GEORGINA BEYER (NZ Labour--Wairarapa): I appreciate the opportunity to speak in today's general debate. In response to the Hon. Georgina te Heuheu's challenge, some of her questions, at least, were covered by my colleague Janet Mackey. But I have a little reminder of one or two of the things that we just happen to have achieved so far. We have certainly put a focus on patients, and not profit, in the health system. I know very well that that was welcomed in our rural communities. We have also reversed the 1999 cuts to superannuation rates for the elderly. Not only that, we have put forward a policy that has some credibility and is being welcomed as very good possible legislation for people to get round the table to talk about the---
Gerry Brownlee: Rubbish!
GEORGINA BEYER: I tell Mr Brownlee that it is not rubbish at all. We have restored income-related rents for State housing, instead of selling off the family silver---or what is left of it now; it is a little bit tarnished.
Perhaps we ought to think about that for a moment, as the likes of Mrs Shipley contemplate moving---it is more than that, actually; they intend to move---to the wonderful City of Sails. I wonder whether she has found a property next door to ``Banksie's'' on Paratai Drive? I wonder whether she will rush off to see whether Christine Fletcher has a spare room at the back of her place? Indeed, I wonder whether Mrs Shipley might well be eyeing up the mayoralty of Auckland next year, when she might need to look for a job.
Before she goes away overseas Mrs Shipley might need to farewell the front bench over there. Members on that front bench might do the numbers while she is away. That is not unusual; they did them before when a former National Prime Minister, Mr Bolger, went overseas. Mrs Shipley will not exactly rush off to Washington to visit him. I recently visited our mission at the United Nations, and its members were totally unaware of Mrs Shipley's visit. They did not know about it, until I pointed it out in a communique from New Zealand that stated that Mrs Shipley was going to visit. I will put it politely and say that there was a look of thoughtfulness on their faces when they realised that she was on her way, and then concern was raised as to who, exactly, she is to visit over there. I assured them that it was unlikely to be our ambassador to Washington, but who knows? But the numbers are being done. On that same trip to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference in the UK, I also recall that even the National Party junior whip was in constant contact every day on the telephone, to find out what was happening on the Opposition's front bench. I also noted that he might have been in for a slight elevation himself, should things have happened. Obviously, the situation was kept calm until his return, because his wise counsel is needed in these serious matters.
But no, to compound the problems for National, Mr English has been using Murray McCully as the numbers man, not only for his leadership bid but also to attack Government spending. But Mr McCully got it wrong. That was proven with the revelations in the House in relation to payments to Buddle Findlay---that is, payments made since 1996 from Treasury alone totalled $2.04 million. It was just terrible to start slagging off at this Government about the contracts that it has had with this particular company when, in fact, the whole deal started back in 1996. When Mr English was asked about the timing of the contracts, it was no wonder he said: "I don't think that matters that much." No, it would not, would it?
What occurred out in the rural provinces during the last 9 years of the previous National Government was that it cut rural health and education services, and, with its market-driven policies, it abandoned the rural heartland. The previous National Government and its future coalition partner, ACT, wanted to commercialise roads and to deregulate producer boards. That Government privatised the postal system and electricity. That is without mentioning, as I said earlier, selling off a lot of the Housing New Zealand stock, including State houses in the Wairarapa, where we have virtually none left, at all. Five hundred Housing New Zealand houses were sold in the Wairarapa, at fire sale prices, for a total cost of almost $3 million. That averages out at about $17,000 to $18,000 per house. That was a fire sale, and it was outrageous. Now we have people in the Wairarapa who are unable to access Housing New Zealand stock, and we will have to address that issue. It is no wonder that we are looking at what I now call a South Island political calicivirus that is occurring, whereby many National Party members, including the Leader of the Opposition and possibly Mr English, will flee to Auckland.
