GEORGINA BEYER (Labour—Wairarapa): It is wonderful to speak in the general debate, particularly at this time of the year. It is the last general debate for this session of Parliament, so on a personal level I express season’s greetings and felicitations to all members of the House. It is a time of year, of course, when one reflects on things that have occurred throughout the year. On a personal level I say to National Party members that I understand the angst they have experienced, particularly towards the latter part of this year. The beginning of the year was a bit lacklustre as well, but it fared a little better than what they have since experienced. But we will tarry on that a little later.

The Government can reflect on a pretty solid year and a very good year. It is one in which we cannot bask in any kind of glory, but one in which we know that we have delivered consistently, since we came into Government in 1999, on the commitments we said we would deliver on, and we have improved upon them in this second term leading the Government of this country.

We have a leadership that is enviable. It is envied, not only by other parties in this House I dare say, but also by people overseas. I can testify to that being the truth. When I have travelled on some international trips there has been a respect for Helen Clark in the international arena for her forthrightness and for leading a stable Government. Some have actually expressed the wish that she was their Prime Minister. I believe that is an endorsement that would be envied by the leader of any party in this House.

But as we reflect upon the year that the National Party has enjoyed, or otherwise, one can only admire the courage and stickability of National members. They are scratching their way towards the end of the year. They have had, as I have mentioned before, a turbulent time. They have had leadership problems that no one else has had, except possibly the Labour Party, which in the far distant past went through the similar angst that National is going through. So who did National members choose after they dumped Bill English? It was the wonderfully effervescent and charismatic Don Brash. He is the right honourable leader of the National Party, but even that coup was dithery. They dithered and faltered and could not get the roll-out of the leadership coup over to the public or even amongst themselves. I understand that there were National Party members running around like headless chooks wondering who was the leader that day and, more important, who was deputy leader at all, at one time. In the last little while they have been through something like six deputy leaders in as many years. It has been quite a lot.

As to the leader, people had to drink coffee profusely at a New Zealand Chambers of Commerce and Industry meeting up in Auckland some time ago. They were falling asleep, and that is a shame. Then, at that wonderful world event the premiere of The Lord of the Rings, which has been supported superbly by this Government, I cast my eyes around and looked at the leader of the National Party and his beautiful and wonderful wife wandering around looking lost. Nobody could quite recognise who they were or whether, indeed, they were sitting in the right theatre. They had been packed off to the Reading theatre, not the Embassy.

Hon Trevor Mallard: He didn’t want to sit next to Heather.

GEORGINA BEYER: He did not want to sit next to Heather Simpson. I understand now, it is all clear. The leader of the National Party likens himself to a lifeless puppet—an effigy that has recently been erected at the Back Bencher Pub and Cafe, just across the road. It is a lifeless puppet. Of course, one has to ask whether it is a puppet operated by string or a hand puppet. If it is a hand puppet, we could forgive the Leader of the Opposition, when reflecting upon this year, for thinking that it has indeed been an annus horribilis.