Valedictory Statements

Ā, tēnā koe, Mr Speaker, tēnā koutou Te Whare Pāremata me te tangata whenua o Te Motu, me ngā Tangata Tiriti katoa. Tenā rā koutou, nau mai, haere mai ki Te Whare Pāremata, Te Whare Raruraru, Te Whare Mamae, Te Whare Kaha!

[Thank you, Mr Speaker, and to you collectively Parliament House, indigenous people of the country, and all Treaty people. Salutations indeed to you collectively, welcome and come hither to the House of Parliament, the troubled House, the House of pain, the House of strength!]

I make this speech with profound gratitude to all the people who have helped me do this job for the past 8½ years, and with few regrets. Possibly, my greatest regret is not being in the Government so I could establish the “Ministry of Pākehā Affairs” and create the national standard for honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. “Dear Mrs Brash, your son Don is well below, again.”

However, before the thankyous, I need to name the inspiration that has carried me and the deep disquiet that keeps me awake at night. Che Guevara said: “The life of a single human being is worth a million times more than all the property of the richest man on earth.” I have been guided by this view, and by this whakataukī: “Whatungarongaro he tangata, toitū he whenua.”—“People perish, but the land remains.” Thank you to kuia Betty Williams for what you have taught me. These two statements are not contradictions; they are complementary truths. If this makes some of us green-red watermelons, how sweet is that? The watermelon is the most colourful, refreshing, and delicious fruit imaginable.

But all is not well in the garden of Aotearoa. In the past 8½ years we have seen this country become even more unequal and dirty. I could be referring just to the quantity and quality of our water, but it is a universal degradation. In the past 8½ years politics has become depoliticised, celebrity-trivialised, and empty. This is not an accident of Facebook; it is a consequence of neo-liberal strategies to reduce citizen’s scrutiny of the concentration of power, at the expense of our survival on earth and our humanity towards each other. “New Zealand Inc.” replaces Aotearoa as the brand we must embrace, while the beggars on Lambton Quay are just a necessary price they must pay for failing in the great competition of hypercapitalism. While we read about Bill English cooking up some tasteless, folksy food designed to fabricate Kiwi authenticity, the real game show grinds on, glamorising consumption, ignoring the chaos of the climate and the collapse of endangered species—the cruelty of a stripped-down, irresponsible State under corporate control. How about they go take their social investment rhetoric and insulate their invisible social housing with it?

In my time here, we could have had the overdue deeper national conversation on Te Tiriti - based constitutional change. Tangata whenua are ahead of us, as usual, offering collective wisdom in the face of colonisation’s mutating virus—Aotearoa, a Pasifika nation whose double-hulled waka could float in a storm with all crew safely on board, instead of sitting in a cold, broken flat watching rich men race superyachts around in circles.

There are many alternatives to the current degraded state of the nation. As the poet Pablo Neruda said: “You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep the spring from coming.” What might a transformed spring look like in the 21st century? Spring inevitably has indigenous roots, vibrant with reimagined political structures based on caring, distributive, steady-state economics, the technology of respect, and a few wealth taxes thrown in—full employment, housing for all, free education and healthcare, not market economics. That religion is over, and it failed to provide. We have to start with an economic system that supports the collective dignity of indigenous people, the unemployed and working class, women, children, refugees, exploited migrants, and the so-called disabled. As my satirical poem “Double the quota of white men, you can never have enough” so crudely states, it is time for a different definition of whose voices matter. I may not see this in my lifetime. I want it for my mokopuna. The alternative is our “down home” version of a Trump dystopia, and it is too here and too now.

In my time in Parliament I have been proud to work with so many people on public education, inclusion in education, mining, clean awa, Te Tiriti rights, and toxic sites. I have been champion of some of the least-popular causes ever brought before this House—[Interruption] it is true; thank you, people—connected to disability, human rights, and contaminated land. I am most proud of the work that I have done with others—I have just lost my place here. That is the trouble with reading when you just like talking, eh? I am most proud of the work for a free and independent West Papua. Our Pacific neighbours are violently occupied by Indonesia and their resources and human rights plundered, while our Government is literally useless. I hope my colleagues in the MP network will keep making this issue visible. I will be on your case from the outside. Political freedom gives us responsibility.

One of the reasons I am looking forward to going home is the necessity we have in the Hauraki-Coromandel to stop multinationals from goldmining. After 30 years of activism, I want to honour the Coromandel Watchdog family and all our communities that have been willing to protect home. We have a Government whose economic plan is dirty water, development, and holes in the ground. We will never accept this. We are motivated by the love of the land, not the dollar.

I am also proud of what can be practically achieved in Opposition. My partner, Gordon Jackman, and I negotiated a memorandum of understanding with Nick Smith that set up a national register of contaminated sites. Working with Chris Finlayson, we changed a clause in the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act to ensure archaeologists must demonstrate cultural competency to hapū and iwi. I have had a number of members’ bills—five selected—that have raised the issue of things like a disability commissioner, and the Public Works Act and Māori land, not to mention the seemingly eternal struggle to get pulp mill waste out of the Tarawera awa.

Thanks to all the groups and individuals who have taught me so much about all these causes. I give particular thanks to the rangatahi who have given me their honest feedback about the education system. This quote is from Crystal Te Moananui, from the youth rōpū Te Mata Rangatira of Hauraki—kia ora—“You set us up to fail in a system we don’t fit, now you ask for my compliance, my forgiveness. Well, I resist. Until your debt is paid and education includes my world. Take what you have offered, leave my pounamu and take your pearls.” She was 15 when she wrote that.

I want to thank the Green Party for giving me a place and, at this very moment, inspiring me again that we stand for all people and for justice, as well as for the environment. The Right is desperate to keep us in a tidy little green box, focused on the environment minus people. It will fail in the attempt because our mission has always been the commitment to the inseparable solutions of environmental healing and social justice. Many of us believe that if we are neutral and allow injustice to continue to happen, we are siding with the oppressor. Today is a particularly good day to reflect on that.

When I joined the party, we started working on our commitment to honouring Te Tiriti. Not settling treaties but honouring them is the task, as Moana Jackson has reminded us. I am proud to be one the few Pākehā to stand in this House for Te Tiriti, because it is only via this kaupapa that we, the dominant privileged with our oft-denied default racism, can transform ourselves into tangata Tiriti—people of honour with a place to stand.

To everyone who wants change so badly this election, let us be brave and honest. A pallid centrism will not serve us or this country. The era of the slick, bland slogan is over; truth to power, or, as some unlikely leader said, for the many, not for the few.

I have many people to thank. Firstly, the cleaners, messengers, security, library, IT staff, and the Copperfields staff—you have been most kind, most professional people to work with. Some of your wages are a disgrace, but you are the opposite. Thank you too to the Chamber staff for all your work, and the Clerk’s Office. All of you guys have been so patient and so professional.

To my entire office team, starting with Liz Robinson, Frances Mountier, Asher Goldman, Jess Bignell, and Himiona Grace: only you know how truly incompetent at basic tasks an MP can possibly be. Also, grateful thanks to Elinor Chisolm and Mary Davies Colley for their short-term help. Thank you for helping me to find “Bold” on the computer.

💬 Hon Members: Ha, ha!

You think I am joking? You have all given me hope for a generation and held me to account. Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou. To all the Greens staff—the hard-working, dedicated, and patient champions—thank you all for all you did to make a better collective effort, for which I got the credit that belonged to us.

Thank you also to where I come from, for Te Tai Rāwhiti and Hauraki-Coromandel Greens, who work so hard for the common good, and to all the people who are here because they are not only political allies but true friends. Thank you, politicians from across the House, for the small courtesies that keep us human in this status-ridden, patriarchal institution that needs a shake-up. Man, you are going to miss these speeches!

To the other women who walked out of this House together to reject any disrespect of our very selves as sexual assault survivors, I am proud to be one of your number. We walk this painful path for all the daughters everywhere. I want a Prime Minister—or co - Prime Minister; hang in there, Metiria, we love you—who does not have to be told not to touch a woman’s ponytail or that a river is not a commercial property flowing out to sea and wasting itself. This MP job is for grown-ups, not shallow gamblers.

We are lucky in the Greens. We stand on the shoulders of Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons. My thanks to all my Green colleagues, past and present, especially Sue Bradford and Rod Donald, who encouraged me in this perilous venture. And to our current caucus, thank you so much. Thank you for putting up with my ranting, bad jokes, and other character flaws. I am so proud to have been here with you through all of this, especially today, and I wish you all the best. Kia kaha; do not give up. If you get power, be very careful, and listen hard to the outside voices. Remember, power and leadership is a shared kaupapa that can be exercised in many forms.

I want to say to the younger generation of Greens—and yes, I do mean you, Jack McDonald—whose energy and idealism inspires me, that it is not natural for politicians to become more conservative and compromised. I am living proof. Of course, I am the typical person! But privilege and high status can do that to anyone. This place creates an unusual and somewhat delusional experience of power, and we must be held to account, for our own sake, as well as for the country.

Finally, to my family. In the time since I have been here we lost both our parents, who were here for my maiden speech. I am glad that I was here in Wellington for that time, and I need to thank everyone, but especially three people: my sister, Sarah, who cared for our parents and for me throughout this whole time, and who has shown me what caring for others looks like; my daughter, Esther, for the kindness and the encouragement and for always being on my side, telling me what to wear and where the stains were on my clothes, and our shared life, as a mother and a grandmother, which has kept me sane; and to my beloved partner, Gordon Jackman, my rock, my brain, my scientist, my guide, your love is the reason I am still standing upright—your politics, your generosity, your sacrifice.

Lastly, I want to say to my grandson, Leo, this is all for you, my darling—you and your generation, who have a huge challenge ahead. I believe in a better way for you, and thank you for making Nannie play soccer every Monday and not be able to talk at the same time.

💬 Metiria Turei: Well done.

Yeah, well, I tried. Right now, I also want to particularly acknowledge my co-leaders, Met and James. They rock.

I am done with this place, although I nearly changed my mind—like David Lange—this morning, because I thought: “I want to fight alongside my brothers and sisters.” However, I am done, and I have some views, which I have written down. More of that later, but, in the meantime, I will see you on the steps outside, but from the other side of the barrier. I am looking forward to the fresh air out there.

He mihi nui ki a koutou katoa, he mihi nui ki te whānau whānui; tēnā rā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[A huge appreciation to you all and to the extended family; acknowledgments, accolades, and congratulations to you collectively and to us all.]

Now, do not clap; we are going to sing.

Waiata

It is an honour to deliver a valedictory speech; so many MPs do not have that opportunity. Some of my favourite words have always been possibilities, opportunities, and curiosity. If one is curious, it is possible to create opportunities and then, if the door is opened further, possibilities are created; that is how I have viewed my time in this House. So today is not just another day for me; it is a new opportunity and a new beginning. For me, personally, 2017 has been a very challenging year; a year that without the support of many of you would have created so many more challenges.

So I am going to begin with my thanks to the many people who have been at my side during this journey. Mr Speaker, thank you for your patience, tolerance, and understanding. It is very much appreciated. It was not easy when my husband became ill. Eventually, I was needed elsewhere. Likewise, with my own medical challenges, unfortunately, my health became the priority, and the district health board dictates my activities. I think back to my former colleagues Helen Duncan from the North Shore electorate and the late Parekura Horomia coming to sit in this House when they were so ill. I count myself very fortunate that I am able to attend the numerous hospital appointments and ongoing treatments that are necessary and will continue to be for some time.

To my leader, the Rt Hon Winston Peters, thank you for your support and for allowing me to follow this course of action. It has meant a lot to me and my family. It has been a privilege and an honour to have worked with you and for you. I am sure that history will portray you as one of the greatest political leaders in recent New Zealand history, which I know you definitely are.

To my colleagues within New Zealand First, thank you for your support in covering my various duties. Election years are notoriously frantic and I appreciate all that you have done. I have followed you in the House. I have kept the TV on for question time, which, as a whip, you no doubt expected.

To my colleagues across the House, thank you for your kind messages of support. Your messages of support were and are appreciated, and it ensured that I did not feel alone. I feel very humbled, because I know that you are all very busy people, so thank you.

I would also like to take this opportunity to give thanks to my fellow members of the Health Committee, ably chaired by Simon O’Connor. Though we have not always agreed on all issues, it is a very productive committee and we have always worked towards a common goal: improving the health outcomes of all New Zealanders.

I would like to thank the New Zealand First Party, all of its members, the staff, and the volunteers for the wonderful opportunity to become a member of this House and for your support and encouragement. It is a demanding role and a true privilege to participate in the democratic process on your behalf.

The New Zealand First parliamentary team has been outstanding, and I want to thank those who have worked for me: Anne Moore, Philip Wakefield, Api Dawson, Elizabeth Miles, Carol Braganza, and Maree Myers. You have all ensured that my office has worked as perfectly as possible and you have done all of the hard work. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with you and I have appreciated your support.

To my out-of-Parliament staff, Kelly Hunt and Laura Hopkins, thank you for all of the outstanding work that you have done. I know that I could not have managed or completed the number of constituent inquiries without your input. These inquiries were never easy, particularly when New Zealand First was often the last port of call. Clients wanted a miracle and, Kelly and Laura, you gave them hope and you delivered some miracles too. So thank you both for managing under extremely difficult circumstances. It is much appreciated.

I am very appreciative of the fantastic support that I have enjoyed from the Parliamentary Service team, from the Office of the Clerk, the security team, the Copperfields and the Bellamy’s team, and the cleaners. Roland, thank you for your oversight of the House. I would particularly like to thank the team at the library, without whom life as a list MP would be extremely difficult. You all do an outstanding and wonderful job, sometimes working to very tight deadlines, which can be very trying for us as MPs and no doubt for you as well. Priorities can change. Never underestimate the work that you all do. It would be an uphill struggle without your expertise.

Some very important people in our lives are the Chamber and gallery team. It would be totally impossible for me to count the number of glasses of water that you have brought to me over the years. One can get amazingly thirsty in this Chamber. Service with a smile and a kind word is appreciated, so thank you very much for your focus and dedication.

To my son, Alister, thank you for your patience and tolerance. I have been away from home for many years, and we have delayed celebrating important events on the day, so thank you. I remember only too well when I first came into Parliament in 2002 and you were in year 7, telling me not to mess up because one day you would be here and you did not want to live down any mistakes that I had made. I remember being quite astonished. I had had a relatively successful career in the corporate world and I had not messed up. I could only think to say to you that the reverse also applied: I did not want to read anything about you in the newspapers. I believe that we have each lived up to our side of the bargain, and I believe that that will carry on. Thank you for all the help and assistance you so willingly gave to me, particularly at election time. I can only hope that someday I can return the favour.

Thanks must also go to the various family members who have helped me out—particularly at election time. Loreen, your assistance on the North Shore was invaluable. Diane, your focus on the well-being of children helped enormously and ensured that I retain a similar passion. Thank you for your ideas and assistance, which definitely provided great direction. Our families pay a huge price to enable us to do this work, and I extend my thanks to you all. To my friends, I appreciate your understanding and thank you for your support. I have often been a challenging guest, arriving late and leaving early. To Milan, my friend, thank you for your support over the years; your reliability is second to none. I was always in the right place at the right time—likewise, with Ross in Hamilton.

I would like to thank the members of the press gallery, past and present. I believe that I have had fair treatment from you. I did not come into Parliament to be a headline act, but rather to assist people to receive fair and just treatment from the various Government departments that are a part of the lives of so many. It was basically an extension of the various human resource roles that I have previously held, and I was able to do that along with my outstanding out-of-Parliament staff.

Last but not least, I want to thank all of the wonderful voluntary organisations that I have met with for their time and knowledge. It was always a humbling experience to hear about the great work that you were doing out in the community. It has sparked a passion.

Nine years in Opposition and 3 years being a part of the Labour-New Zealand First confidence and supply agreement has meant that I did have some wins in some areas. The greatest achievement was to ensure that free medical care for the under-sixes was to continue as a part of life. The Hon Pete Hodgson worked hard with me to ensure that this really did become a reality. We would have liked to have extended this policy to the under-13s, but just could not at this time. However, we were totally delighted to see the National Government eventually put this policy into action.

💬 Rt Hon Winston Peters: Very wise.

Very wise indeed.

Oral health care for children is an area that I am passionate about, as I believe what gets measured gets done. My select committee colleagues can attest to that. Children who have had their front teeth extracted in their early years have so many challenges. It is very difficult to speak and read, so many do not reach their potential. Unfortunately, the permanent teeth do not have a guide, so often require orthodontic work that is unaffordable. So these children are basically wanting until they can do something about it themselves, which many cannot and do not. I am hoping that someone else on the Health Committee will take an interest in this very important area. We all talk about child poverty, and this is an area that is indicative of poverty, but it is absolutely essential for a child’s well-being. I would like to acknowledge the Hon Annette King for her unending support on this issue. Children need the very best start in life if they are to become the best that they can be. To unleash that potential is essential. Children are our future.

Over the years that I have been in Parliament, I have believed—and still do—that a preventative approach to health problems must be followed. Pressure has to be taken off the public health system. The bottom line is that our nurses and our doctors are frantically busy, always looking after the patients. There is rarely a quiet time and, unfortunately, I have personally seen and experienced this. The reality is that people cannot work at maximum output all of the time for every shift, and that is what is currently occurring. Our doctors and our nurses do an absolutely wonderful job, despite the many challenges, and they do need some hope that this constant pressure is not going to result in burnout.

I believe that it is time to consider other approaches to health because, despite increases in health spending, our population is both increasing and ageing. There are few winners. Two of my members’ bills drawn from the ballot attempted to relieve this pressure on the public health system. Unfortunately, both bills never proceeded past the first reading, but I live in hope that the Minister and the Government will eventually have to consider these courses of action.

To ensure that SuperGold card members can visit their GPs three times annually for free was an attempt to keep this special group of citizens well and out of hospital. We know that small ailments can be treated before they become debilitating illnesses, as many do, and result in the person being in hospital. It makes common sense to prevent the necessity of a hospital stay. Preventative measures such as this will benefit everyone and save our health system some much-needed dollars in the future. Likewise, encouraging employers to take out private medical insurance for their employees, and getting some recognition for doing this, was also an attempt to relieve pressure on the public health system. The public health system is essential. We need it, but it does need to be sustainable.

Now, another area that I have enjoyed working on has been that of petitions. In Opposition, that is the only way that one can make a difference. We always need to be aware of the matters that affect the lives of others and attempt to get those matters aired in Parliament, if possible, to get some action and hope for sufferers. Surgical mesh is one of those issues. The Health Committee made some recommendations that we believe outline a way forward. Lives have been ruined and potential has been taken away. I can only applaud MeshDownUnder for the superb work that it has done in raising this issue. I hope that there is eventually a positive outcome. One should not have to live in pain after a medical procedure. However, it does go against the grain to leave work unfinished but, unfortunately, I will not see this project completed. However, I will keep an eye on it and I know my colleagues will continue to seek positive action for those affected.

So, for me, it has always been a goal to try to work issues out and serve the many people who have approached us for assistance. Petitions have become an important avenue for me. When I entered Parliament in 2002, I said that I wanted to help people. I know that I have achieved this for many; not always with the most-wanted outcome, but usually an outcome.

On the subject of children’s health, I would like to see a stronger focus on education in schools, for children to learn about healthy eating and nutrition. This is an important factor in the fight against obesity. I have had the privilege of seeing Project Energise in action at a primary school in Hamilton, and was impressed at the results. Children often bring that knowledge home to their mum and dad, which can change the habits of an entire family. This programme is something that should be celebrated and rolled out across as many schools as possible.

I cannot leave this House without mentioning the urgent need for an independent review of our mental health service. We have all seen that the system is under immense pressure and changes do need to be made. Our unacceptably high suicide rate demands urgent action. I know that those who come after me in New Zealand First will bring new knowledge and new skills to build a strong team and pick up on some of those issues that I have not completed.

The next chapter of my life is about to begin. I will be fit again and, as soon as possible, I will be contributing to the voluntary sector. There is so much that can be done. I believe that I have done my best in this House and I go with my integrity intact, which is important to me. I wish all of my colleagues across the House the very best for the upcoming election and thank you for your friendship, and I hope that our paths will cross again. I know that all of us come to work each day with the aim of improving the lives of all New Zealanders, despite our different ways of going about it. So thank you for all of your support over the years. Take care and go well.

[Applause]

Waiata

The Parliament of Aotearoa New Zealand has it better than many other parliaments around the world. We govern a beautiful, peaceful country where the climate is mostly agreeable, good for growing food, and great for getting outdoors. But our people are our greatest asset. They are fair-minded and hard-working, and they value tolerance and resilience. Our young land shakes us up from time to time, but we do not face the challenges of other countries—wars, political unrest, unforgiving droughts, or ongoing devastating floods—so it should be relatively easy, eh?

The greatest ongoing challenge we face is how we improve our collective wealth in a sustainable way and how we distribute that fairly so that everyone benefits from it, and yet we are getting that relatively simple task wrong. Increasing homelessness, a growing need for food parcels from food banks, children going to school hungry, worsening domestic violence, too many people waiting for too long in too much pain, and one of the highest suicide rates in the world are all outward signs that our relatively wealthy country is not getting it right and can do much, much better.

In my maiden speech of almost 12 years ago, the basic right for us to have decent work in order to live, rather than living just to work, was at the forefront of my first speech. So it is no surprise that my first achievement under a Labour-led Government was to have my member’s bill ensuring meal and rest breaks at work picked up and passed as a Government bill in 2007. Along with working to secure the funding to clean up Te Aroha’s toxic Tūī Mine, it was a good start. It is deeply ironic that my last act in this Parliament will be debating the exact same member’s bill, in my name, to get that basic right reinstated after the current Government took it away in the intervening period. Talk about coming full circle. Look, I know that there is something to be said about synergy, but that is just plain ridiculous.

Along the way, I have injected my proposal for a commuter train service between Hamilton and Auckland into most speeches, no matter what topic we were actually debating in Parliament at the time. I worked to help people with desperate housing needs who faced unnecessary stonewalling from Government departments and had problems getting the help they needed on complex problems in our fourth-largest city, and did I remember to mention that Hamilton is indeed our fourth-largest city? Yes, I do think that Hamilton is our most underrated city. It is a relaxed but high-performing hub of innovation and creativity, and with the right leadership it has the opportunity to learn the lessons from Auckland’s mistakes so that it will grow and continue to be a place for people to live, to raise their families, and to thrive.

I also tabled some large petitions in Parliament, including one on pay equity with 15,800 signatures; one to establish that Hamilton commuter train, with 11,500 signatures; and a plea to bring back Hamilton’s community policing model, which was signed by 550 people. On every one of those big issues, National blocked the petitioners from even being heard, and I think that is wrong.

In 2009 I exposed the Government’s plans to cut funding for early childhood education services. Its target was qualified teachers, and it came on the back of scrapping the planned increased teacher ratios for under-3-year-olds. Quality for our youngest learners at a time when their brain development is at its best was under attack.

It was the same year I wrote my bill extending paid parental leave to 26 weeks for very much the same reasons that I was arguing against those cuts to early childhood education. That year, the growing global financial crisis loomed large and the Labour caucus did need some convincing that it was a priority, but it was great training for when I presented the idea to the New Zealand public. That happened at Easter 2012. Yes, my bill rattled around in the biscuit tin for 3 long years. At 2 p.m. on the day it was drawn out at the midday ballot, I plonked myself next to Peter Dunne and reminded him that he had promised to support this measure. The Green Party, New Zealand First, the Māori Party, and the Mana Party also supported 26 weeks’ paid parental leave. It was game on. Two amazing young mums, Rebecca Matthews and Fleur Fitzsimons, established a coalition of community organisations to support the proposals, and the 26 for Babies coalition was born.

It was amazing to run a positive campaign from the Opposition benches that required communicating a message that resonated with New Zealanders while keeping the support of five other political parties. I relished that challenge. To this day, I still feel exceptionally proud to represent a country where, at the height of the global financial crisis, most New Zealanders agreed it was a priority to put children first by funding 26 weeks’ paid parental leave.

This campaign was full of remarkable moments, but I want to highlight two events. The first was when my bill had a one-vote majority. I was preparing to speak in the second reading—the first time around—and I glanced at my phone to see that one of those votes had just left the building. Te Ururoa Flavell had just, quite rightly, rushed to the birth of his first grandchild, leaving my bill one vote short of passing. We thought “Well, surely the National Party will allow Te Ururoa his vote.”, given we were debating paid parental leave and he had rushed off to welcome his mokopuna, but National denied him that vote. So we swung into plan B. Grant Robertson took points of order while I spoke, Louisa Wall got on the phone to Te Ururoa, and Trevor Mallard worked with the Speaker’s office to test a new provision called compassionate leave, which Nanaia Mahuta had argued for. And there it was, right there. The Labour Party, which this country needs, was using all of its talents, resources, and networks together, fighting to improve the lives of working people and their families, and what an awesome sight that was.

I was still on my feet arguing for the bill when I got the sign that it was all agreed and that all the votes would count, but then the National Party cast an incorrect Māori Party vote against the bill, and the vote was lost. The Māori Party was prevented from correcting its vote that evening, but did so the next day. So the bill survived its second reading, but it was a night full of the type of high drama that seemed to accompany that bill at every single turn.

The second standout event for me was straight after the last election. The election result meant that bill was suddenly just one vote short of passing its remaining votes. Even though our campaign had already gained 4 more weeks’ paid parental leave, I was determined to get more support for families so I amended my bill for families of multiple births, babies born early, or babies born with a disability to get extra leave. Even though it brought the already reasonable costs right down, National still would not vote for it. I needed one more vote. So I said to my colleagues “I’m off to see David Seymour from the ACT Party.”, and they said: “Good luck with that.” I tended to agree, but I knew that I could not look those families in the eye if I had not done everything possible to get that extra vote to help them out.

So off I went. David Seymour told me he was opposed to extra paid parental leave, but I asked him to listen to my proposed amendments anyway, and when I finished describing them to him, he said: “Well, why wouldn’t I support that?”. Instead of falling off my chair, I looked straight back at him and I said: “Yeah, I thought you’d say that.” So, because of MMP, families with babies born pre-term can now get up to 13 weeks’ paid leave on top of the 18 weeks that other families get.

I find nothing more satisfying than when complete strangers come up to me on the street and tell me about the extra time they now have with their babies, but I cannot wait to see 26 weeks’ paid parental leave delivered in the first 100 days of the incoming Labour-led Government. This is one bill that deserves to be rushed through under urgency, as it has already faced select committee scrutiny twice and both times it has gained a parliamentary majority.

I also learnt more about financial vetoes than I had ever hoped to know about. You may be surprised to know that I think the financial veto does have its place in an MMP Parliament, but I think it should be outlawed where the measure has majority public support, has been subjected to scrutiny and official costings by a select committee, and still commands a majority in the Parliament. Yep, I am proposing constitutional change.

Talking about our constitutional arrangements brings me to the extraordinary events that have unfolded from the fraud I exposed at the Ministry of Transport. Naming fraudster Joanne Harrison was one of the best decisions I have made. My phone rang red-hot with information on her from around the globe, and within 15 days she was back in New Zealand, arrested, and charged with fraud, so that was one good outcome. Wherever she went, she did two things: she worked hard on establishing a trusting relationship with a middle-aged male running the show and she got rid of people who were on to her. It was a successful formula, because while her fraud almost always got found out, her victims were so ashamed of how easily they had been duped that they swept it under the carpet, and so she was able to go on her merry way, largely unscathed.

It was obvious to me that she employed exactly those same techniques at the Ministry of Transport, but the ministry refused to answer my questions until her court case was over, and this delayed that information coming out by 6 months. In the meantime the unthinkable had happened. Martin Matthews, the CEO at the time the fraud was committed, was appointed to the crucial watchdog role of Auditor-General. The integrity of the role of Auditor-General is vital to our constitutional arrangements. In my view, the person in that role must be above question. I knew that people working at the ministry, those in associated organisations, and the media had questions about Martin Matthews’ performance in relation to the fraud, and so did I.

At the select committee the ministry had to confess to poor recruitment processes and it struggled to explain why 3 years’ worth of fraud had not been stopped earlier. The ministry also refused to investigate my concerns about the restructuring of the finance department, which Joanne Harrison had had a hand in, and so did the responsible Minister. Eventually, the State Services Commission did, and it found that four diligent whistleblowers were disadvantaged in their employment by Joanne Harrison. Those heroic public servants have now been vindicated and celebrated. It is another good outcome.

It also exposed inadequacies in the whistleblowers’ legislation in the way the Official Information Act was being used, and it resulted in promises to fix them up. That makes it a third good outcome from this work. On Thursday Martin Matthews resigned from his role as Auditor-General. That is the fourth significant action to come from this episode. But I know that Joanne Harrison has wrecked many lives and reputations from her dishonesty over three decades, and I do not want the next reputation she wrecks to be that of the New Zealand Parliament.

The one major lesson that I take from this episode is that transparency and accountability are the best disinfectant for fraud and dishonesty. So I call on the Speaker to publicly release the investigation report. It is the best way to move forward and learn the detailed lessons our Public Service needs to have the benefit of.

My advice to future parliaments is simple: if you have to go to the Serious Fraud Office to satisfy yourselves about the person you are about to appoint as Auditor-General, then they are almost certainly the wrong person for the job.

My next bit of advice for future parliaments is even more simple: have more women. But not just any type of woman—I want to see women of courage, women of principle, and women of great determination, because who else will call out the Minister of Finance when he deliberately exaggerates and nearly doubles the cost of extending paid parental leave? Who else will take on the old boy network and the Wellington mafia over the Auditor-General’s appointment? Who else will ensure that women can claim equal pay, as per the recent union victory, and who else will shake up the systems that promote patronage over performance? Unless we truly believe that men are just inherently better at representing the needs of our communities than women are, then there is no excuse for the decades-long dominance, numerically, of men in here.

I am encouraged by the wave of support generated by our second woman Labour leader, Jacinda Ardern. When I think about what Helen Clark endured and then conquered, this is real progress.

I want to encourage more parents into this Parliament. My boys were 6 and 7 when I was elected to Parliament. I worried I might wreck my boys’ lives, and some people told me I would. I can report that that did not happen. What mum would not love to have this message exchange with their teenage son? Him: “Congrats on bringing the Auditor-General down, Mum.” Me: “Thanks, darling. If only I could get you to tidy your room, then I would be truly powerful.” Him: “Power over people is not a desired skill. The power to hold people accountable is.” There are so many layers of parenting gold in that exchange, it is priceless. But he still has not tidied his room.

My other son was with me when I was told that the party hierarchy did not want me back in Parliament. When I decided to resign as a result, his strength and wisdom were outstanding. “Tell it like it is, Mum.”, he told me, “That’s what you’ve always done.” What a wonderful value to be reminded of at that moment.

It takes a village to support an MP to do this type of work. My village has been large and solid as a rock. I thank Labour Party members for trusting me to represent them. I hold party members in the highest regard because they are committed to the collective good, social justice, and a fair go for all. Those who have supported me most are too many to name, so I am going to use one person as a representative of them all. Maxine van Oosten has been my campaign manager for the past three elections. She is smart, she is great fun, she is kind, she is principled, and she is hard-working—thanks, Maxine.

I have been fortunate to have had wonderful and committed staff over the 12 years. In Wellington I have been supported by Wendy Daniel, Angus Hodgson, Rebecca Fox, Paul Grant, Catherine Pantling, and Ted Greensmith-West; in Hamilton, Jill Hobden, Jenny Patching, Ellen Hayward, David Symon, Janine Jackson, and Melanie Dorrian have all held the fort at various times, but I want to make special mention of Melissa White, who has been with me in Hamilton for 9 years. This talented woman has raised two children as a sole parent while helping out many Hamiltonians with complex issues and keeping me at the forefront of local issues. Melissa, you are a star.

I have been fortunate to have mentors like Helen Clark, Margaret Wilson, James Ritchie, Mark Gosche, Carol Beaumont, and John and Gloria Marshall giving me advice whenever I asked for it.

My family have been amazing. I think my parents—who are here tonight—have really only just come to terms with having a politician in the family. They see me being opinionated and fiercely determined, and they seem genuinely perplexed about where I get it all from. My brothers, nieces, and nephew have coped well with it, too. My sister Catherine died before I came to Parliament, but she had already shaped and supported the person I am before then.

Mum and Dad are also amazing grandparents to our boys. Quinn and Logan, I am beyond proud of the principled, smart, witty young men you are. Thanks for letting me use your exciting basketball tournaments as my downtime from politics, and also for keeping my feet firmly on the ground while being my main source of inspiration.

That brings me to my husband, Shane. Shane, we have a true partnership. Whether it be our fight for social justice or the way that we have raised our two boys, we have always done it as a team. In this job you come across passionate and principled people, and you come across great political strategists. It is rare to come across a person who has all of those abilities, but, Shane, you are that person. You have those abilities in truckloads, and we have many adventures ahead of us.

I have had this incredible opportunity to represent my country at this level for 12 years. It has been one wild ride and a great honour. I am at the top of my game, and that is not surprising because I am at that age when women are in their prime, career-wise. I have learnt so much about myself and our world during that time, and I am proud of what I have achieved as an Opposition MP with my small but perfectly formed team.

I do wish I had had the chance to deliver change from the relative luxury of Government, because that mission to improve our collective wealth in a sustainable way and then distribute it fairly so that everyone gets a chance to benefit from that is unfinished business. But it is the type of business that does not just have to be finished in Parliament alone, so I pledge to do my best to use the knowledge, the skills, and the confidence I have gained here and elsewhere to finish that business. Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

[Applause]

Waiata

Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.