GEORGINA BEYER (NZ Labour--Wairarapa): It is certainly wonderful to be part of a Government that has performed in a way that is nothing short of stunning.

Gerry Brownlee: Then why is the member leaving?

GEORGINA BEYER: I will be satisfied that when I do depart this House at the end of the session, I will have been privileged to be part of a Government that has delivered on its commitments.

Hon. Trevor Mallard: He will be going, too.

GEORGINA BEYER: He might well be going when I do. The fact is that the National Party is in somewhat of a flux at the moment, and I say that advisedly. The National Party is deliberating over who its next president will be, but with its big spend-up plans and plans for lowering taxes, one has to wonder how on earth a future National Government would achieve what it wants. National should be straight-up with the voters and should heed the words of Mrs Shipley, who said that one cannot keep reducing taxes indefinitely without having clear expectations of what Government services will be available.

This Labour Government has had to tidy up the mess left by the previous Government, and that is why we find ourselves being very prudent in tomorrow's Budget. Probably it is quite conservative, but it is terribly responsible. Already in this current Budget year we have put, for example, $400 million into health and over $100 million into the police. Those are just two examples of where this Government has had to bite the bullet and to face the hard decisions. I am satisfied that this Government is doing well.

The National Party should perhaps take some advice from one of its former candidates, who said the National Party needed a wake-up call. That was said by Mr Paul Henry, a broadcaster and a former candidate for the Wairarapa seat. I will quote from an article that states: "Mr Henry said he felt let down by the National Party, which he believed was floundering at the last election." How true that is. He also said: "The party needed to wake up and look for people with strong views, who were willing to speak their mind." So I tell the members on the opposite side of the Chamber to take that advice from one of their own.

I would like to raise an issue for the information of this House and for New Zealanders, because it is important. I want to address the issue of HIV and AIDS in the global scene. Last Sunday night I attended a candlelight memorial to commemorate those who have passed on, having suffered from HIV/AIDS. Currently, 36 million people in the world are infected with HIV and AIDS, 16 million people have died, and 13 million children have been orphaned by HIV and AIDS. New Zealand will be represented next month at the United Nations, when a special meeting of the General Assembly and all the world leaders will confront this issue head-on. I would like all members of this House, and, indeed, all New Zealanders to make sure that our voices are added to the many voices around the world that will implore our leaders to confront this incredibly serious issue.

We do not necessarily have to be more concerned for those people who are infected now. I am terribly concerned about the next couple of generations: the innocent people yet to be born who will suffer from this disease. Let us tell the multinational pharmaceutical companies to work with Governments around the world, to make sure there is accessibility to treatment in places like sub-Saharan Africa, so that this blight is addressed. In that way we might go some way towards relieving some of the pain and suffering that is being caused by this blight, this pandemic---dare I say it, this viral holocaust---that is besieging the world. We will not escape it here in New Zealand; we have not escaped it. We have a valuable contribution to make, from the efforts we have already made in addressing the issue ourselves in this country, through organisations such as the New Zealand AIDS Foundation, and so forth. Let us be vigilant in making sure that we join the rest of the world in asking our world's leaders to address the AIDS issue and to get on to it straight away, please. Let us tell them that resources and money should not be the issue, and that we must make the treatments available and encourage preventive measures to be adopted everywhere.