Valedictory Statements

The Business Committee has determined that the congratulatory messages following each member’s valedictory will be held at the end. There are a number of valedictories today. I ask that we move from member to member with their valedictories and we make our congratulatory messages right at the end. There will be a bell at 2 minutes to go.

Six years ago when I came into Parliament, some queried why. Why has he come in? Does Parliament need yet another doctor? When I announced my intention to step down, again some queried: “Why him? Surely some mistake? Parliament is losing too many of its doctors.” There was no talk, as far as I know, of McCully having any incriminating photographs.

I have had many different roles in my life. Building roads, and a scrub-cutter in “the Naki”, Territorial Force soldier, dental surgeon, businessman and entrepreneur, medical doctor in accident and emergency, and a clinical research director for a private company—to name just a few. I have enjoyed them all. I have enjoyed them all, but at this point I would like to place on record that serving and working as a member of Parliament in New Zealand has been the best job that I have ever had. A huge amount of work, work of extraordinary variety, and I have relished every day!

Though long viewing the prospect of life in the political milieu with the utmost distaste, I sought the chance to stand as a National candidate in 2008 because I was extremely concerned about the future that my children would inherit if New Zealand continued down the track it was then on. Back in 2002, upon returning from living overseas with my family, I was shocked and disturbed at what I found in New Zealand. I was shocked and disturbed at the consequences for my children, and, indeed, all New Zealanders, if the myriad of challenges facing New Zealand was not addressed more comprehensively and more intelligently.

As I saw it, I had three choices. I could return to live overseas, but I am a proud New Zealander, so that option did not appeal. I could stay and do nothing other than groan and grumble, but that did not appeal, because I believe that if one does not like something, one should do one’s best to change it. The third option was to stay in New Zealand, to work to make it better, and to push my ideas for change on to the agenda. The choice was obvious—I joined the National Party. It was a huge pleasure to be selected to stand for National in the 2008 election in the vibrant and diverse community of Manurewa.

As a party we have never claimed to be perfect. We do not have a magic wand and we cannot change things overnight. But, having come into Parliament, I was proud to set up my office in Manurewa and work within the community and on behalf of that community over the ensuing years. I was able to face that community in 2011, knowing that everything we had said we would do as a Government, we had done—and more! We are getting it right in Manurewa, we are getting it right in my colleague Kanwal Bakshi’s electorate, Manukau East, and in Māngere, we are getting it right for New Zealand.

In my maiden speech—and it seems only a few weeks ago—I observed that a society is judged by how it protects the most vulnerable. It has been a huge pleasure to be part of a Government that has protected the most vulnerable through the worst recession the world has known in 75 years. More of our infants are getting immunised, more of our young people are able to participate in early childhood education and are being screened for the precursors of rheumatic fever, over 300,000 homes have been made warmer, drier, and healthier, crime is at a 20-year low, and tens of thousands more elective surgical procedures have been improving New Zealanders’ quality of life every year. At the same time, our economy has been among the strongest-growing economies in the OECD, and the growing economy has led to tens of thousands more jobs in the last year alone. More and more New Zealanders are being educated and are acquiring the tools to fill those jobs and to unlock the ability and potential that lies within them all.

In this House I have noted in the past that no Government can legislate aroha. No Government can legislate love, but through careful formulation of policies and legislation, we are succeeding in wrapping services round the most vulnerable and the less well loved. People need something to believe in and someone to believe in them. The people of Manurewa and in communities all over New Zealand have seen the results of this Government believing in them, and they are responding.

It has been a huge pleasure for me in Manurewa to see Pacific matai and Pacific church leaders wearing that blue T-shirt and wearing the blue rosette in our community of Manurewa. The door has always been open, but now more and more the Pasifika community is seeing evidence of the Government’s belief and walking through that door.

As Nicolas Sarkozy said when he sought the Presidency of France “Ensemble tous devient possible”—together, all becomes possible. He got elected, but he could not bring l’Hexagone together, and he did not win another term. This Government has worked with all New Zealanders, and the results speak for themselves. I am proud to have worn the blue jersey and to have been part of a team that is reshaping the mesh in many different levels and areas and making our country a better place to live.

What of my own personal goals and dreams on coming into Parliament? The concept of servant leadership has always resonated with me. Every morning when I look in the mirror—which I do not do for long, given what confronts me—I ask myself: “Have I done the best I possibly can to honour the hard work and commitment of all those folk whose work on behalf of the National Party led to my working here and, indeed, have I done the best for all New Zealanders?”. I am pleased to say that the answer is generally yes, but from time to time I have found myself a bit puffed. I have unbounded admiration for our Prime Minister, whose ebullience and mastery of detail remains unmatched and whose workload is a log scale above that of anyone else in this House.

In my maiden speech I outlined areas of special interest to me. Among them were tackling New Zealand’s growing incidence of obesity, the need for more marine reserves, and a prostate cancer awareness programme for New Zealand men. I soon learnt some fundamental truths of Parliamentary life. Few things move fast. As the French say “Petit à petit l’oiseau fait son nid”—little by little, the bird makes the nest. One can plant seeds in soil, but the soil receiving the seed may or may not be fertile. The idea might lie there quiescent for ever, or receive a burst of interest from an unexpected quarter and suddenly flourish and be accepted. Certainly one never achieves anything in this House alone, and success truly has a thousand fathers.

I am gratified to note that the Government has made progress in all the above special interest areas that I mentioned in my maiden speech, but today I make a call for more resources to be devoted to proven measures to combat the alarming incidence of obesity in New Zealand. The cost of such interventions will amply repay themselves in substantially reduced health care costs and in thousands of New Zealanders living longer, healthier, more productive lives.

My call for New Zealand to adopt a genuine progress indicator and my plan to encourage distributed power generation from renewable sources fell on stony ground. However, areas where other seeds I planted fell on more fertile soil include measures to control low-ball share offers, the change to the right-hand rule, and a bill to make it an offence to carry a high-power laser pointer in a public place without reasonable excuse. My Summary Offences (Possession of High-power Laser Pointers) Amendment Bill unanimously passed its Committee stage in the House on 25 June, and I am hopeful it will pass its final reading later this evening.

On my lapel I wear the White Ribbon. This is a statement of my stand against violence towards women and children. Domestic violence—men against women, women against men—is a major challenge for New Zealand and a blot on our nation’s escutcheon. I have been proud to be a caucus champion speaking all over New Zealand on this Government’s determination to reduce the staggering number of our children harmed each year.

Adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights is another concern of mine. It is an important area for consideration in all countries, including New Zealand, and it is possibly the most effective area for intervention by a donor country in a developing country. In 2013, as a member of the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development, I visited the Solomon Islands. The purpose of the visit was to meet with key parliamentarians, policy makers, and key regional leaders in sexual and reproductive health and rights to encourage scaled-up action to address these issues in the Solomon Islands. Family planning and investment in this area is also the most cost-effective investment a country can make towards its own sustainable development and the well-being and empowering of its women and children. It is also a fundamental human right. However, despite decades of international agreement on the need to ensure universal access to family planning, progress in the Pacific has been slow and inequitable.

Following my visit, upon returning to New Zealand, I wrote a discussion paper entitled Adolescent Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights in the Solomon Islands—the unmet needs. I forwarded this to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I am delighted to report that the feedback I have received suggests that in future, more of New Zealand’s aid to the Solomon Islands will be used in addressing these unmet needs.

One comes into Parliament passionate, with a host of good intentions, but one must also have a plan. The passion has never left me, and I am grateful that in looking back on my time in Parliament I have been able to progress my plan to further many of the projects in which I have had a particular interest. At this stage I wish to acknowledge the unanimous support my member’s bill has received from across the House and note for the uninitiated that despite the theatre of question time, there is an enormous amount of cooperation in the House, especially in the select committees. I particularly wish to acknowledge the collegiality of all members of the Education and Science Committee, which I have had the pleasure to chair, and their willingness to work towards the common good. It is just as well, as otherwise one could be worn down by the relentless negativism that sometimes seems to pervade “Planet Parliament”.

Being an MP can be a lonely role. May I thank my family—Jenny, Carla, and Leisha; my brothers, Rob and Don; my sister, Julie; and my sister-in-law, Wendy—whose steadfast personal support has always been there, though I am sure my brother Rob has never voted for the party I represent, as many of the Opposition can probably testify.

Talofa lava and fa‘afetai ma soifua to Telea and Fati Menefata, who have cleaned Bowen House from the day I arrived and have always had a cheery smile and greeting every morning. The parliamentary messengers—always ready to help and keep me hydrated during the debate. I could almost use you now! My Manurewa secretary, Jenny Collins—Jen came to me having worked for the Prime Minister. She is hugely experienced, capable, and ever-helpful. I will miss you, Jen. Jamie Lee Burns, my parliamentary secretary for many years—safe travels overseas, Jamie. The Pride, the Zephyrs, the O group, Dave Knowles, and my oldest mate, Lou Borok, have always been there for me.

It is a great pleasure to see my old parliamentary colleague and friend George Hawkins, long-serving Manurewa MP, and Jan up in the gallery. George, there is a gathering tonight in the National Party caucus room—I am sure you will feel right at home.

My friends from all over the House—go well, and I hope our paths cross in the world. My mates in the Parliamentary Rugby Team—a pack of good bastards. We won the Parliamentary Rugby World Cup in 2011. Good luck in 2015.

Finally, I wish to record and place on record my deep appreciation for the long-term and steadfast support of Manurewa activists Richard and Penny Laughty.

The old adage is undeniable: you have got to get into it before you get out of it. I have been in it for two terms. It has been my whole life and all-consuming. I look now to a life free of the strictures of a party whip, where I can attempt to create my own reality again. Thank you. Je ne regrette rien. Kia ora. Adieu. Farewell.

This afternoon I come to say farewell and to share a few final thoughts with you, my colleagues, and the Wairarapa community. But first I want to thank the Wairarapa, Tararua, and Central Hawke’s Bay communities, who three times elected me as their representative, each time by a greater margin.

It has been a privilege to have represented the people of the Wairarapa for 9 years—it actually feels like 9 long years. It has been an experience that few of us get. No one arrives here as an electorate MP without the support of many people, too many to name. Some of them are here today. Thank you for coming.

I particularly want to acknowledge the late John Falloon and the late Juliet Hensley. You departed too soon. I would never have made it here without your support. I want to acknowledge John and Helen McFadzean, Sue Perry, Snow and Di Peterson from Waipukurau, and Bernard Cleary, my kneecapper in Carterton. I acknowledge Keith Hancox in Masterton, Richard Ellis in Pahīatua, Alister Plimmer, Stephen Kerr, and many, many others, including my family Emily, Neve, Corrin and Luis Cunha up in Kuwait and Matthew, Louise, Edward, and James Hayes, and especially Helen, who has carried the brunt of long absences and my distractions. They have tolerated, not approved, my being here.

Being an MP is not a job; it is an all-consuming life, and constituents deserve no less. I am deeply indebted to Yvonne Payne in my Masterton office for 9 long years, and to Janet Castell in Waipukurau, Rebecca Algie and Maureen Fenemor in Dannevirke, and the wonderful Emily Broadmore here in Parliament. There are many others like Paul, Jane, and Mike at In Style Travel, Lou and Fiona at Capital Travel, and AJ at Lamb-Peters Print in Greytown, who consistently made the impossible possible. Stan and the late Nola Mangin have been superb neighbours, who without any fuss covered all those things I was never around to fix, like the cows jumping the fence. Thank you. I would not have survived here without your support. I need to apologise to the crew of the Maranui—Captain Povey, Doug, Mike, and Andrew—for never being around when you were short of crew.

Nine years have passed really quickly—almost a quarter of a working life. It has been an interesting time. My friend and sounding board John Schnellenberg told me in 2005 that I would develop a carapace. I had never heard of the word, but I can say now, Schnell, that you were right. Politicians need a tough outer shell. Mine formed pretty quickly when Michael Cullen whacked Finlayson and me around this Chamber one afternoon.

I guess Parliament reflects our collective character and personality as a country. I am no saint—no, I am not. Much of my first term here was spent reflecting on why I had come. The atmosphere was toxic, not helped by a Speaker who was shrill and screamed and by loopy committee chairs Pettis and Yates. Visits to parliaments in Denmark and Sweden showed that parliamentary debate can be respectful, focused on issues, and without narcissistic tone. Better behaviour in debates might encourage more members of the community to come here and make a contribution. It might also arrest the decline in the numbers of people who are voting.

I have brooded about our inability as a society to be more generous of spirit and accepting when people get something wrong. The media, especially, fall over themselves to beat up on anybody who buggers up—that is a Papua New Guinean word. “So what?” you say. Well, I think the “what” is the question. Why would anybody expose themselves to public life when the risk of a mistake is the public pillorying, which inevitably follows? We collectively pay a price in not creating an environment conducive to attracting more good leaders to Parliament. We could move our country forward further and faster by focusing on what is important; we bog down by arguing with each other.

For more than 10 years the Wairarapa electorate has been trying to progress a couple of irrigation schemes. It is a simple task to collect and store water that falls at the wrong time of the year and then to use it in the summer drought, but very little progress has been made. Why? Is it leadership that is wanting? Yep, sometimes. Are Resource Management Act requirements a constraint? Yep. Are Māori demands a constraint? Sometimes they can be. Are nimby issues the problem? Yes. Well, let us be up front and be clear that affected landowners will be fairly compensated for their land and the disruption. Irrigation is the quickest way to grow our national income, and the whole country wins.

It is difficult to fathom why simple, sensible, straightforward concepts have become so difficult to implement. Were I New Zealand’s next Prime Minister, I would ensure that the next Parliament got rid of a plethora of unnecessary legislation and excessive regulation. Three years is not long enough. This year’s election is going to cost taxpayers $27 million, together with the time they have invested in MPs, who are going to be distracted by parliamentary campaigning. Were I Prime Minister—and do not laugh, Brendan; it is not too late to nominate—I would promote a 4 or 5-year term to spread the cost over more years. Doing so would give Parliament a more reasonable time to implement its programmes.

Colleagues from across the House—and Cam has just said it tonight—often say that Parliament provides a wonderful experience. Having spent time here and in the Foreign ministry, my curiosity is satisfied. To those contemplating a political career, I will say two things: if you have got kids, do not come near the place, because they are going to be short-changed; and if you want a really fascinating job, head to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The big advantage: there is no election every 3 years. Besides, foreign affairs ministers come and they go.

Constituent work is rewarding. Few beyond the beltway understand how Government works. That is where I have tried to add value. The Labour candidate for the Wairarapa dropped a leaflet in my letterbox the other day proclaiming that he should be my member of Parliament because he had been compère at the Golden Shears competition this year. I have no doubt that that requires some skill, but not the sort that is going to make him a competent member of Parliament. I doubt the community will elect a candidate who has so little experience and expertise. People who live and work in cities assume provinces work like the cities they live in. They do not. Much of my time has been spent bridging that gap. I have often felt like a scribe in an Indian bazaar drafting letters for people. But there is a satisfaction from securing good outcomes and seeing common sense prevail.

The campaign to keep Mākōura College from closing in 2006 was a tough battle for an Opposition MP, but the outcome, keeping the school open, was a victory for the Masterton community. That issue taught me the critical importance of school leadership. It is great to see the school’s roll today in a very different place to the projections of ministry officials, who used to walk up my drive on a Sunday morning to beat me up—the same officials who wanted to close the school rather than address 6 years of Education Review Office reports pointing out dysfunctional relationships at senior levels in the school. I acknowledge and congratulate Mākōura’s outstanding principal Tom Hullena. He has more than doubled the school roll, topped the country’s National Certificate of Educational Achievement results, and in the last 6 weeks received the Prime Minister’s recognition for Excellence in Leading - Atakura Award, here last month.

The residence status of many Pacific families is a concern. Too many Pasifika people have irregular immigration status. They make no demands on social welfare—I see them in my electorate—but they live in fear. Their children do not easily sit in school and they do not access health care. These families are often desperate. They are vulnerable to being ripped off by unscrupulous lawyers and others who charge fees and deliver no results for them. It is a large but hidden problem. I urge Pasifika people to get appointments with your MPs after the election, because they can help you regularise your status without charge.

When constituents have sought help, my driver has been a simple test: is it fair? When the answer was no, then I have always gone into bat. In provincial New Zealand interpersonal issues are held much more intensely than in our big towns. People are inclined to stop talking to each other. If they only would talk to each other, most problems would dissipate. The impact of the Horizons One Plan proposed for the Tararua a couple of years ago would have been that it removed $62 million each year from the local economy in the Tararua area. Bringing people to Parliament for a meal and a libation in my office afterwards was a formula that generally got people talking to each other. They then took responsibility and established frameworks for sorting out their problems. They got to common-sense outcomes.

I think that economic and social progress in provincial New Zealand will happen only if we who live in provincial areas take responsibility for our own affairs. No one owes us a living. Those who think—and I am talking Wairarapa at the moment—that Wellington-based ratepayers are going to subsidise activity in the Wairarapa are at best misguided. They do not live on my planet. No one owes us a living. Air New Zealand demonstrated that a few months ago when it ended the air link to Auckland. That is why I worked so hard with others to secure the restoration of a financially sustainable air service between Masterton and Auckland. Eighteen people came to a meeting on Monday at Masterton’s town hall. As we speak contributions are now being put into a trust account held by accountants Amy Kerr and Associates. Subject to an undertaking to improve the runway, I am confident that an air service based on an Air Chathams Metroliner with Wairarapa livery will resume in September.

It is not possible to win on every issue. I spent a year trying to advance a plan to turn Masterton’s old hospital into an integrated family health centre. At the time the recession was in full swing, and the proposal offered 70 immediate jobs and about 50 full-time positions when completed. Two letters from Māori asked for the site to go into the land bank. Despite an assurance from a colleague, Pita Sharples’ clout was greater than mine and the building went into the land bank. After Opus International Consultants’ evaluation a local Māori leader told me 4 months later that they no longer wanted the complex. I have always stood the ground for Māori on issues like the seabed and foreshore and Treaty settlements. I suggest, though, that Māori could well reflect carefully on their actions if they want to carry the support of most Kiwis into the future. A growing number of Wairarapa people are keen to see an end to the grievance industry, the end of Māori seats, and the coming together of all Kiwis. I support the Prime Minister’s call for consultation about a new flag when Treaty settlements are completed. A new flag may help strengthen our nationhood.

Finally, a couple of things about foreign affairs. I was pleased in the last Parliament to complete a Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee inquiry into New Zealand’s relationship with the South Pacific. The Government did not have a majority on the committee, and the report had more than 40 recommendations unanimously supported by all parties. This led to our being able to host the first ever Pacific Parliament last year in this Chamber with more than 50 Pacific participants. It was great to have five Fijians there at that gathering. Since 2005—being here—I have consistently argued privately with colleagues that it was better to engage Fiji than talk to them by megaphone, as Helen Clark and Phil Goff did. The Pacific Parliament could never have progressed had I not been here.

There have been some interesting interactions over these 9 years. I think of a visit to Israel with colleagues Paul—“Hutch”, down here—Phil Goff, Kennedy Graham and Jacqui Dean. During that visit, I realised the extent to which the majority of Israeli politicians did not have the slightest interest in resolving issues with Palestinians. That was a disappointing lesson to me, because I left that visit thinking that the Palestinian leadership was a bunch of people whom you could do business with. Before that visit I had not appreciated the extent of segregation being practised in Israel towards Arabs. To Israelis, I simply ask you: have you no humanity?

Finally, can I say thank you to all parliamentarians from all parties. It has been fun working with most of you, and I have made some good friends, including in other parties. Thanks also to all the staff in the parliamentary complex, especially the library and our staff here providing water and other things. Can I just say thank you one and all, and wish you all the luck you deserve for the next election. Cheers.

Thank you very much indeed, Mr Deputy Speaker, for the call to give my valedictory statement. It is a privilege that is given to retirees: 15 minutes of uninterrupted discourse, where the opportunity is given to say it the way it really is and the way I see it, and I intend to do that now. If we glance overseas back to Westminster, where our parliamentary system began, before it was improved by the New Zealand system, we see that the parliamentary media over there have adopted the sobriquet of “pale, male, and stale” for those whom Mr Cameron has decided should no longer hold Cabinet warrants. How cruel! How cruel is that to sensitive people? Well, if you cannot take the heat, do not stand in the kitchen. This is Politics 101, after all.

Mind you, all jokes aside, I have always thought that members of the media try to see in others that which they least like about themselves. Let us think about that for a moment. Every day at a quarter to two as we come to the House, I have in my diary “available to media”. I approach the melee of people, cameras, and microphones. Sometimes they say: “Gidday, Chris.” That is it. There have been, perhaps, three times when I have had that wonderful surround sound of microphones and cameras—very exciting. Unfortunately, it was always over a tragic association with Pike River, rather than the sort of fun that our Ministers have.

But does the Westminsterial sobriquet apply over here? Are we, as retirees, pale, male, and stale on this side of the world or on this side of the House? I do not think so. Oh no, I do not think so. Well, not yet, at any rate, but as my old friend Roy Hodgson in Rūnanga used to say—a good old coalminer—“Hang on. Let’s have a think about that.” So I have given it a bit of thought.

Pale? OK, I certainly do not have a ruddy or dark complexion, but roseate enough on a frosty morning not to be described as pale.

Male? I make no apology for being a male. I hope I am seen as a considerate, compassionate, and communicable male, and I make no apology for that. If I have faults—and I am sure I do—well, I do not think I can blame my gender for my behaviour, without it being a cop-out. There ain’t nothing wrong with being a bloke if you behave yourself properly. I am pleased, none the less, that our new National candidate for West Coast - Tasman is Maureen Pugh, thereby enhancing the opportunity for gender balance in the party.

Stale? I do not think so. I have achieved more for the electorate in the last year in the cumulative improvement in West Coast - Tasman health infrastructure than ever before, and have we not had such a wonderful Minister of Health? I have contributed as much on an annual basis to select committee work in the last year as in any other, and have spoken more frequently in the Chamber. I have had a speech that went trending on Twitter. Lianne Dalziel had to say it was “trending” and not “trendy”. It was viral on the internet, in the opinion of TV3—and this was after I had actually announced my retirement. So stale? No.

So if that is the successful rebuttal of the Westminsterial criticism of gentlemen of European ancestry of a certain age and career achievement, and if I have successfully rebutted that, why the hell am I retiring? That is a good question, but here is an answer, because it is a question that does require answering. When I joined the National Party—signed up by Keith Holyoake, who said “Be careful when you sign that membership form. You may end up in Parliament.”; that was in Kaikohe, circa 1968—I actually made a commitment to work to support the party; not to seek to support myself, but to support the party. I am now 69 years old, and although so many people say I do not look it, well, I am!

💬 Hon Chris Tremain: Nah, you don’t look it.

Well, thank you. I do not know of any other serving National MPs who are 69 years old, but as we sign up to 3-year brackets of tenure, would you really want to still be trundling around Parliament at 72? You need quite an ego if you thought you could not be replaced effectively by a younger person. I guess the only extenuating circumstance would be if you were a party leader who had a Scottish mother from the Isle of Skye, but even then you would be pushing it.

I guess this is the reality. Keeping a balance of diversity—age, gender, and ethnicity—in a caucus is a long game, not a short one. Have we not all benefited from the inclusion of people of diversity and different ethnicity in this Parliament? I have got one sitting right beside me here, Kanwal Bakshi, who makes a huge contribution, and National has certainly changed under the John Key leadership. Each of us has to think, though, about the future of the party and the part we want to play in it. We would all like to be here for ever, but with my own retirement and the retirements of colleagues from National now, the real effect will be first in 2017 when National will have an incredibly strong team—fresh, but all with 3 years’ minimum experience as MPs, youthful yet mature, vigorous and energetic, and, may I say, multi-shaded, gender-balanced, and fresh. That is the way it will be on this side of the House.

I have no wish to be partisan, but, hey, consideration should be given to how we will look as a party in comparison with one another in 3 years’ time, or, indeed, in 6 years’ time, because you have to plan that far out for refreshment and strength should some of the party’s older incumbents cling to the backs of their seats—and some of us do have a tendency to do that. Speaking entirely for myself, I wish to be part of a refreshment process, rather than a stagnation process within the party, which will occur if people do not leave and allow replacements to come in. I think that the best way to do that is to retire at my present stage. So, although I am not personally seeking re-election, I am, of course, still steeped in the process of the election cycle.

The political messages, though, that are put out by all the parties have a different emphasis if one is thinking as a voter rather than as one to be voted for. It gives you a different slant on things. It is interesting to see the way parties want to differentiate from one another. One of my regular phone-callers on the Coast brought this to my attention when he asked: “What about those parties that want to bring back smacking? Is it because they want us all to smack kids, or do they have a secret dream of being smacked themselves if only the law would allow it? You just don’t know nowadays, do you?”. He does have a point.

The other point he made—and I am absolutely sure it will not cause any offence—was to ask why some parties insist on having binding referenda. He said: “It sounds to me like the way people always try to tell us what we should do and should not do with natural resources on the Coast, when they do not even live here themselves.” He went on to say: “The really strange part is that the parties that say we should have binding referenda are always minority parties and, by their own mandate, they should not expect to be in Parliament, because they did not achieve majority support.” He has a point. He has a point, and I really look forward to continuing to benefit from the West Coast wisdom and the philosophical observations of people once I am outside and home again.

I do not intend to speak any further on the new and emergent parties that hope to hold us in thrall to their whims and wants. In my view, MMP is a reality that I think would be a pity to lose. As well as providing opportunities for new philosophies, one of its vulnerabilities is that it can attract charlatans from time to time, but the electorate is, I trust, developing a maturity in the way that it views and uses MMP.

So what have I been able to contribute and what have I gained from my 9 years in this place? For me, the most significant part of the parliamentary process as a backbencher is the select committee system. This is our second House, our senate, our House of Lords, as this is where the public have a direct interface with the legislative process. This is where the public are asked what they think of the legislation being put forward. In my experience, the adversarial relationship between parties and individual members is subsumed to less of a partisan system, where members each consider the evidence put before them in submissions from people, often based on a personal or observed experience. I have always been impressed by the sincerity and depth of explanation that the public provide. Organisations too, be they corporate bodies, commercial organisations, or community groups, come in with carefully prepared and sharply focused submissions to argue a point. Each and every submission is considered, weighed, and then reported back to the committee by the appointed officials who are assisting the committee.

I would like to think that my main opportunity to make a contribution here has been through the committee process, and I am extremely grateful for the appointments that I have had to those committees. I have developed a deep appreciation of colleagues from all sides of the House in the way that we have the capacity to work together within the committee system. It is always a bit of a surprise when you come out of the committee system. I remember when we did the review of the—oh, I will not bother to deal with the individual Acts—but after some of the complex ones, where we had worked together very well as parties, we would come out and suddenly you could hear people speaking as if they wanted nothing to do with it and saying how dreadful it was. I can remember saying to a Minister once “This was not a reflection of the way those members spoke in the committee.”, and they said “Chris, they are not speaking to you in the committee. They are speaking to their membership in the public, and it is not to their advantage to look as if we all work together too easily.”

But representing people, be they individuals or entire electorates, is a big privilege, and the West Coast - Tasman electorate will always be special for me. It is a delight to see that people have actually come up from the West Coast and Tasman to be with us today, and I think we will give them a little clap for that. It is a hell of a long way to come. It is particularly nice to see three—one, two, three—Young Nats. There are four or more Young Nats in the back of the gallery. They have been with me since the third form, I think, at Greymouth High. They are at university now, and they are doing very well.

The West Coast - Tasman electorate will always be special for me. There were aspects of political opportunity that held special appeal for me when I first arrived in 2005, but I chose, and was advised, to concentrate my attention on serving the electorate, and I have stuck with that prime intention. All politicians, in my experience, wish to achieve the best they can for the people they represent, with each party having separate ways of achieving that, and I have always been comfortable with promoting the policies of National. There have been good times in the electorate and times of awful tragedy. Both the good times and the tragedies are part of the political journey as an MP, and it has been very pleasing to me to have seen the level of agreement between parties in processing the Pike River royal commission recommendations towards workplace health and safety reform.

It has been a great time to be in Parliament over the last 9 years. New Zealand plays a significant part in world affairs as a small nation with a developed, and still developing, economy. People are not afraid of New Zealand. We do not threaten people because of our size or aggression or anything like that. New Zealand views are listened to and sought. I think it is fair to say that we have been well served by Foreign Ministers from all parties over the last few decades, and we are regarded as a very responsible world citizen. I hope the influence we have built up can be used in some of the complex and tragic dynastic problems that are occurring at the moment between Governments, to the detriment and horrifying physical cost to all their citizens.

Finally, I looked up “valedictory” in my Chambers Dictionary. Normally, it is a final speech of a graduand leaving a place of learning. For me, that is a fit. It is a fit, leaving here. Thanks directly to my National colleagues and to the Prime Minister and his staff for the leadership they have provided. There is no greater call than that your country needs you, and, gosh, New Zealand does need you, John Key. Thank goodness we have you as Prime Minister. This is a dynamic place. It has managed without me before—before I arrived—and it will manage without me after I have left.

💬 Hon Members: No!

Well, all right, all right. You are so kind. But it will, honestly. Members and staff will concentrate on themselves, the job in hand, and their individual and collective party aspirations, as before, and that is what should happen. I will not be any more memorable than any other politician who has served here and moved on.

But here is the one thing I wanted to leave with you: I do not expect the majority of you to remember me in any shape or form, but I will remember each of you—each and every one of you—for all the transactions we have engaged in. I will treasure all the exchanges we have had, I promise you that, be it at the select committee, in the debating chamber, in Copperfield’s, in Bellamy’s, or in the gym; on social occasions, on formal occasions, in private conversation, in private meetings, or in public engagements; be it with the security staff, Parliamentary Service staff, the travel team, the media team, with Brent’s messengers, the Clerk’s Office, IT help services—bless them—the communications unit, the research unit, the library, the exemplary In Style Travel taxi service headed up by Paul Rossiter, Air New Zealand Koru Club, the electorate teams, the Young Nats, my office staff past and present, and, bless them, those who have left us: the late Dan Strong, my electorate chair in Motueka, and the late Margaret Dougan, who worked for me and supported me in Motueka. To the voters of West Coast - Tasman and the National Party, who provided me with 9 years of representation for the West Coast - Tasman electorate, and to my darling wife, Elspeth, and my family, I thank you all, and I thank each and every member, no matter which party you choose to belong to or which path you choose to walk along. Thanks for 9 unforgettable years. Thank you.

Thank you for the opportunity to make this, my final statement, in the debating chamber of the 50th Parliament of New Zealand. May I begin by acknowledging some of those who have put up with the 4-metre swells across the Cook Strait today to be with us: my electorate chair, Brian Moore, and his wife, Roberta; campaign chair, Alan Holdaway; branch chair and hoarding manager, Barry Holdaway; and branch chair, Don Moore, and his wife, Sue. May I also acknowledge Sir Doug and Lady Kidd. I also acknowledge my staff—my most valuable staff—in Blenheim and Amberley: Cathie Ferguson, Willie Kaulback, Rose Parsons, and Jan Chisnall, and my parliamentary staff over years, Margaret Traill and now Karen Scarlett. Thank you for your support. It was just fantastic and well beyond what anybody could possibly expect.

I must acknowledge, also with great pride and satisfaction, the support I have received from my wife, Lynnette, and our children, Nickolas, Natasha, Laressa, and Katrina. I must also take the opportunity to acknowledge the wonderful support that I have received from the National Party while I have had the privilege of being an MP for 9 years, both from the political wing and from the party membership. Thank you for the guidance and support over those 9 years. I wish the National Party every success in the forthcoming election, and we wait with bated breath for the election result on 20 September. Go well!

Last week I did something that I had hoped to do for many a year, and that was to visit the whale-counting operation that occurs every year at this time in the Tory Channel and Cook Strait. Fortunately, on the day that we went out the observers perched up on Tory Channel sighted a large humpback whale cruising through the Cook Strait on its way to the Tropics. We were able to just motor straight out there and watch these guys in their 4-metre runabout in a 3-metre swell dart the whale to take a DNA sample. Just to give you some understanding about how difficult it was, I could hardly hold my camera, my iPhone camera, to actually capture the moment to post it on Facebook. From the point of view of what has gone before us in history, in the context it was most uplifting. You could entitle the situation: “Whaling—from Decimation to Restoration”. These old ex-whalers are now spending endless hours looking into the mist of the Cook Strait to identify that pencil shape of a whale coming towards them. The good news is that about 100 whales came through the Cook Strait during the month, and is that not fantastic? There are more ways for the whales to go, but through the Cook Strait is a bit like the drafting race—you can count them. So from that point of view it is a good measure.

I want to make the point that although we may have a strong view on how people earned their living in years gone by, they did sustain themselves and we should neither condemn nor ridicule. Sure, the land-based whaling operations did not decimate the whales. The damage was done by the fleets of whaling vessels from other nations that hunted the whale to near extermination, taking up to 4,000 whales a year, year on year. However, I make the point because I personally have serious concerns, along with many others, about our attitude to sustainable management around the coastline. Today there are 10 times as many people out on the coastline collecting kai moana. The targeting of fish, the catching of crays, the taking of paua and other delicacies has greatly improved, and yet we still argue that it is our birthright to help ourselves to such a resource.

As rational human beings we know that continuing such a harvest of our kai moana will result in serious consequences for us today and for our future generations. It is therefore with much pride that I draw on the example of the community of Kaikōura, who over the last 8 years, based on the principles of gifts and giving, were able to reach an agreement across the full range of stakeholders: iwi, commercial fishers, recreational fishers, Forest and Bird, and the wider community. They were able to agree amongst themselves as to the best way possible of managing their coastline between the Conway River and the Clarence River. I was amazed to witness the cooperation that existed on that group of Te Korowai people. It is with pride that I now look forward to this process of seeing the passing into law of the Kaikōura (Te Tai o Marokura) Marine Management Bill, which will enshrine the management plan into law and protect it for the benefit of all Kaikōura and others who visit in the many years ahead.

What made this achievement possible was that those involved, the community, clearly understood what was at stake. Local iwi—that is, Ngāti Kuri—led because they held the kaitiaki over the area, the commercial fishermen pulled in the same direction because they owned the quota and they knew what sustainable management was all about, and the wider community stuck to the task because they knew and valued the employment and they valued their environment. There is no doubt in my mind that this situation is going to have to be replicated throughout New Zealand. Such iconic places as the Marlborough Sounds, the Hauraki Gulf, the Wellington headlands, Bay of Plenty, and the Northland coastline—to name but a few—will need to address this situation as pressure remains and grows. Again, it will require skilful leadership, a willingness to agree and make those gifts and giving. We must face up to the challenge, otherwise we will end up in exactly the same position as those whalers who lost their careers, their opportunities, and their profitability overnight because of a culture of greed and a race to catch the last whale.

My second point that I would like to make is the importance of hands-on learning within our education system. We must appreciate these very important students who, in the future, will continue to fix things, build things—be it trucks, be it motorcars, be it buildings, be it bridges, be it roads, be it essential infrastructure, and all other manner of things. To do this, the education system must equally value these people as we do doctors, nurses, lawyers, and accountants, and design an education curriculum accordingly. I just put it out here in very plain terms. To put it simply, we want to create many Einsteins, but to create an Einstein you need to also have 1,000 skilled technicians to be able to make those things.

I wish to mention two people by name at this time. It is always dangerous doing that, but two people have had a big effect on my policy development. Firstly, Stuart Middleton, from the Manukau Institute of Technology, who when I first came into Parliament was already talking about what was lacking within our education system. He has gone on to do some wonderful things around empowering youth, especially Pasifika youth. I take the opportunity here to say how heartened I am to see the Pasifika people taking grasp of education and being aspirational. I also want to make mention of Stewart Thompson, who worked with me in developing the trades academy policy, which was introduced by the Government in 2009. Stewart Thompson convinced me that the passion of an inspiring teacher is what makes the difference. Stewart’s technology classes were full to overflowing, and total engagement with education existed in spades.

I ask those responsible for education in the future to maintain the momentum we have for hands-on learning and skills-based education. Education must be relevant to the learners for them to remain engaged and to develop the skills necessary to be successful in life, and that is a pretty high threshold. We must keep them engaged. We are beginning to do better, but there is a lot of work we need to do yet.

The third point I want to leave with the House is my concern around a growing reluctance in this country—and this is my observation—to undertake physically demanding work. We should be concerned when we see those who want to continue living in one location and are not willing or courageous enough to collect up their families and move to where employment is better and more available, where the cost of living is less and the price of providing a roof over one’s family’s head is also less. New Zealand has one of the most generous welfare systems in the world. However, for New Zealand to remain a First World country, we must possess the attitude as stated by George St John and restated by President J F Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”—that it is good to create wealth and seek ownership.

I admire greatly those Eastern European families who came here in the 1950s and 1960s. I was only a child at the time. They made New Zealand their home and they started afresh after experiencing the Second World War, the Cold War, and the Iron Curtain. It now concerns me that we do bring enthusiastic workers from the Pacific Islands to do the harvesting and cultivation within the horticultural sector and that we need to bring thousands of workers to fill the needs of the dairy industry. Is it not blindingly obvious to all that in doing the work that some of us despise, these newcomers end up creating wealth for themselves and their families to enjoy into the future? It is all symptomatic of a nation that is losing its way when a newcomer can come here and see opportunities that we cannot. Individually, we hold the key to our own success: careful living and good, honest, hard work. Personal responsibility and a desire to aspire should be the aim of us all. Lose this and we become no better than a domesticated animal.

Sir Henry Maine, speaking on social structure, put it well when he said: “Nobody is at liberty to attack private property and to say at the same time that he values civilisation. The history of the two cannot be disentangled.” For the institution of private property has been a wonderful institution for teaching man and woman responsibility, for providing motives to integrity, for supporting general culture, for raising mankind above the level of mere drudgery, for affording leisure to think and freedom to act. To be able to retain the fruits of one’s labour, to be able to see one’s work made manifest, to be able to bequeath one’s property to one’s posterity, to be able to rise from the natural condition of grinding poverty to the security of enduring accomplishment, to have something that is really one’s own—there are advantages with this difficult to deny.” In drafting policy and bringing forth legislation in this House, may all members continue to recognise the value of those who toil in the sun or labour under the tin roof, neither despising the value of that work or thinking that it is beyond one’s dignity, because the wealth of this nation was created on the back of physically demanding labour.

In conclusion, may I express my sincere thanks to all members of the House for the courtesy that they have accorded me. Thank you too for the joy of working for the best interests of all New Zealanders, particularly in the primary sector and in the science and education sector, while in Parliament. I am sure, though, that those who are coming behind us will be more than equal to the task. We do live in a blessed land.

To the parliamentary sporting trusts, what fun we had in raising money for the most worthy of causes, and in the camaraderie of winning two Parliamentary Rugby World Cups—one in Paris and the other in New Zealand. There was also the pleasure of coordinating the parliamentary and diplomats’ annual cricket challenges, and winning a few. That was quite good. I always remember Paul Swain leaving the House, having won that year against the diplomats. That having been said, we have not won for many years, for about a decade. I am asking the House to make sure that they support Ian McKelvie as he carries on the mantle of looking after the shield and keeping that cricket match going. It has been going for over 40 years, and it is actually quite an illustrious shield with some great MPs’ names on it.

If I have one disappointment in leaving Parliament, Mr Speaker, it is possibly one we share together. It is that wisdom has not prevailed when it has come to storing water in North Canterbury. Sadly—and this again is my observation, because I know that some of my Green colleagues would disagree—it is my view that a dog in a manger attitude still prevails, making progress slow and difficult.

Finally, I wish to thank the taxpayers of New Zealand for providing the funding for three new hospitals while I was MP in the electorate of Kaikōura. I am also delighted to have witnessed, as MP, the Te Tau Ihu Treaty settlement situation that has provided eight iwi with their settlements, which will restore their economic base into the future, and also to being a witness to, and being part of, the 8 years’ labour of love—the management of the Kaikōura coastline, the result of which is the bill I have here, under a pile of papers. I look forward to it being put through the House completely by the time the House rises. I thank the Minister of Conservation and I also thank the Leader of the House for putting that in place. We are very satisfied with everything that is going forward.

Just to conclude, for the most part, from my own point of view what is most satisfying is the momentum that has been achieved around education—the importance that has been put on the hands-on learning situation. Education is relevant. It needs to be relevant. If it is not relevant, you will have disengagement.

I want to thank everybody for the situation that I have enjoyed over the last 9 years. I acknowledge my wife and children. I acknowledge those people who have travelled across the Cook Strait. I acknowledge those people who are supporting departing members. I also acknowledge all the members in the House. We have worked in the very best interests of New Zealand. Kia kaha. Stand tall. Be proud. Thank you very much.

In life there are many different definitions of success, and in Parliament the same goes. There are many different definitions of what makes a successful politician. Nine years ago I entered Parliament, and, I have to say, I was pretty naïve. Some would probably argue that that has not changed too much. I had just won the Labour-held seat of Napier, the first time in 50 years, and I thought I had been pretty successful at that point in time. But like all politicians across this House, I entered this place with the intention of helping to create a better New Zealand. We all have the same purpose, just different ideas of how we might achieve that goal. But success in Parliament is not defined by just winning a seat or becoming a Cabinet Minister. Success comes with many different faces.

I recall in my first year a gym session with Rodney Hide—you might not want to think too hard about that—at the Bolton Hotel. We had a discussion about what made a successful politician. “You’ve got to take scalps.” was Rodney’s advice, as he sweated away on the cycling machine. “You can’t be successful in this place unless you take scalps.” was his advice. Shortly after, I was presented with a completely different face of success, from the Hon Jim Sutton, who in his valedictory reflected on the importance of retaining family to ensure a successful political career: “Public life is often a selfish business. It can be all-consuming.”, he said. “Those closest to public figures often pay a high or unfair price. To those I have hurt, I say ‘sorry’.”, said Jim. “To those who follow me here, I say ‘try to do better than I did’.” Throughout my own political career I have reflected on these words of sage advice.

For most, however, political success is defined with a more public face. On a daily basis we politicians are built up and we are cut down. Whether it be the number of bills you pass, the number of times you are mentioned in the press, or your performance in select committees, success here is very transparent. This all culminates in an annual ranking of Ministers and MPs. It is a humbling experience, and for some a crumbling experience. It is definitely not for the faint-hearted, that is for sure. The fact of the matter is that only a few of us make it to the very top of this game. There is only a small number of John Keys and Bill Englishes, and Helen Clarks and Michael Cullens. To those from across this House who make it to the very top in this game and who then stay there, you have my absolute respect. It is no mean feat, and staying there is even more difficult.

To John Key and to Bill English, I applaud you for your outstanding partnership and your leadership. I have been a member and a leader of many teams in my life, so I can genuinely say that being a part of this team has been an absolute privilege. To Cabinet and to my wider caucus, I congratulate you on leading our nation through one of the most difficult periods in our history. There is a depth to our team, often overlooked by commentators, that continues to provide new and exciting talent when others such as myself decide that their time in this place is at an end. That is exciting. Rejuvenation while a team is on top is often the hardest, but actually it is the best thing to ensure longevity. Can I thank all of my team for your support of both my wife, Angela, and my family throughout my time in this place.

I have not been one of the political rock stars. I have not climbed to the very top of the political ladder. In saying this, I am proud—I am very proud—to have been part of a team that has made, and continues to make, a huge contribution to this nation. I am proud of the part that I have played in that team. To use one of my dad’s analogies, it is all very well for the wingers to take the glory, but if the props and the hookers did not win the ball—[Interruption] That is right. There are some good props around, Mr Sabin. Listen to this. If the props and the hookers did not take the ball, there would be no applause for the Twinkletoes. I guess I have been one of those in the middle of the ruck.

Some commentators say that you need to watch those behind you more than those across the other side of the House. Well, that has not been my experience—far from it. I have absolutely loved my time here and the friendships that I have made, including many across the other side of the House and in the media. Thank you very much as well.

Recently I attended the Aspiring Leaders Forum, where the Maxim Institute brings together 120 of our young leaders. My own son Sam, who is in the gallery today, was fortunate to be an attendee there. The Warehouse Chief Executive Officer, Mark Powell, gave the keynote address and had another definition of success. He defined success as when you are part of something bigger than yourself and when you help others to flourish. It is a great definition of success and to this end Parliament has many, many more examples of successful people who by other measures have not risen to the top or who have by their actions allowed others to shine. I have many examples of these people whom I want to acknowledge this evening.

Can I start by thanking the people who have supported me while I have been in this place: my electorate office team—Tania Wright, Vicki Sanders, Sue Boyle, Sharon Coates, Sue Page, and Mary Crarer. Tania and Vicki have been with me from day one. Electorate agents, as we across this House all know, are the unsung heroes of an MP’s business. Day in and day out they deal with all spectrums of our society. Being an electorate MP is an incredible job. The diversity of the role is both challenging and rewarding. I want to thank the people of Napier, Wairoa, and the Hawke’s Bay for giving me the huge privilege to represent you over the last 9 years.

One of the more memorable experiences was being asked to be the guest of the Go Natural Lifestyle Club to open its new gazebo. I consulted my wife, Angela, as I was too scared to go on my own. She agreed to join me. I spent more time that Saturday morning deciding what to wear than on any other occasion I have ever been to since. Should I be in casual or formal dress, or should I be in my birthday suit? Who knows? Well, we arrived at 11.30 a.m., in time for a tour and lunch. To this day I will never forget driving up the pine-enclosed complex, pulling over in the car-park, and watching the reception party walk down to greet us both. Ange leaned over and whispered in my ear: “My God, CJ, they really are naked.”

In my neighbouring electorate, I want to acknowledge my good mate Craig Foss and his electorate staff, particularly Susanna Clark. We have worked closely together to take Hawke’s Bay forward. Reflecting back on my maiden speech, I set goals around Napier health, Napier community policing, the Hawke’s Bay Airport, business growth, and apple exports to Australia. Nine years on, I can confidently say that we have made good progress. We have secured a 10-year commitment to the Wellesley Road Health Centre. We have got community police in at Maraenui and in Tamatea. We extended the Hawke’s Bay Regional Airport runway, and we have championed business growth, trying to get an oil and gas industry and new irrigation up in the Hawke’s Bay. There is still more work to do there, Fossy, actually. Although still only small volumes, our efforts did help to ensure that apples can now be exported to Australia. I want to thank both Phil Goff and Tim Groser for their efforts in achieving that for us. Thank you.

The partnership between Craig and me, under the brand “Backing the Bay”, was a key factor in holding our seats for three consecutive terms. Craig, I have appreciated your friendship and support. In that regard, can I thank my Napier electorate team, who are out there supporting my replacement, Wayne Walford, as we speak. Some of you are here tonight. There are so many who have contributed, and too many to mention you all, but to my electorate chairs over the last 9 years, Tom Johnson, Marshall Savidge, Duncan Watson, Lynne Trafford, and now Ian Mayne, thank you very much.

To the National Party board, particularly my regional chairs, Patricia Morrison and Malcolm Plimmer, and national chairs, Judy Kirk and Peter Goodfellow, thank you for your support behind the scenes, enabling your MPs to bask in the sunshine.

To all the people of this House, from the cleaners to the security guards, who ensure the smooth running of Parliament, thank you. If there was ever a group of people who quietly go about ensuring that others can flourish, it is you.

My time on the backbench was a huge learning opportunity. There is no better place to learn the craft of politics than on the Opposition backbench. It is a great place to make a few mistakes and to live to fight another day. One big mistake that I made required an apology to my leader at the time, Don Brash. Early in my time as a constituent MP, we received a visit to Napier by the Earthrace biodiesel boat. One Peter Bethune visited my electorate office asking me to visit his boat in the Port of Napier. I was busy, but in the course of the conversation I worked out that he would be in Wellington during the next parliamentary sitting, so I agreed I would come and visit with a few colleagues. I suggested to Nick Smith that this would be a great opportunity to give Don some much-needed profile. Ah, not such a good idea! Nick agreed to invite Don. The rest is history and has become the stuff of walk-the-plank legends. Don, please accept my sincere apologies for that particular idea.

To Mac Dalton, Alistair Shelton, Pat Humphries, and Stefan Slooten, who have supported me in my parliamentary office, thank you. In particular, can I acknowledge Pat Humphries, who has worked in this amazing institution for much of her life. From junior backbench MPs to two Prime Ministers, Pat Humphries has supported MPs to rise to the top of the ladder. Pat, thank you. [Interruption] Yeah, give her a clap.

To my whip’s office team, a huge thank you for your support over the 3 years I served as a junior and senior whip. At the heart of that office is Sue Reid, who has guided many new whips in the right path. Thank you, Sue. I have often described the whip’s role as 50 percent sergeant major and 50 percent local pastor in the church. It is a role that requires the trust of the caucus. We were a tight team, as we are today. There are lots of stories that the whip becomes party to, many of which are not appropriate to share. However, I have one story I would like to tell that involves another apology, and this one is to Louise Upston. She is thinking: “What the heck have I done here?”. During the start of my parliamentary year, I was asked by the Young Nats to send a party representative to the Massey campus to participate in O-Week. I asked Louise to be our representative, to which she agreed. At 12 p.m. I received a call from the Young Nats: “Where is Louise?”. I called Louise. “I’m at the front gate.”, she said. “We’re at the front gates as well.”, said the Young Nats. It turns out that I had sent Louise to Palmerston North instead of to Wellington. I am sorry about that, Louise.

Can I thank my ministerial team, headed by Keith Mason, Jenna Raeburn, and Mary-Jane Rendell. Like Pat, Keith, who is up in the gallery today, has been a senior private secretary in this Parliament for over 20 years, working to support the success of Ministers across both sides of the House, for that matter, and now he is supporting Minister Parata. Although I was a Minister for only 2 years, it is an incredible workload that goes through a Minister’s office, with huge diversity. During my time it was great to lead a review of the Fire Service, to initiate significant change in the gambling sector, to introduce the right-hand turn law, to introduce online passports, to oversee the whole-of-Government information and communications technology strategy, and to lead the second tranche of local government reform, amongst all manner of other things.

I want to pay a huge tribute to the public sector, especially to the team at the Department of Internal Affairs. Under the leadership of Colin MacDonald, the Department of Internal Affairs has transformed into a modern, forward-looking department. Congratulations. There are many in the department who deserve a mention, none more than Marilyn Little. She has worked tirelessly for both sides of this House, providing outstanding advice, helping others to take the credit from her work.

When one comes to Parliament, we are all fortunate to give maiden speeches, and one’s valedictory is the chance to reflect on that speech. In my maiden speech, I commenced with a mihi: “Whāia te pae tawhiti kia tata. Whāia te pae tata. Whakamaua kia ū, kia tī-na.”

[Draw the distant and not so distant horizon closer to you. When that is achieved, grasp it firmly and permanently.]

The mihi speaks of reaching for the stars, pursuing one’s dreams. At the time it was remarked how unusual it was for a Pākehā New Zealander to use so much Te Reo in his maiden speech. I actually think our intake surprised more than a few and set a tone for the National Party, one that has truly connected us with middle New Zealand, not the far left or the far right. We came from vastly different walks of life: nurses, builders, diplomats, shearers—Colin King—teachers, shoe salesmen, teen parents, and even real estate agents. We understood what made Kiwis tick. A few of our number have risen through the ranks and many of us have been the solid core of the National caucus, providing stability, consistency and connection to people at the coalface. We have been the props and the hookers of the team. This connection has been continued through the 2008 and 2011 intake, which is absolutely fantastic.

When a mainstream party loses that connection with the aspirations of middle New Zealand, the results speak for themselves. To my colleagues, I say to never ever forget that. In regard to the goals I set in my maiden speech, I am proud to see how much progress has been made in the area of Treaty settlements and to see the huge progress in my own rohe. Although there are still settlements that need to be completed, we are in a totally different place from where we started. The Hon Chris Finlayson will be knighted at a future time for his service in this area. You can hold me to that! In my maiden speech I expressed concern at the lack of progress in our nation, at the lack of opportunities for my children and at the huge numbers of people leaving our shores.

In spite of the Christchurch earthquakes, the global financial crisis, and the meltdown of our second-tier finance sector, New Zealand is now judged as one of the best economies in the Western World. Just today Australia’s Treasurer, Joe Hockey, called New Zealand’s economy the envy of the world. It is fantastic to see the turn-round in the migration statistics. I am exceptionally proud to see that. Nothing else reflects people genuinely seeing a brighter future in Aotearoa than those migration statistics.

In addition to the goals that I set in my maiden speech, I am proud of my affirmative votes in the smacking legislation, the seabed and foreshore legislation, and the marriage amendment bill. In each of these bills I learnt that leadership is not always about following the status quo or majority opinion; leadership is about challenging the status quo for something that you believe is genuinely better. Under John Key’s leadership we have made huge progress. I am excited about the future of this country and the prospects available to all children in our nation, including my own children. With the economy in such great shape it is an excellent time to leave this House in search of new opportunities. I have already bought into two new businesses and am exploring a third. I am looking forward to re-engaging with my entrepreneurial passion. It is going to be challenging but exciting.

In particular, I will have more time to spend with my family, and it is my family whom I would most like to thank as I come to the end of my valedictory. In my maiden speech I said that I would endeavour to put families at the pinnacle of Government policy, because, I said, without strong families we have nothing. I have a strong family and they are here tonight, and even some of the members of my wider family in the provincial club—you know who you are. To my mother, Pam, thank you for your support, and for giving me the opportunity and the independence to do all that I wanted from a very young age. To my father, I miss you hugely and wish that you could be here with your family tonight. Dad, I am wearing your cufflinks tonight. To my brothers, Mark and Simon, we have often been measured against our father’s success, on the sporting field and in life. Each of us, however, has cut our own different paths. I am confident that he would have been very proud of each of us and of our young families. In saying that, I was never able to emulate my dad’s prowess on the sporting field. However, let the Hansard record for eternity that I did captain the Parliamentary Rugby Team to victory in the 2011 Parliamentary Rugby World Cup.

To my wife Angela’s parents and family, particularly to Trevor and Jeanette—thanks for Angela and for your huge support of me and our family. To Ange, Sam, Will, and Lily—I love you all dearly. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

So, have I been successful in this parliamentary career? By some measures, certainly; by others, not as well. Sorry, Rodney, I did not take any scalps while I was here, but I have been part of something bigger than myself, most definitely, and my efforts have allowed others to flourish. Yes, I have achieved that. I started my maiden speech in Te Reo, and will end it in our first language. In 2012 I took the Prime Minister to Wairoa, honouring a commitment I had made to the wonderful, wonderful people of that part of my electorate. On that day we had a number of pōwhiris, where we did not have a speaker to introduce the Prime Minister. That role, and the waiata, fell to me. Upon our return to the caucus on the following Monday, I was required by the Prime Minister to sing that waiata in the caucus room, possibly the first person ever to do so at the National Party caucus. It was rough. I will not make you suffer that again. But I will close with a whakatauāki—a proverb—that talks of a new beginning, a touch of frost, a new dawn. I think it is appropriate as I leave this place and pursue an exciting new future.

Whakataka te hau ki te uru, whakataka te hau ki te tonga. Kia mākinakina ki uta, kia mātaratara ki tai. E hī ake ana te atākura, he tio, he huka, he hauhunga. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. Kia ora.

[Cease the winds from the west, cease the winds from the south. Let the breezes blow over the land, let the breezes blow over the ocean. Let the red-tipped dawn come with a sharpened air, a touch of frost and a promise of a glorious day. So greetings and salutations to you collectively and to us all. Thank you. ]

When I first entered this House 9 years ago I was a list member of Parliament in a Labour-held safe seat. I leave this place as the electorate member of Parliament for Waimakariri in a National-held seat. This just goes to show that anything can happen and one should never ever take one’s electorate for granted. Now I will leave this place, never ever to suffer defeat as an electorate MP. I especially want to thank the 16,787 voters of Waimakariri—well, actually, one of them was me—who entrusted me with their electorate vote and with the responsibility of representing them in Parliament. What a tremendous honour and a privilege. Constituency work has always been for me the most satisfying aspect of the job. There is nothing better than seeing a constituent come into my office with a problem and leave without it. Of course, not all problems are able to be solved. To the 20,489 Waimakariri voters who had the common sense and wisdom to give National their party vote, well done, thank you, and long may that trend continue and long may National be the party of choice for you. By the way, when I first stood, our party vote in Waimakariri was in deficit by 6,790 votes. We won the party vote that election by 81 votes, a good reflection that indeed every vote does count. In total, that is a turn-round of about 20,000 party votes during my tenure.

I have been an Opposition backbencher and a Government backbencher. I have been a list member of Parliament and an electorate member of Parliament, and I do not need to comment on which is better. I have been given the absolute privilege of being a Cabinet Minister. That is like being selected for the All Black team. Not everyone gets to be an All Black, and not every All Black gets to play 100 test matches. So I feel very honoured and privileged to have been selected for the team and to have been able to play my part. Thanks, in particular, to our Prime Minister, the Rt Hon John Key. Without a doubt, he is one of the best Prime Ministers in New Zealand’s history. I will certainly take some reflected glory in having been selected as part of his Cabinet team for just over 4 years, and his caucus team. For those who have not yet read the biography, I feature on pages 194 and 215.

💬 Hon Member: It’s a good read.

It is a good read. The stewardship and governance of New Zealand, shown especially by both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance, Bill English, throughout what have undoubtedly been some of our most challenging times have been outstanding, and I will always be proud of being part of that team.

Special thanks must go to my electorate team over the years, my National Party volunteers, friends, and family, many of whom are here today and who have travelled so far just to be here. It is a bit embarrassing, really. If they had not believed in me, supported me, befriended me, advised me, fed me, and looked after me, I would not have been here in the first place, I would not have been able to be here for 9 years, and my tenure here would not have been so fantastic. Thank you also to them and to the National Party for honouring me with this opportunity. To my class of 2005, thank you. To my caucus colleagues, it has been a fantastic journey together. Those remaining do have a huge responsibility to keep looking after our country, making sure it does not get into the wrong hands, protecting both our economy and our environment. I know that you will do this well. To my fellow valedictors—if that is a word—all the best with your post-parliamentary lives. To Natalie, Nat, Natto—she hates that—my executive assistant and then my senior private secretary, you are the best person I have ever worked with. You seemed to understand me, which was no mean feat. You held our team together in room 4.3. I will not embarrass you by tabling in the House your long-awaited reference from me, but here it is. Pick it up later over drinks. To all my team, who are all here except for Svar, who I understand is, hopefully, watching this from Russia, thank you for all your support and friendship over the years.

They say things happen in threes. Well, I was a member of Parliament in Canterbury. Under my watch the worst natural disaster, the earthquakes, happened. I was Minister of Conservation. Under my watch the worst environmental maritime disaster, the Rena, happened. And I was Minister of Labour. Under my watch the worst workplace safety disaster, Pike River, happened. Can I say that at least as Associate Minister of Immigration I did not let Mike Tyson into the country.

Like every Canterbury member of Parliament, the earthquake events will always stand out for me. What a remarkable time to be a member of Parliament for an electorate and in a home town that was devastated by the earthquakes. I feel honoured to have helped our district in my capacity as MP through what has surely been its darkest time, from shovelling silt during those early days to informing residents of each and every new service and funding the National-led Government provided towards our recovery, as well as the hours and hours of work helping our residents navigate through the repair and rebuild of their homes. We have all learnt so much together, developing a new vocabulary along the way and learning about resilience and community—concepts we lived and which held us together so well. To the Hon Gerry Brownlee, Canterbury and Christchurch owe you a huge debt of gratitude. Your legacy will be remarkable.

I have always believed that New Zealand is the best country in the world, and that was certainly borne out during my nearly 4 years as Minister of Conservation. What a fantastic portfolio to have had the privilege of holding. I remember to this day my very first kiwi release. To hold one of those iconic, beautiful birds was a treasure I shall always remember. On this first occasion I was given some very sage advice as I was holding the kiwi firmly, fondly, and possessively. I must admit that the advice was not that welcome. Basically, I was advised in no uncertain terms. They said: “Minister, the idea of a kiwi release is you actually let go of the kiwi and release it.” Thank you, Gavin. One of the absolute highlights, apart from naming one of our kākāpō Jack—who, by the way, is now 3 years old, fit, well, and starting to boom—

💬 Hon Members: Oh!

Exactly. One of the highlights has to be taking Prince William to Kāpiti Island. What a delightful young man. I would not mind hanging him up in my wardrobe. I have a photo hanging in pride of place on my wall of the prince flanked by the Prime Minister and me. I must admit there was a fleeting moment when I considered cropping the photo, but I did not. The trick, as we all know, with photos is to try to stand in the middle so there is no possibility of being cropped out. Sorry, Nathan. I also remember, when I was Minister of Conservation, having to do a media stand-up with my colleague Gerry Brownlee, who was then Minister of Energy and Resources. There were some critics who said I was not even there, so I just want to put it on the record once and for all that I can assure them I was there; it is just that the camera lens maybe was not wide enough for the both of us.

In my time as Minister of Labour there were good times and bad times. The ink on my warrant barely had time to dry when I was told that my 90-day trial bill would be one of the first in our term to go on the Order Paper. It has now been in place for just on 6 years. The protections we built into the legislation worked, and in that time there has been no amendment needed apart from, of course, extending it from small businesses to all businesses. Indeed, that one piece of policy and legislation was credited with having provided 13,000 new jobs in its first year. We had finally caught up with what had happened in most jurisdictions throughout the world. It would be sad if ideology reversed all this. It has helped so many and hurt so few.

Most memorable, sadly, was the Pike River mining tragedy. I cannot resile from the absolute fact that 29 men died under my watch. Although I was not personally responsible, I was the responsible Minister, and it happened under my watch. We all wish we could turn back the clock and prevent such a disaster and keep those men safe. We cannot, but I am proud of the setting up of the Royal commission inquiry and now the implementing of its recommendations, putting the spotlight on workplace safety. We often have a national culture of “she’ll be right”, but it too often is not right. We lose a worker about once a week and a farmer once a month, and a farmer is hurt about every 30 minutes. So often, those deaths and injuries could have been avoided. We need to change that culture and simply look after our workmates. Governments can do only so much and can be only so effective. Workplaces and workmates can do more.

The food safety portfolio is a fascinating one, although when I was first given the portfolio, a good friend of mine did comment that if the Prime Minister had looked inside my fridge, he would not have given me food safety. Anyway, it started for me with the folic acid debate—not the most memorable one for me. Throughout all the discussions as to how many slices of bread one would need to consume to get the daily intake of folic acid, remarkably it went unnoticed that, actually, I cannot even eat bread. However, the portfolio ended for me with a success, having negotiated with our Australian counterparts on a joint health claims standard. I even had the Australian Minister who chairs the forum make a special trip over here to see me, not particularly happy about trying to convince New Zealand to go with the Australians and not opt out of a joint standard. We won through in the end; otherwise it would have stifled innovation and cost our businesses millions, if not billions, of dollars. There are two lessons from that. Firstly, we have definitely not lost our sovereignty to Australia, and, secondly, if it is good news, it does not always get the good publicity it deserves. In fact, more column space was spent on my being mistakenly referred to as “Kate Middleton” than on this food treaty success.

Our work in select committees, as has been said, often goes unnoticed by the public. They do not often see the collaborative approach to make good law, whatever our respective ideologies and beliefs. My first success in a select committee was changing the word “the” to the word “a”, and one of my last successes was changing “can” to “may”. Words can, indeed, make a difference. Yet we still have some really, really stupid laws, or maybe it is just that we have enabled some of our laws to be interpreted stupidly. Why, for example, can I no longer use my business card in the regulated period? Apparently, that is deemed electioneering. It is a business card, for goodness’ sake, and I am not even standing for re-election.

Local successes are always the sweeter. I am particularly proud to have been instrumental in obtaining our health hub in Rangiora, and thanks must go to the Hon Tony Ryall for his support on this and for making it happen. This is a milestone eagerly and long awaited by residents to supplement our world-class St John Ambulance paramedic team serving residents after hours, an award-winning response model. It is so much more worthwhile and responsible to look pragmatically and objectively for solutions rather than negatively focusing on the problems. I always preferred to work hard behind the scenes and help solve problems in priority to trying to attract any headline.

We all have a best-before date and a use-by date, although I believe that some do not recognise either. But I was reminded of that at a university club day I was attending, to help out and support our wonderful, energetic, and enthusiastic Young Nats. A student coming up to our stand made the comment to me: “You look familiar. Do I know you?”. Since I am not one ever to use the phrase “Don’t you know who I am?”, one of our helpful Young Nats started to say “Oh, she is a local MP. She is a Minister.”, etc., when the inquirer interrupted and said: “I know. You remind me of my grandmother.” That was a reality check. Still, the alternative to getting older is worse, but it does serve to remind us that this is not a job for life. It goes very quickly and we must make the most of each and every day. Most of us come to this place to make a difference, to make New Zealand a better place. Some do it better than others, some have different views on how to make that difference, some do it differently than others, and probably some do not make any difference at all. I hope in my small way that I have made some small difference to some people.

It is a remarkable thing, though. As soon as I made the decision not to stand again, my bucket list magically got bigger and bigger. So now it is time to start emptying that bucket. A big job, I know, but I am up for it. Until 20 September I have a job to do, but then I am away to tick off the first agenda item on my bucket list. It will be the first time in 9 years that I have not had to ask the permission of our whips. Obviously, there will be some things I will miss about this place, but there are also things I definitely will not miss. No longer will I have to ask for leave to go to the Christchurch Show Day or to go on holiday. I will always cherish my time working with and for our residents of Waimakariri as their MP. I have loved the job. I have valued the opportunity. I have been humbled by the privilege. But now it is time to step away and tread a different path, or, as my GPS frequently tells me, “route recalculation”.

As some have been known to say, I have been around for over 30 million minutes so far—not all in this place, although nearly 5 million minutes have been spent here. It is time for me to use those remaining minutes differently. There are now more restaurants and bars in Christchurch than before the earthquakes—more than 120 new ones. I have not tried them all, so I can start working my way through them. Bucket list, here I come. In closing, can I say that in 2005 I was so excited to be here, and now, 9 years later, I am so excited to leave.

Waiata

Sitting suspended from 5.56 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.