the Opposition is particularly fond of this graph! This graph tells a story better than anything, and this is of course based on Treasury's data. This shows capital investment, and it demonstrates helpfully in a colour-coded manner that in ... |
Within two years, of course, we have invested $2.5 billion into health. Now, that number, it doesn't tell you the story of the mental health wards that we are making safe again by rebuilding them in the central North Island in Waikato. It doesn't tell you about the investment we're putting into Tai Rāwhiti, which doesn... |
We have put $1.5 billion into schools. For the first time ever we have long-term planning to make sure that we can cater for over 100,000 students coming into our schooling system. Again, the message that you don't see in just a graph is that we are putting money into every single school—up to $400,000 for most State s... |
That is, of course, before you take into account just the huge extent of what we put in through the New Zealand upgrade package: $12 billion, which adds a significant amount to make sure that we get New Zealanders out of congestion, that we give them options for walking and cycling and rail, and that we continue to mak... |
Infrastructure means going beyond just that rebuild and future planning. The Infrastructure Commission has been key. Financing has been key through the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Bill to support future housing and urban development. Ultimately, I stand proudly as the Prime Minister for the "Government of infr... |
To be the Government of infrastructure, we have to be the Government of training and education. We simply cannot deliver this infrastructure without having that relentless focus on training and education. When we came in, we moved swiftly to implement fees-free. That not only has reduced the burden of debt for our youn... |
Mana in Mahi: a programme I will, alongside our Minister, forever be proud of. We are just at the beginning of that programme, but I read the reports and I read the stories, for instance, of the young person who had been on a long-term benefit, who found, through Mana in Mahi, a subsidised role by an employer working i... |
Of course, we need every single one of those young people and people in apprenticeships, because we are also proudly a Government of housing. And I say that firmly and proudly. I'm going to speak, Mr Speaker, if you will allow me, to review the last Government's record, because that side of the House has nothing but a ... |
We have now created more than 4,258 public housing places. Every single one of these is a home. Every single one of these is a home for someone that did not exist before. In the time that it has taken to rebuild what they've created, we have put people in homes, and it is making a difference. First-home buyers now make... |
Hon Dr Nick Smith: What about KiwiBuild? |
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —houses under construction in the Government build programme, Minister Smith. I understand why you're a little defensive, because we're fixing what you broke, and you broke our housing market, and you stood idly by while people lived on the streets. |
I am proud of what we have achieved. It was only over summer that—we, of course, continue to acknowledge that there is more work to do. We have houses under stress. Over the summer, I was speaking with some of the individuals who did see the City Mission over the Christmas period. One thing that stood out to me is that... |
The reason that housing is so important to us, of course, is because family wellbeing and child wellbeing sit at the heart of everything that we do. Now, we've demonstrated that from the moment we came into this place, with the Families Package. I'm proud that this year we'll be celebrating another increase in paid par... |
On top of that, we've had the indexation of benefits. Now, that means that when wages go up, not only do our superannuitants benefit, but those who are on those tight incomes who are on Government support, they will also see that increase to help them keep pace with the cost of living. It all makes a difference. We kno... |
I am happy to talk about the cost of living. We know that there are too many New Zealand families who feel the strain. Dropping things like NCEA fees, increasing support for schools so that they don't ask for school donations, reducing the cost of going to the doctor, making sure that we are driving more housing supply... |
We are also proudly a Government of health and mental health, and, again, I let the numbers tell the entire story. First of all, we have grown the health workforce: 3,000 new medical professionals. We've had 1,699 nurses—and they are paid more, of course, with the important settlement that we were a part of—and 736 doc... |
And, very proudly, the largest funding boost to mental health this country has ever seen. Just yesterday, I was looking at some of the numbers around people who are already benefiting from those front-line mental health services, and they are at their GPs' offices, they are in Mana Ake in schools for kids, they are in ... |
No matter where we turn, though, in health, mental health, every part of the system, we have found need, and I find it somewhat ironic to hear the member that services the area where we've seen such desperate need, in Counties Manukau, so vocal on this issue. The Simpson review will be pointing to some of the extra wor... |
Next, of course, is dealing with the structural issues, because, of course, it's not enough for us just to say that we deal with these things down track. We need to make sure we have an economy that is supporting everyone, that is delivering prosperity for everyone, and it's been a mantra you will have heard from the M... |
Unemployment: of course, the Reserve Bank would tell you we're at full employment, at 4 percent. It is a tight labour market, and, again, relative to what we inherited—4.7 percent when we came to office. The average hourly wage sitting at 3.6 percent—in that Government's first term, it was roughly 2.1 percent we were s... |
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