Address in Reply

We heard time and time again, when New Zealand was unfortunate enough to have that crowd on this side, that it couldn’t be done—it couldn’t be done. They told us that a ban on the foreign buyers of New Zealand homes would breach our existing free-trade agreements. Were they correct? No, they were not. They said it would breach the China free-trade agreement. Would it have? No, it would not have. In fact, that agreement was so well drafted by the prior Labour Government that we always protected the right of a future Government to ban buyers of New Zealand homes, as China has the right to do in respect of New Zealand buyers of homes in their country, and as China has, in fact, done in respect of some of their big cities—putting aside the fact that you actually can’t buy freehold land in China generally anyway.

They said it couldn’t be done because of the South Korea free-trade agreement. Were they right? No, they were wrong. Again, they were spinning. They were misrepresenting the situation. They told us, and they told New Zealanders, that it couldn’t be done in respect of the original Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement or the renegotiated, improved agreement. Were they right? No, they were wrong. That’s three out of three so far, and the list goes on. There is only one free-trade agreement where there is a slight complication, and that is the Singapore closer economic partnership. The proposed ban on the sale of existing homes to foreign buyers is consistent with all of our other agreements.

Now, what would have happened if National if had been re-elected and had signed the TPP? Would that have prevented policy space for a future Government to ban it? Yes, it would. So what that Government was doing was unnecessarily trading away the sovereign rights of a future New Zealand Government to stand up for New Zealanders and say, “Look, there are some problems with the excesses of global capitalism in the world. There is this enormous transfer of wealth compounding every year, which means that the world’s wealth—not just in New Zealand but even more so overseas—is increasingly intensively held by the 1 percent.” Indeed, it’s a fraction of 1 percent and that fraction of 1 percent of the world owns more and more of the world every year.

The National Party say, “Well, it’s OK. We think those 1 percenters from overseas should be able to come into New Zealand and outbid a New Zealander for our homes.” On this side of the House, we reject that. We think that is abhorrent. We think that one of the ways you have to protect a liberal, open democracy connected to the rest of the world is you have to protect your local citizens. And in the Labour Party we are proud to stand up for New Zealanders. In fact, we are proud to put New Zealanders first—proud to put New Zealanders first.

We have fought hard on the international stage to protect the interests of New Zealand. We have advanced the interests of New Zealand. The other side said, “Oh, look. You don’t need a ban. You need a stamp duty. A stamp duty will work.” They said, “A stamp duty’s the answer.” Were they right? Could that be done? No, they were wrong. The advice that we’ve had from officials is that a stamp duty would breach the agreement that the National Government negotiated with South Korea just a couple of years ago. I mean, that agreement was an example of the ineptitude of the National Government.

Madam Deputy Speaker, do you know—and congratulations, Madam Deputy Speaker, on your appointment—that under that agreement Korea retained the right to ban New Zealand buyers of their homes but the New Zealand Government said that they were giving it away? They pretended they had. They actually got that wrong. They didn’t even understand their own free-trade agreement. Then the nonsense of that was further shown by the fact that Australia negotiated that right for themselves in their agreement the year before.

💬 Hon Phil Twyford: So why didn’t National?

Look, National’s incompetence in respect of trade has been shown up. They never landed a decent multilateral trade agreement while they were in power. It’s taken Labour, with the support of New Zealand First and the Greens, to actually protect the interests of New Zealand in respect of land. Other provisions that are protected—and the prior Minister and the prior Government do need credit for some of this. There is a good Treaty clause, which the Waitangi Tribunal has been happy enough with, that protects the rights of a New Zealand Government to do anything in the name of the Treaty—except post high tariffs, but anything in the name of the Treaty. It is a subjective clause. It is not subject to investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions. It’s a very good clause.

The prior Government did protect the model of Pharmac. We acknowledged that before the election. They did that well. This further agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), further improves upon that by suspending some of the patent provisions that would have put up medicine costs to the New Zealand Government—not by an unaffordable amount, but by some tens of millions of dollars every year. Those provisions, which were extending data exclusivity for biologic drugs, have been suspended.

We have narrowed ISDS clauses in a number of ways. The most easily understood is the example of the Waterview tunnel. If that was built in the future by one of the original TPP12 countries, as negotiated by National, and they had a dispute with the New Zealand Government over the building of Waterview tunnel, they could have taken them to an international investor panel, an ISDS panel, and, effectively, litigated their complaint there. This agreement narrows the effect of the ISDS clause—and there was objection to this from another country in particular right to the end of the negotiations, so we were arguing hard for this. That is no longer allowed, so if you’ve got a contractual dispute from an investor in a contract with the New Zealand Government, they’ve got to litigate that dispute in the New Zealand court system, rather than go to an ISDS panel.

As the Prime Minister noted, we have got a longstanding agreement with Australia that we do not need these things between each other, so we’ve renewed that earlier provision so that the exempting from ISDS for the Australia - New Zealand relationships continues. Further than that, we sought side letters to similar effect with a number of other countries. I can’t name them, nor the number, because those are still in negotiation.

The negotiations themselves were somewhat interesting—actually, before I go into the negotiations, the highest ever labour and labour enforcement standards are in the agreement. It’s been a matter of record that a transitional period has been agreed for Vietnam before the enforcement provisions take effect, which gives them time to update their labour laws so as to allow freedom of association and prevent child labour and the like.

The environmental space to regulate is very wide, and we are confident that the Government has got full ability to regulate for the environment, for health and safety, for labour laws, and for taxation. Public health and education are absolutely protected. There is no risk to them. One of the things we’re going to do to take that message out to the country is to better consult with civil society, because one of the reasons there’s been a bit of a backlash against trade agreements is that Governments have, (1), allowed the investment protocols to go too far, and we, as a Government, are pushing against that, and, (2), failed to properly explain the effect of these agreements.

The negotiations were, at times, derailed. It looked like it was completely off. It is now back on the rails. We now have a stabilised legal text. There will be gains for our exporters, which builds competitive advantage for New Zealand, which will mean more high-value jobs, especially, as Minister Jones has already said, in the regions that grow and produce agricultural products.

This shows what a good Government can do in three weeks. We’ve got three years. By the end of three years, New Zealand is going to be a better country than it is now. We are going to be more prosperous, we’re going to be fairer, and we’re going to knock the rough edges off the extremes of global capitalism so that we protect the interests of New Zealanders and are a fairer, as well as more prosperous, society.

Madam Deputy Speaker, may I congratulate you on your appointment to high office. You were an outstanding Minister of the Crown, and you’ve had a wonderful career in this place, including as junior and senior whip. I’m sure you’re going to do a very fine job as Deputy Speaker. I also congratulate the Assistant Speakers on their appointments and wish them all the very best. I have praised the Speaker enough, and I’ve used my three-year quota of praise on him, so I’m not going to say anything further about him. I congratulate my successor as Attorney-General on his reassumption of that office. I wish him all the very best. I think he should take silk, notwithstanding what would probably be Charles Chauvel’s sniping about it. It’s entirely appropriate for an Attorney-General to take silk. You’re not appointing yourself, but it can be done under the royal prerogative, and I think it’s probably overdue in relation to him.

I do want to comment a little bit on the campaign. I normally stand up and say here that it’s great to be back, but it’s kind of good to be back. I would much rather be on the other side than where I am here, but I have to say I’m in that category in the National Party that said we dodged a bullet, because while I have some regard for some of my New Zealand First parliamentary colleagues, I have absolutely no regard for the Rt Hon Winston Peters, and I have had no regard for him from the time I acted for the National Party caucus in the early 1990s, when he was removed from the caucus for disloyalty. Old habits don’t change very quickly. He has made absolutely no contribution to New Zealand, in my view, and it is becoming abundantly clear, as Judith Collins said recently, that the negotiations after the general election were essentially a fraud. So I believe we’ve dodged a bullet, and I’m very happy that the National Party conducted itself with propriety and dignity.

I want to say something about the Leader of the Opposition, who fought the campaign of his life. He is a friend of mine, and I know what it was like to be there in 2002. He copped the backlash of some years of taking things for granted in the National Party and did not have a good campaign there, but in 2017 he fought the campaign of his life and can be incredibly proud of what he did for the National Party and the country. I tend to take the view that he should treat it as a three-year sabbatical, something like Keith Holyoake did between 1957 and 1960. Mr English is a man of great integrity and ability, easily the best Minister of Finance this country’s ever seen. He ran an excellent campaign, and the results are here for all to see.

Never has there been a stronger Opposition, never has there been a more united Opposition, and the commitment of the National Party to being unified and working together to deal with the many issues that this Government is going to leave us is something, quite frankly, I am deeply, deeply proud of. So I say to Mr English and to Ms Bennett—and to Mr Joyce, who was such an excellent campaign chair—that they can be really proud of their efforts, and I, for one, am very proud of them.

The campaign in Rongotai was an interesting campaign. I always say that it’s a marginal seat, and I’m always having to recalibrate when exactly there will be a triumphal win for the National Party in Rongotai; I think, on current figures, it’s probably now 2060. But I have to say, Mr Eagle was an excellent competitor, a fine man, and I wish him all the very best during his term as the MP for Rongotai. In fact, I think it’s fair to say the campaign in Rongotai was quite a good advertisement for democracy. I say to the Green Party that their candidate, Teall Crossen, was an excellent candidate who stayed totally on message, and I think we’ll see more of her in the future. She was—myself excluded—the star of the show.

But there were two things that came out of the campaign that I want to share with members this afternoon. The first is that at every meeting we candidates attended, there wasn’t one question about income production; it was all about income redistribution, and nowhere was that more apparent than in the most inappropriately named area of New Zealand, Happy Valley. We had an interesting campaign meeting there, and everyone wanted to know what could be done for them and clearly never would have understood JFK’s great statement: “ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” I say to members of the Government and their support party that this country will never progress if there is that kind of attitude—the attitude of redistribution—and there is no focus on wealth production.

The second thing I want to talk about is a very interesting meeting I had with Weta Digital. Weta Digital is a very important company in both Wellington and New Zealand—one of the largest non-governmental employers in Wellington. It has five employees and 1,800 contractors, and they are very worried about possible changes to what has become known as the “Hobbit law”. I was there in 2010 when I received a phone call from Richard Taylor saying how worried he was that The Hobbit would be going overseas, and that Peter Jackson was very worried. The former Prime Minister, John Key, met with Peter Jackson immediately, and the law was changed to reflect what was an understanding of existing industry practice. Then he was masterly in his dealings with Warner Bros, and The Hobbit was saved for Wellington. Then, as the result of further changes that were made, the Avatar films and other films have come to Wellington, and Wellington is indeed the centre, in New Zealand, of major film productions.

I say this to the Government: if the motivation in changing that law is utu, to get back at Peter Jackson and the National Party after the events of 2010, think again. They will destroy the film industry in Wellington, and I’ll be very interested to see what Greg O’Connor from Ōhāriu and Paul Eagle from Rongotai are going to be able to say about that, because their constituents will be affected. Utu and nastiness is not a proper basis for lawmaking. The “Hobbit law” in 2010 was necessary to protect the film industry in New Zealand, and it would be a very sad day if that legislation was passed. It would cause immeasurable harm to the film industry in Wellington.

So these are the sorts of issues that we’re going to be debating over the next period. I don’t intend to talk about my own ministerial record; I see no need to defend it, because most people say it was outstanding. But I will say how much I am looking forward—and I say this to Mr Henare—to seeing how the Government deals with Ngāpuhi, because every aspect of Ngāpuhi, every corner of Ngāpuhi, is represented in the House today. We have Kotahitanga represented by Willow-Jean Prime, I think Shane Jones would be the resident Tūhoronuku person, and then we’ve got some of the sensible middle-roaders represented by Mr Henare. But I do say this—I do say this: until Sonny Tau learns to stand by what he says—he promised me there’d be no politburo and bullying—until he learns that that is absolutely necessary if we are going to achieve an agreement, nothing will happen in Ngāpuhi. Unless Mr Tau—I’ve said this to Willow-Jean Prime; I am in the Kotahitanga camp, basically, on this—changes his ways, unless he adopts a generosity of spirit in his negotiations, nothing will happen up there. We are all agreed that if ever there is a settlement that is required in this country, it is the Ngāpuhi settlement. I hope that everyone will be able to work together to achieve that end, and I’ll do whatever I can to assist.

I’ve run out of time, so I won’t be able to talk about Te Ture Whenua Māori Bill, but please don’t throw it out. It’s a brilliant piece of work undertaken by me over the last six years.

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. Mr Finlayson is surely the definition of a self-made man who worships his creator, but I do have a lot of respect for the former Minister. He did a fantastic job, and I wish him the best when he leaves this place in not too many months and finds a new law job.

Madam Deputy Speaker, I congratulate you as well. It is fantastic to have a former Deputy Mayor of Napier sitting in the Chair. Well done! Great things grow here, there’s no doubt about that.

I would like to talk about Labour and New Zealand First’s plan for policing: 1,800 more police. This is the first time there has been an increase in police numbers since 2008. The last time this happened—

💬 Chris Bishop: That’s not true.

The last time this happened, Mr Bishop, was as a result of a New Zealand First - Labour coalition Government.

💬 Chris Bishop: Oh, rubbish!

Oh no, no. Actually, Mr Bishop is right: what happened was these troops actually hit the ground in 2009, because they were in training college—but that was as a result of a Labour - New Zealand First coalition deal. Then what happened? Nine years of no more police. No more police, and what happened during that time? What happened during that time? Crime increased, methamphetamine supply flourished, 8 percent of burglaries were solved, and 38 percent of crimes against a person were solved—totally unacceptable. But almost what’s worse—almost what’s worse—is that the morale in the New Zealand police service dropped.

The interesting thing, the interesting message, about the latest New Zealand Police Workplace Survey, the last one undertaken under that Government, is that—so, 80 percent of men and women who serve in our New Zealand Police service, or over 80 percent, actually, said they were committed to the communities they serve and committed to the New Zealand Police service. Good, hard-working men and women, who know what has to be done. But then, what the survey shows is that 60 percent of these people—of the good, hard-working men and women who are out there keeping our communities safe, putting the bad guys behind bars—said they were simply not delivering on the promises that they were making to their communities. These are the men and women who know how to keep our communities safe, they have fantastic ideas, they’re out there, often putting their lives on the line, keeping us safe, and they themselves said they were breaking the promises they were making. And what’s worse is that 60 percent of these men and women said that they had an undue level of workplace stress.

Well, what was the Government’s response to this? Nothing. The Government did nothing. In fact, in April 2016 the then police Minister signed off on a four-year plan that said, “No more police until at least 2020.” So yet again—yet again—it has taken a Labour - New Zealand First coalition Government to listen to the communities that we serve.

I undertake street-corner meetings nearly every Sunday in my community, and the biggest issue—it doesn’t matter where I am, what demographic—is policing in our communities. We all know that our communities are concerned about our safety. We all know that our communities are worried about the lack of police resource. We’ve listened, and that is why, in our coalition agreement, we have said, “1,800 more police.”

But the interesting thing is that this is an aspirational target. I’m the first to admit that. It is an aspirational target. In fact, the Leader of the Opposition talked about this as an aspirational target. But he talked about it as if it is a bad thing. Well, we are an aspirational Government. We are an aspirational Government who is going to set aspirational targets and work incredibly hard to meet them. So don’t talk to me about aspiration as being a bad thing, because I think it’s a fantastic thing. The aspiration that we have for the New Zealand Police service is to once again build it into a service that our communities can have confidence in, in which the men and women who work there develop fantastic work stories and know that they can meet the promises they are going to make to their communities.

The question that I am often asked by the media and by colleagues and by people in my electorate is where are these officers going to go. And it is a very good question. What I can say is that the Commissioner of Police and I are coming up with a really robust plan of where we think the resources are needed. But the thing is, you don’t have to have pips and swords on your shoulder to have good ideas. So what we’re going to do when we come up with a draft plan is we’re going to travel up and down this country and talk to the men and women of the New Zealand Police service, and ask them for their feedback, what their great ideas are, and how they would like to see their 21st century police service run. Once we do this consultation, this engagement, and get these ideas in, we’re going to modify the plan. What we’re going to do is craft a 21st century service that represents the values of the men and women who serve and the communities they represent.

This is a very exciting time for the New Zealand Police. One thing I will say is, it’s not going to happen overnight. You can’t simply train a thousand men and women a year and get them into our communities. But what I can say is that in three years’ time, policing is going to look a lot different in New Zealand than it does now.

💬 Chris Bishop: Oh, OK. Righto, big talker.

When I hear the Opposition spokesperson for police rubbish this, I say to him, “Are you really rubbishing the fact that we want to put 1,800 more men and women on the streets in your electorate?” If that member did not hear what his community was telling him during the election, then he simply wasn’t listening, because all of us over here heard it. Ron Mark heard it. New Zealand First heard it. Labour heard it. And we’re doing something about it. We’re doing something about it. So keep up the criticism, Mr Bishop, keep it up—because while he criticises, we’re going to be doing. We’ve got a plan, we’ve got an action, and the commissioner has said to me, “Mr Nash, we can deliver for you.”—we can deliver for you. So we are going to deliver for our communities, because our communities have told us this is what they want to see. And believe me, we’re going to deliver.

In the last two minutes, there is one other area in a portfolio of mine that I’d just like to elaborate on, which is small business. There’s about 500,000 Kiwis, just under 500,000 Kiwis, that count as small business. This is the small to medium sized enterprise sector—the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment definition is 19 employees or less—and it makes up 97 percent of the workforce. It’s a really important part of our economy—in fact, you could argue, the backbone of the New Zealand economy.

There was this group that was set up in 2002, and it was called the Small Business Development Group. What it consisted of was some really engaged men and women in the sector who gave up their time to sort of consult on policy—to give the Government advice on what worked and what wasn’t working and what the community was saying. In fact, you could argue that these were tentacles of small business into the Government. It was a fantastic initiative, and it survived Labour and it went into National.

But the sad thing about this is, the last Minister for Small Business decided to can it. She decided to get rid of the Small Business Development Group. It’s astounding, isn’t it? It’s astounding to the point where Government ministries themselves are actually saying, “Well, where do we go for a reference? Who do we run our policies past? Who can we talk to if we want to know what the mood of the small business network is?”

This is the thing: I’m going to get this small business development network up and running, as a priority. In fact, I’d like to expand it, and I’ve got a whole lot of plans that I want to do for small businesses and the way they engage with Government, in a really proactive way.

But if I look across my whole range of portfolios, the thing is, I think that after nine years the Government just stopped listening. They just stopped listening. They lost touch. They didn’t listen to the community about what the police were saying. They didn’t listen to small businesses and the voice that they wanted to have around Government. It’s just disconnected.

The thing that’s so exciting about what we’ve now got in Parliament, about what we’ve now got in Government, about the people who are creating policies and are going to drive them forward, is it’s transformational. It’s exciting. It’s about what this country needs, and it’s going to take it forward. I often say, whether it’s in Napier or giving speeches, that we live in paradise. We absolutely do. In fact, we have won, by and large, the lottery of life, living here. We really have. But we can do things so much better. We can do things so much better. We have a plan. We have a plan around policing. We have a plan around small business. We have a plan around education, around housing, around corrections, and what you’re going to see here is—

Order! The member’s time has expired. We come now to a series of maiden speeches. Fifteen minutes is allocated for each. The first is Mark Patterson.

Mr Speaker, can I start by congratulating you on your appointment and fulfilling your long-held ambition.

It is with a great sense of honour and a slight sense of awe that I stand here, in this House of Representatives, for the very first time and take my place alongside 119 exceptional New Zealanders. I would like to begin by thanking my New Zealand First colleagues for their warm welcome into the fold. I am proud to stand here as a New Zealand First MP, putting my shoulder to the wheel of this Labour - New Zealand First coalition Government, a springtime Government, with a little help from our new friends, the Greens.

Of course, no mention of New Zealand First is complete without acknowledging the Rt Hon Winston Peters. His career spans nearly 40 years in this House. He has served under 10 Prime Ministers, and over the last 24 years he has created and sustained a political movement. It was his victory in the Northland by-election, with the underlying truth that he spoke about the neglect of New Zealand’s regions, that led me to joining New Zealand First. Little could I comprehend that some 2½ years later I would be sitting behind him in Parliament. The harsh reality of this place is that despite our best endeavours, most of us will come and go from here as mere footnotes in history. Only some of us will leave as truly significant parliamentarians. Winston Peters is one of those few.

I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern on her ascent to the prime ministership. In her short time as leader, she has demonstrated a rare gift and has captured the imagination of the people of New Zealand. I look forward to serving under her leadership. I believe she can be the human face of capitalism.

I would also like to acknowledge the Rt Hon Bill English. It is no secret that I was a member of his flock in Clutha-Southland. Actually, my regard for him comes not so much for his great deeds in this House but from what I witnessed of him as our local constituency MP in our small town of Lawrence. As a an avid follower of politics, his annual visits to our annual gathering at the Marama Lodge or his regular guest appearances at the New Zealand Century Farm Awards were eagerly awaited. It was the total ease with which he mixed with the locals, his humility, and total lack of pretence despite his lofty station in life that impressed me greatly. It was a revelation to me that politicians could be normal people. There is no doubt that those interactions were an important part of the thread that led me here today.

Of course, no member reaches this place by themselves. I would like to thank my campaign committee, Charmaine Broderick, David and Ailsa Mackie, Mark Copeland, Peter Hargest, John Kirkman, and Basil Walker for their dedication, hard work, and encouragement, and the oversight of John Thorn. To Peter McDonald and Paul Hewlitt, thank you for your astute analysis and advice. I would like to thank the board of New Zealand First for the confidence they have shown in me and party supporters throughout the country. I would like to especially mention those many talented candidates who were not successful this time around but who had the courage to put their head above the parapet for what they believed and campaigned hard for the party vote. I stand here on your shoulders.

Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank my wife, Jude, who also doubled as my campaign manager. At the start of this process, she had absolutely no interest in politics whatsoever. However, she is one of those people who doesn’t do anything by halves, and she was soon devouring every piece of media. She had memorised the New Zealand First manifesto, and woe betide me on the way home from a candidate’s meetings if I got a detail wrong. I might say she also developed a slightly unhealthy obsession with stalking Hamish Walker on Facebook. Jude, I love you very much. I’m a far better man for your influence in my life, and you’re a wonderful mother to our children. Amelia and Annabelle, I love you both dearly, and although you will now have to share me with this strange new family, I hope that me being here expands your horizons and demonstrates to you that absolutely anything is possible with your lives. Thank you to my family and friends who have travelled from far and wide to share this milestone day with me.

💬 To Hamish Walker: congratulations on winning the seat of Clutha-Southland. I look forward to working constructively with you to advance the interests of the South.

I am a descendant of the Patterson, Jones, McIlraith, and Greenwood families who arrived in the Ellesmere district of Canterbury and settled around the towns of Leeston and Southbridge in the 1860s. Mostly from farming stock, they soon took up land around the district, some of which is still in the extended family today. Writing home to his family in Northern Ireland, James Logan McIlraith described farming “land of the richest kind”. The Pattersons took up Springbrook Farm in Lakeside, near the shores of Lake Ellesmere, in 1905, which I would eventually be the fourth generation to farm. We were also a family of small-business people, and my mother and her family, the Jones’, were the butchers and bakers.

I recall a happy childhood growing up with my three dear sisters, Susan, Heather, and Sharon. They were much simpler times. When we weren’t attending Southbridge School, we were helping on the farm, and at weekends we were playing sport; for me, rugby in the winter, and cricket and swimming in the summer. I also followed the family tradition of playing the bagpipes in the Ellesmere Pipe Band.

I first became politically aware during my high school years, which coincided with the election of the fourth Labour Government and the ushering in of the Rogernomics reforms of the mid-1980s. While few could argue in hindsight that they were not to some extent necessary, the sheer pace and scope of those reforms left rural communities like ours devastated. Many local farms and businesses went to the wall as banks sought to recoup their capital and Government services were retrenched to the cities. It was the total lack of regard for the human cost that resonates. Decisions made in this House matter.

Our farm was not immune from this pressure. Some years later, the local bank manager told Dad that out of all the farms in the district, ours was the only one for which extra credit was extended. Apparently, the bank simply could not believe that Mum and Dad could bring up a family of four on such meagre drawings. It never felt like we, as children, were missing out, but it was Mum and Dad who sacrificed their luxuries. Social activities, meals out, and holidays were few and far between. Thank you, Mum and Dad, for all you’ve done and the values that you have instilled in us.

While Mum and Dad were not overtly political, there was certainly politics in our extended family. My dad’s sister, Margaret Baylis—Auntie Margaret—was a stalwart of the National Party in the Selwyn electorate and she became a close friend and confidante of Ruth Richardson, who gave the eulogy at my Auntie’s recent funeral. I’m sure Auntie Margaret would have been proud of me here today, but I’m sure she would’ve preferred me in the blue team. I might add, the family link to Ruth Richardson is something I have thus far negated to mention to Winston.

I come here not from an ivory tower background but with dirt under my nails. The wisdom I bring to this house is hewn from a lifetime living in rural communities, from working the land for 30 years, from woolsheds, saleyards, cricket grounds and rugby clubrooms, and serving the community on local organisations.

That said, I do bring one academic experience that no other member of this House can boast. I am indeed the protégé of New Zealand’s pre-eminent woodwork teacher, the Hon Gerry Brownlee, from my days at Ellesmere College, and it probably does explain a few things.

As a teenager, a train trip to visit my sister Susan, who was a freshly qualified teacher on her first posting, proved a life-changing event. I was simply blown away by the magnificent green rolling hills of the South and the stark contrast with the dry, arid Canterbury Plains. It was to become an itch that was impossible to scratch, and it eventually led to us selling Springbrook and me heading south, firstly to Ngāpara in North Otago and eventually to the magnificent community of Lawrence. It was an agonising decision to sell a property that had been in our family for 97 years, and especially hard for Dad. However, his advice at the time was “while history is important, it is the future that really matters”.

The start of my journey here can be linked to a single event. I received a phone call one evening from a farmer in a neighbouring district, Richard Young, who was hitherto unknown to me, who was setting up a meeting of sheep and beef farmers to discuss the dire state of the red meat sector. One meeting led to two, and, soon after, a public rally was called in Gore, which attracted 1,000 farmers, said to be the single biggest gathering since the wool acquisition debates of the 1970s. This was soon followed by several other large meetings as we rallied farmers throughout the country. The Meat Industry Excellence group was born, and for the next three years I was thrust head first into a place where angels fear to tread: the world of farmer politics.

It saddens me that what started out as an attempt to find a “New Zealand Inc.” solution built around our two farmer-owned cooperatives, Alliance Group and Silver Fern Farms, for me ended as one of the shareholders forlornly holding out against Silver Fern Farms, our second-biggest exporter, got sold into the control of the Chinese Government. This didn’t seem in any way to concern the New Zealand Government. It was only New Zealand First that was prepared to question the wisdom of such a transaction, hence why I stand here. I salute those farmers and associates who gave so much time and dedication to this cause, who are too numerous to name, but I will single out John McCarthy. John, from you I learnt courage of one’s convictions, at times a damn-the-torpedoes sort of courage, but courage nevertheless.

I contend that New Zealand’s most consistently profitable primary industries have been the ones that’ve fashioned a coordinated approach, recognising that the real prize lies in the international market place, not battling each other to the death at home. I welcome this new Government’s intent of working more strategically with industry.

KPMG estimate that the $38 billion in revenue from our primary exports last year was valued at $220 billion by the time it reached the consumer. We are capturing but $1 in every $6. Capturing even a portion of that difference would be transformative to our economy. That’s why I’m an unashamed proponent of New Zealand ownership and of the cooperative model in particular. I believe it is in farmers, growers, and the country’s best long-term interest to own the value chain well beyond the farm or orchard gate, to be price-makers reaching deep into the international market place and bringing those profits back to New Zealand, not price-takers sitting at the end of supply chains at the mercy of foreign multinationals or Governments. I salute this Government’s commitment to eliminating foreign speculators from our housing market, and I look forward to this being extended to the sale of farmland.

Historically, New Zealand is the only predominantly agrarian economy to have achieved and maintained First World status. The foundation stone on which this sits is the family farm. We must strive to keep the pathway open for young New Zealanders to pick up a handpiece and put on a set of cups and still be able to work their way into the pinnacle that is farm ownership. I see no value in inflating the value of farmland beyond its productive value by way of having it for sale on the international market.

I will be a strong voice for farmers in this House. Equally, I have not come here to tell farmers what they want to hear; I will always be prepared to tell farmers what I believe they need to hear. I’ve been incredibly frustrated by the debate around fresh water quality, and the narrative of the rural-urban divide. I believe there is but a tissue paper between what farmers and urban people aspire to in regard to water quality. I genuinely do not believe that urban New Zealanders realise the enormous effort that is going into lifting our environmental performance. Equally, I believe some of our farming leadership have been far too defensive and slow to acknowledge that in some areas much more needs to be done.

We are now at an inflection point. There are dark clouds brewing on the horizon in the form of the emergence of highly sophisticated, plant-based synthetic proteins. Unless we can absolutely demonstrate the quality, provenance, and environmental integrity of our products, we risk following the strong wool industry towards an uncertain future. The flow-on ramifications for our economy would be significant.

Of course, this situation also presents opportunity. If we get this right, it positions our products at the very apex of international markets. Future generations will prosper. Business as usual will not get us there, but I have total belief that farmers will rise to this challenge, just as our fathers’ generation did in the 1980s.

Can I finish by reflecting on the joyous scenes I witnessed in front of this Parliament some two weeks ago as the new Government was received by the people. This example of the peaceful transition of power does us great credit as a nation. In many countries of the world there would’ve been tear gas and riot police in the streets, and in many more they’re not even privileged enough to exercise a vote at all. The wreaths that adorn this Chamber represent the young men and women who gave their lives to protect this freedom. It is our role to guard it jealously, lest we forget.

[Applause]

Order! We are going to be quite time-constrained, and so can I ask that in future if we are beyond the 15 minutes prescribed, as we are now, that members who have made their maiden speeches move into the lobby and have a discussion there with members who want to congratulate them, or wait until afterwards. Can I ask whips on both sides to work with their teams to make sure that that happens.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Tēnā koutou katoa, e tau nei tētahi pīrere nō Tikapa Moana, nā, ka kopangia maitia e te aroha o Maungakiekie, o Maungarei hoki. Ka irihia ki te wai tapu o Tāmaki Herenga waka. Ka irihia ki te wai tapu o Te Mānukanuka Hoturoa. Nā, ka tonohia mai nei ahau, hei māngai, he taringa, he kanohi mō te hunga rā. Nō reira, aroha ki a rātou kei te tūpou o te tini. Ka mihi ki a tātou, kia ora mai tātou katoa!

[Greetings to you all. A fledging bird from the Coromandel has alighted here, enfolded by the compassion of Maungakiekie and also of Maungarei, christened with the sacred water of Tāmaki Herenga waka and of Te Mānukanuka Hoturoa. Now then, I was sent here as a representative ear and face for those ones there. Therefore, empathy to those the innumerable who have gone before. I acknowledge and thank all of us.]

Greetings to you all. A bird, fledgling from the Coromandel, has alighted here, enfolded by the mana of Maungakiekie and Maungarei, christened with the sacred water of Tāmaki, christened with the sacred water of Manukau, and sent here as the mouthpiece, the ears, and the eyes for the people there. Therefore, I acknowledge those who have gone before. I mihi to us, Mr Speaker; greetings to us all, and congratulations on your new role. You are one of seven members here in the 52nd Parliament who sat with my father back in the 1980s and the 1990s.

Many of us have had family precede us here—fathers, grandfathers, cousins—but, unusually, two of my colleagues’ fathers taught me in primary school, one of them moving on to become an MP; the other—my favourite teacher of all time—well, he happens to be up there in the gallery because his son is about to deliver a maiden speech. No matter where you are in New Zealand, we’re all somehow connected, somehow local, and we inevitably know each other.

I drove into the local petrol station after the election to return yet another hired trailer used for signs, and the station attendant approached me and remarked, “Hey, are you that lady from the signs—the one that won? I’ve been watching you. If you know how to back a trailer like that, you deserve to win.” I laughed. I introduced myself to Lester, and he told me that he was a regular middle New Zealander working hard to make a living, and now that I was elected, “Miss lady from the signs”, he said, “don’t forget about us.” Pressing a little further about what he meant, I discovered it meant that he felt OK about working hard as long as he had enough to take his family on a holiday. He didn’t want lawmakers to take away that opportunity. It wasn’t complicated; he was outgoing and optimistic, and he felt strongly that he wanted to keep more of what he earned so he could choose how to spend it.

Lester is indicative of many others in my electorate of Maungakiekie. I’m honoured to have been the Auckland city councillor for the hard-working area, and now their member of Parliament, and I thank them for the faith that they have placed in me to continue as an elected representative. May I acknowledge the immediate and highly regarded past member of Parliament, the Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, who joins me here in support today. Fa’afetai lava, Sam.

I’ve learnt a few things about Maungakiekie along the way. When we’re told the Manukau Harbour is the poor cousin to the Waitematā, we don’t accept it—we straddle both. When we know we’ve got New Zealand’s largest regeneration project because some of our social indicators are poor, we embrace it and we stick together to face change. When we’ve got the nation’s largest industrial area contributing to GDP, we value it and we punch above our weight. We’re highly diverse in age and culture and income. The level of investment and activity in our part of New Zealand is unprecedented. Between the scale of Housing New Zealand’s build in Ōranga, the Tāmaki Redevelopment Company, the Auckland-Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative transport project, and the huge, long planned for and yet controversial East-West Link, we are a very busy part of New Zealand. Maungakiekie contains the lifeblood of our nation.

While the scale of these projects values into the billions, the true value of any electorate is always back at the local level. Panmure, Ellerslie, and Onehunga, the three main village centres—Mount Wellington, let’s work on one—have a distinct community feel that is hard to find in a fast-paced, busy city. Intent on keeping and fostering that village feel, before I ran for office—among other things—I co-created a charitable trust that brokered local residents and business owners to pull off social projects for good, a far cry from a former role that I had working with high - net worth clients at Morgan Stanley in Philadelphia. We were highly motivated to model to our own city kids the importance of service. Town clean-ups, small-business makeovers, teen mum support, and community gardens—we did it all. We were organic, responsive, innovative, and frugal—everything the local government - employed community staff weren’t, and a big reason why I am thoroughly committed to the principle of allowing community to produce the answers.

When I was awarded a New Zealander of the Year local hero award, I had someone approach me after the medal ceremony and say, “Is this because of your dad?” I come from a long line of civic duty family commitment. It appears there really is something in the blood. Grandad lied about his age to serve in World War I, as a 16 year old, alongside his five older brothers. He came back after being gassed in the trenches, built much of Paeroa, and became the mayor. His son, my father, became the mayor after him.

Provincial life was unhurried and, at times, quaint. I recall our girls’ Brownie pack having to parade past Dad, standing in front of the council chambers dressed in all his mayoral chains, as part of annual town commemorations. Each year, we were taught to acknowledge the mayor with the usual two-finger Brownie salute. I figure there’s no better time than my maiden speech—a mere 40 or so years later, Dad—to let you know that, one parade, my youngest sister, Angela, and I decided, in jest, to momentarily turn the fingers around. Lucky for us, your dubious eyesight didn’t catch our sleight of hand, Dad. Even more lucky, our 75-year-old head Brown Owl, well known for her paralysing death stare, didn’t catch it either.

I was 11 when Dad went to Parliament as the MP for Coromandel. I was fascinated right from the start, in large part due to the interesting people that politics attracted. Unlike today, it was often the biggest, most dynamic membership-based show in town.

Ross Miller, a long-term electorate chair for my dad and an unfailing advocate for my own journey, will recall with clarity a certain Miss Elsie Wylde. This woman deserves to be immortalised in Hansard. At the tender age of 80, she would fill every room with her presence, boom out interjections, always be right with political predictions, and, should anyone dare to object, she would loudly and publicly remind them that she taught both them and their children, recalling with clarity their lack of academic abilities. I’d like to say it was her political discourse that grabbed my attention most, but, in all honesty, it was hard to go past the time that she ate beetroot at the pot-luck event and, without knowing it, the beetroot juice slipped from the corners of her mouth, down her deeply engrained wrinkles, producing a red tributary stream effect—thoroughly memorable.

Although I’d observed and participated in politics and studied it and sat at the feet of political icons like Rob Eady and enjoyed party membership life all along the way, at some point it needed to become my own journey. And that it did, in the form of the unexpected, the inexplicable, and, as official records still record today, the unexplainable.

One night, I woke, as a young parent, and decided to check on my two-year-old son Riley, to discover that he had died in his sleep. What ensued was a series of random interactions with a cold-hearted, function-driven system. The failure of police inquest officers, pathologists, and coroners to sensitively inform and communicate their process to two shell-shocked parents still mystifies me today.

Loss comes in all forms, not just death but loss of careers, loss of confidence, and loss of relationships and marriage—my own succumbing to the high percentage of those that end upon the death of a child. With all our collective legislative wisdom, there shouldn’t also have to be loss of faith in a system supposedly designed to protect those that need it at precisely the time that they need it.

Trying to keep up with where Riley’s body had gone, what they were doing to it, and what they were retaining from it, receiving an abruptly worded police letter informing us of our Coroner’s Court hearing date—it was all too much. No explanations, no frequently asked questions brochure—just a summons. You’ll understand, I thought that we were being put on trial for the death of our son. Walking through the valley of the shadow of death, trying to understand the legalities, and desperately wanting to just stay away from the world to get on with grieving, my sense of indignance grew. I was the one who had to ask to meet with the police and the pathologist and others to get a handle on who else might face what we did. The indignance formed a seed that merged into a big part of the driving force that sees me standing here today.

I’m subsequently relieved that the coronial system has improved for people. The 2006 Coroners Act and later reviews better protect the interests of grieving families. Politics really did become personal for me then. A flick of the pen, the wording of an amendment, an exchange in this debating chamber—Parliament’s processes affect everyday lives.

I’ve had the pleasure of being in Auckland Council’s Cabinet as the deputy chair for planning, covering Auckland’s housing, transport, and infrastructure—$45 billion of assets to make your eyes water. But what is the reality for residents? Fixing the broken kerbs so car tyres don’t get scraped, speeding up consents so the house extension can just get built, going to the park expecting to see the lawns mowed. The settings are wider here, but however you measure it, the expectation is that we will make a difference in the everyday lives of New Zealanders. We will foster the right economy for jobs and income, which, in turn, fosters hope and the fruition of dreams. I’m immensely proud to stand with the National Party, who have overseen substantial growth in their recent term of Government despite international trends to the contrary—10,000 new jobs each month for the last 18 months is extraordinary.

I’m surrounded by a host of incredible supporters, who appear to have decided I’m a good investment of their time, energy, and unfailing commitment, and I can only hope to return the favour. To the National Party, thank you for backing me to back Lester and backing people to choose their own future. What I most appreciate about you and our leader, the Rt Hon Bill English, is the relentless commitment to the politics of hope. It should always outweigh the politics of fear, even when the latter sells more media space.

To my core local volunteer team: you are everything I’d wish for. As chance would have it, we’re dominated by females. Dr Leigh Mathias, how you have time to run boards, run a business, and back women like me, I do not know. Sue White, politics is obviously in your blood, but for all the right reasons. Your friendship and that of your daughter Ainsley, I hold dear. Louise Millar, my chair: our kids went to school together, you always say yes, and no one can sport a pair of Red Bands in the city like you can. Josh Bedell, the lone male voice—we all know you love it.

To my personal friends outside of politics: let’s keep it that way. You don’t like the policy detail, and I like the escape. You also remind me this place is a bubble, so if I ever get out of touch, pop me.

And to my funny, often irreverent, and close-knit family, I adore you. To my two sisters, Rochelle and Angela, and your clans: we have many more adventures ahead, and I am proud of our strong and fun-filled bond. Remember the time when we ran around the Beehive as teenagers, and I fell on Robert Muldoon when he opened his secret, private elevator door? Well, it’s time for the next generation of kids to let loose on parliamentary security.

Mum and Dad, your rock-solid presence and commitment to our family is a very large reason I am here today. In an age of transience and relativity, you have been present for us. You’ve stuck to your convictions, the greatest and most admirable of which is that you love and you serve others before yourself. When we’ve hit hard times as a family—and there’s been plenty—you’ve adapted. I cannot thank you enough for the way in which your character has forged our family destiny and that you’ve supported me in the pursuit of mine.

Finally, to my own precious children. My son, Riley, who, as the Good Book says, lives beyond the veil—you are a gift. My daughters, Sydnee and Makenna, your world is not the one I grew up in. I spent weekends rat-shooting at the Paeroa dump; you navigate the virtual world, streaming mass international content 24/7 under the watchful eye of Google and Facebook empires. It is your world that will rapidly change what we do here in these halls, and I am proud to have two incredibly talented young women to guide me in how to think ahead. I love you.

In closing, I wish us well, and Godspeed to the 52nd Parliament of the world’s most attractive nation.

[Applause]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Picture the mighty Waikato: beautiful scenery, well-managed and successful farms, thriving and vibrant provincial towns, diverse but united communities, and continual opportunity. As the new member of Parliament for the Waikato, I want to start by saying it’s an absolute privilege to have been elected to this role, and in such a magnificent part of country—a role that holds great opportunity and responsibility.

As a new MP, listening is a key part of the role. My grandfather once said, “You have two ears and one mouth. Use them in that proportion.”

Congratulations also to my fellow new MPs on both sides of the House. I’m excited about the path ahead, and I’m sure you are too. I’m looking forward to working with you all.

The journey to be here was an exciting and rewarding one, a journey shared by so many people in the Waikato and beyond—by family and friends, by party members, by the public who believe in our vision. Thank you all sincerely for your support.

Today I want to share a bit about my background—my family, my upbringing, and my experiences, and why I am who I am—to touch on what brings me to this position. I want to highlight some of the wonderful aspects of the Waikato, and I want to outline some of my aspirations for the Waikato and for New Zealand.

Firstly, I’d like to share that I felt, on entering this building, the mana, the prestige, the history of our nation. The decisions made by those who have come before—decisions that have shaped our great country. One of those people was my great-great-grandfather John Stevens, a former member of this House, who spent a number of years through the 1880s, 1890s, and early 1900s representing Rangitikei and then Manawatu. For me, though, Waikato has always been home. I was raised there, I have worked and played there, and now I have the privilege of raising my family there, too.

As one of five children, I grew up in a competitive family-focused home, where strong values were instilled in us—values such as hard work and enterprise, and fair reward for it; taking responsibility for your actions; the strength and importance of family; equal opportunity; and standing up for what we believe in. We were encouraged to use our initiative, to try new things, and to ask questions. We had a very rural upbringing, although my parents are teachers, and we were constantly interacting with the outdoors, generally racing around the countryside with skinned knees and bare feet. Hunting, camping, and fishing were all regular activities.

I remember that when we’d go fishing on the wharf, Dad needed to concentrate on the fish, of course, so he’d tie a rope around my chest and tie the other end to a pole on the wharf. Easy retrieval in case I should fall in—yes, health and safety in action, even back then. That’s what I chose to believe, anyway, and not that I was simply the berley pot in case the fish weren’t biting.

We would spend long summer days exploring on family farms or, in later years, helping with the chores once we became useful, or on crisp winter mornings breaking the ice on the water troughs to use as a frisbee, or watching the horses’ breath steaming as they were galloped around the track. Those early years on the farm were some of my best memories, and developed into a true passion for the primary industries—a passion that continues today. I believe we were very lucky to grow up in such an environment, but then, really, it’s a typical Kiwi upbringing that so many of us are lucky to have had.

I’m proud to be Kiwi, and I’m proud of the diversity that often reflects in each of us. For me, on my mother’s side, our ancestors arrived in New Zealand in the 1860s from the United Kingdom, and my father’s parents arrived in the 1950s from the Netherlands. I’m proud of my heritage, and I believe that the success of New Zealand is due to embracing such diversity.

My home town of Matamata is now—as it was—a jewel in the Waikato crown, one of those great provincial New Zealand towns that we all know. I enjoyed my schooling at Matamata College before heading to the University of Waikato, where I obtained a social science degree, majoring in psychology. During this time, I also trained as a scuba diving instructor, as you do when you live in the most inland city in the country. This degree and diving combination, as I’m sure you’d expect, naturally led to me becoming a dairy farmer. Yes, my journey has been somewhat varied.

The New Zealand Young Farmers organisation was a key part of my life for 13 years. It was through this organisation that I got my first experience of governance. Young Farmers was indeed a key contributor to my desire to want to become a member of Parliament. It developed that knowledge that the decisions we made could positively, or negatively, influence the experience had by the grassroots members—making those calls with the best interests of others in mind, guided by our values. I get great satisfaction from helping people. I love supporting them to learn, to grow, and to succeed—acknowledging, of course, that success can look different for each and every one of us.

Over the years, my primary industries involvement has also led to opportunities to visit Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. I can confidently say that we are, indeed, global leaders in this space, but with the increasingly disruptive technologies that we’re now seeing emerging, and the changing expectations of consumers, we must be more nimble, more innovative, and more united as an industry, and as a country, if we are to continue experiencing that success.

Winning the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest was a highlight of my time in the industry. It had long been a dream for me, but achieving it was a reflection of the team of people helping me: their skills, their knowledge, their enthusiasm, and, of course, their willingness to impart that to me. As in so many pursuits, a great team will accomplish great things.

Working as a rural bank manager was a role I loved: building an understanding of someone’s business and helping them to achieve their dreams and aspirations. It was hugely rewarding. I learnt so much from them too—there is always another perspective. Alongside this, I was able to achieve my own dream of getting into farm ownership. Having a background across dairy, sheep and beef, horticulture, and agribusiness is very important in a strong rural area like the Waikato. Having said that, there’s also more to the Waikato than cows and crops, and that’s where my experience as a small-business owner, my time working in the tourism sector, service in the New Zealand Army Territorials, and voluntary roles like with the St John Ambulance enable me to better relate to and understand the diverse range of people in our electorate—and the Waikato is incredibly diverse.

For anyone who has served in the military, I’m sure you can appreciate the physical and mental adversity you are frequently presented with. For example, being tasked with sentry duty: sitting out in the beautiful Waiōuru tussock in a hole in the ground at 2 o’clock in the morning with the sleet driving horizontally, not having slept in three days. And in the distance, you can make out the Desert Road, with the occasional twinkling of headlights moving along through the sleet, and you wonder if the driver of that vehicle faces the same challenges that you do. Or, perhaps, rather than the biting cold, they’re biting into a hot pie; and rather than sitting in a hole, they’re sitting in a leather seat with a seat warmer. Character building moments.

I share these experiences and memories because they have shaped me. It’s the “why” of who I am. It’s also the basis from which my own motto comes: “If it is to be, it is up to me”. Simple two-letter words. It’s about taking responsibility for your own journey, driving yourself onward, challenging yourself, and thirsting for more. Education is a lifelong experience. You can always learn something from the people around you. Each day we can wake up and be a better version of ourselves than we were the day before, but it requires courage, determination, a focused plan, and hard work. It doesn’t mean being on your own, though. Just make sure that the people around you are those that you need. I get a real buzz from working in a great team environment and succeeding in that, and I see that opportunity presented to me in this role.

Speaking of teams, the most important team of all is my family. Thanks to my wife, Hilary; to my parents, Ron and Sue, who are all present today. Thanks to my siblings, present, and watching from afar. It’s a blessing to have the opportunity with my amazing wife, Hilary, to now raise our own family. We have two wonderful children: our beautiful daughter Isobella, who’s nearly two; and sturdy wee Arthur, who arrived only a month ago, shortly after the election. An election with a young family is not easy. Clearly, I have an amazing wife. I would like to acknowledge Hilary: it’s an honour to be your husband. I love your strength, compassion, intelligence, and beauty. You inspire me to be better every day. Actually, it’s our third wedding anniversary today. Ha, ha! What more romantic setting could one aspire to?

I love innovation and I thrive on a challenge and in politics the job is never done. There is always something more that can be achieved: some competing need. I’d like to acknowledge Lindsay Tisch for his dedication as the member of Parliament for the Waikato over the last 18 years. His contribution to the National Party extends well before the time he spent as an MP, and I would like to extend my thanks for all that he and his wife Leonie have done. I wish you both the best for the future, and I look forward to picking up the mantle.

In the Waikato, we have some exciting opportunities in front of us. We need to continue to capture the growth potential with ongoing significant investment in infrastructure. The Waikato is of great strategic importance given our location in the “golden triangle” as well as the diversity of economic potential within the region. I will help the newly minted Minister for Regional Economic Development to keep this front of mind when looking for projects to support.

We have an opportunity to further empower our communities. I believe that education is the foundation of opportunity. Our communities are diverse, but we are all different, which makes us all unique. But we are all equal, and we can all succeed—although, of course, that success can look different for each of us. Those that aren’t currently succeeding need help and encouragement to do so, and I am committing to helping achieve that.

We also have an opportunity to strengthen the relationships between rural and urban New Zealanders. The strength of the Waikato, and New Zealand, has historically been underpinned by the success of the primary industries. And although we now have more diversity than that, the sector remains a significant contributor to our success. Farming continues to evolve. How we farm now is not how we farmed 10, 20, or 50 years ago, and it won’t be how we farm 10, 20, or 50 years in the future. Primary producers are typically great at adapting to their changing landscape, but they need a supportive structure to facilitate this. The ongoing negative agenda being pushed by some groups is counter-productive and divisive. Let’s work together.

We must be sustainable, but not just environmentally; it has to be socially and economically sustainable too.

We have an opportunity to improve our tourism offering. There’s so many amazing places in our region: places like Wairere Falls, Port Waikato, the Hākarimata track, Hobbiton, and Nikau Caves. I ran the Athens Marathon in Greece some years ago—a wonderful experience, but very commercialised. Likewise, climbing Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain—a powerful, spiritual experience when you summit and go through that shrine right at the top, only to see a Coke vending machine straight in front of you. Look, that’s fine for them, but it’s not the Kiwi way. So many tourists come to New Zealand for our relatively unspoilt and raw beauty. Let’s showcase it more.

As I draw to a close, I am confident that my vision and values, my skills and experience, my enthusiasm and determination will ensure that I am able to contribute to the success of the Waikato and to all of New Zealand. To my Waikato constituents, I look forward to justifying the confidence you placed in me when you voted. It is my hope that I will add to the mana of this House and that after I am gone, some new, fresh-faced MP will experience that same sense of awe, and be further inspired to make our great country greater still.

That picture of the Waikato I shared at the start of this address: the scenery, the successful farms, the vibrant towns, the united communities, and the continual opportunity—this can and should relate to all of New Zealand. I am committing to making this picture our reality. I look forward to serving New Zealand, and remember that every day we can be better than we were the day before. Thank you.

[Applause]

You do “Mr Speaker.”, and I do “Erica Stanford.”, all right?

Can I congratulate you, sir, on your successful election to the role of Speaker. I look forward to your rigorous application of the rules of this House, and, of course, your great leniency when dealing with this freshly minted member from the East Coast Bays—please.

Under your stewardship, sir, I can see that this House is moving with the times. I was so very pleased to see you bouncing one of the beautiful babies of the House on your knee during a debate last week; the member for Pakuranga certainly seemed to enjoy his time up in the big chair! In all seriousness, sir, your commitment to making this a family-friendly workplace is admirable, and to see you leading from the front, literally, was a very special moment.

I would like to start today by acknowledging and thanking the people of the East Coast Bays for their trust and their confidence in electing me as their representative to this Parliament. I am deeply humbled by the support that I’ve received from my community, and I am especially proud to be the first female MP for the East Coast Bays.

This is my first rodeo and, as a rookie, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to a great many people for supporting me on this ride into Parliament. In particular, I’d like to thank my electorate chair, Scott Browne; my high school buddy, good friend, and campaign chair, Vernon Tava; and my dear friend and right-hand man / partner in crime, Tony Hannifin.

Today I must also acknowledge and thank my predecessor and former boss of four years, as well, the Hon Murray McCully. Murray was first elected as MP for the East Coast Bays in 1987—a day after my 9th birthday—with a slim majority of 311 votes. For 30 years, he was a hard-working and well-respected member for the East Coast Bays, evident in the fact that he left this Parliament with a majority of over 15,000, which is a monumental effort—and just shy of my first majority of 16,000. I jest, but I am well aware that I am fortunate to ride on the shoulders of this political giant. Of course, he will go down in history as our finest Minister of Foreign Affairs.

I am who I am because of my family, and I owe them so much for their part in getting me here today. To my parents: thank you so very much for making me watch the 6 o’clock news every single night growing up. Thank you for coaching me through all of those debates and speeches, and for encouraging me every step of the way.

To my incredible husband, Kane, partner of 21 years: our names on the Rangitoto College 5th form speech trophy a year apart sum us up so well. While I pontificated over the relevance of the United Nations and the challenges and changes that I believed were required for a more effective organisation for 10—probably insufferable—minutes, he talked about bus drivers. You are the yin to my yang. We make a great team. Thank you for supporting me on this journey and taking charge while I’m away.

To my children, Holly and Alex: you guys rock. I am so very proud of you. Holly, you changed my world, and I am so very proud of all the accomplishments that you have made. Alex, my special little guy, you make my heart sing.

My journey to Parliament has been a rather windy road, with many deviations along the way. My first job was stacking shelves on the night shift at The Warehouse for $4.50 an hour. A job as a telephone market researcher helped support me through my political science degree at Auckland University. From there, I had three very distinct careers, and a short stint as a stay-at-home mother, the combination of which has provided me with many insights across the private and public sectors.

I worked as an export manager for two iconic New Zealand manufacturers. I spent a great deal of my 20s travelling through Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, promoting unique and innovative Kiwi products, from placemats to acoustic insulation. I know first-hand that the incredible reputation of our country and our people overseas is invaluable, and that we must continue reducing trade barriers to create a level playing field for our exporters and access much larger markets. I stand for a confident, ambitious, and outward-looking New Zealand that sees the world as a field of opportunities, not a vast unknown to be regarded with fear and suspicion. We should be open to the world, not fearful of it.

After a short break to start a family, I took on a new career as a television producer of everyone’s favourite genre, reality TV. I worked on a number of shows involving noise control officers, dog control teams, and the lifeguards of Piha Rescue. I put it to you that my skills in reality television will hold me in good stead for my time in this House, whether that be for the Neighbours at War across the floor, the explosive drama of Married at First Sight between the Greens and New Zealand First, or this Parliament’s special edition of Survivor, with the member from Epsom.

From there, I worked for Murray McCully in the East Coast Bays electorate office, helping thousands of locals, businesses, and organisations navigate their way through the various Government departments. This really was the pointy end of policy, and reinforced my passion for my community and for solving problems.

The East Coast Bays is a very special place, and it has always been my home. Kane and I raise our family a stone’s throw from where I grew up, swimming at Long Bay beach and traipsing through the Ōkura Bush. I was born and raised there, Kane and I met at Rangitoto College, and we were married on the bank of the Long Bay - Okura Marine Reserve. I play in a local hockey team, I chaired the local business association, and I have worked in the electorate for eight years. The East Coast Bays reaches from the majestic Ōkura estuary in the north—a pristine marine reserve and breeding ground for the Hauraki Gulf—to Murrays Bay in the south, where kids do sweet bombs off the new wharf in summer, and out west to Albany, once orchards and strawberry fields, and now the bustling business hub of the North Shore.

We are home to Rangitoto College, the largest high school in New Zealand; High Performance Sport New Zealand; Massey University’s Albany campus; and Business North Harbour, the largest business association in the country. About half of the electorate was born overseas. We have thriving communities of South Africans, Koreans, Chinese, British, Dutch, and others. Our ethnic diversity makes the Bays a unique, culturally rich, and interesting place to live. It’s a beautiful, busy, thriving place, and it’s growing at a rate of knots.

There are many things that I want to achieve for the East Coast Bays, and my priority is to ensure that we accommodate for the growth; that we continue to deliver more classrooms for our local schools, some of which are at capacity. I’ll be advocating for better transport solutions for the somewhat overlooked Shore. I’ll be applying pressure to clean up our waterways that feed into the beaches that our kids swim in, to help protect our marine reserve for future generations, and to preserve those precious green spaces that the Rural Urban Boundary has, up until now, been safeguarding.

And it is my community from which I draw my inspiration. I am inspired by parents in the electorate, who make great sacrifice for their children to ensure that the next generation have opportunities that they did not. I’m inspired by businesses like Rex Bionics and Sealegs marine in Albany, who are taking on the world and punching above their weight in typical Kiwi style; people who get together to preserve and protect our environment, like Restore Deep Creek, Friends of Okura Bush, and the Long Bay - Okura Great Park Society; and by people who go above and beyond the call of duty, like our local high school principals and our famous bird lady, Sylvia.

In my electorate, every day I see people working hard to do great things, to protect our place, and to provide for future generations. I want to work in a Parliament that gives these Kiwis—all Kiwis—opportunities to succeed. Where you’re brought up influences your values and so, too, does how you’re brought up.

My parents have played a huge part in shaping the values that have guided me through life and will, indeed, guide me in this Parliament. My father arrived in New Zealand from the Netherlands as a five-year-old, with his parents and three brothers. Like so many immigrants, they came to this country in search of a better life, willing to work hard, to embrace their new country, and to make sacrifices to achieve their dreams. Despite having very little and losing his father at a young age, Dad worked really hard at school and later took a job at the local freezing works to support himself through flight school, so that he could achieve his dream of flying for his new nation’s airline. His 40 years of service and elevation to 747 captain at Air New Zealand are testament to the fact that there is no substitute for hard work and the fruits of your labour are a direct result of the effort that you put in.

My mum worked in our family business, growing hothouse grapes for export. Those long hours she spent in that intolerably hot glasshouse were to pay for the school fees for my brother, sister, and me to give us the best start in life. Thank you, Mum, for your sacrifice, for your hard work, and for making me the kind of mother that sacrifices everything for my kids.

Perhaps one of the most valuable things I inherited from my dad is that famous Dutch pragmatism. I come to this House with an open mind. My outlook is not restricted by the blinkers of inflexible political ideology. Rather, I am a firm believer in the importance of constantly scanning for those great ideas that can so often lie in the periphery of your vision. I am interested in what works.

An example of something that works, and one of the great success stories in my electorate, is the Vanguard Military School. Vanguard is a partnership school that has been incredibly successful in helping young people who have not done well in the mainstream education system. Not only were many of these young people not succeeding academically, they told me they had lost any belief in their own ability to succeed. This school, quite simply, has turned their lives around. I sat down with the students from Vanguard and I have seen for myself the confidence and the hope in the eyes of these young people who now have futures that they can look forward to for the first time. That is why I find it very troubling indeed that this Government has plans to shut down these schools, purely on the basis of rigid political ideology. If we are serious about helping young people with dramatically different backgrounds and experiences, then we cannot continue to rely on the same old approaches done in the same old way.

The backdrop to my childhood was sausage sizzles, cake stalls, and garage sales to raise money for one community project or another. But it was my parents’ work to protect the Ōkura Estuary from a proposed tip site in the 1980s that had the greatest impact on me. Ōkura is officially recognised as a jewel in our backyard, part of a pristine marine reserve bordered by a protected native forest and a walking track visited by over 70,000 people a year. But had it not been for a group of passionate locals and environmentalists who fought for over a decade, this would be an environmental disaster zone. The battle was one of the defining moments for the electorate. It led to the protection of the Ōkura native forest and the establishment of the Long Bay - Okura Marine Reserve.

I’d like to pay tribute to the many different local conservation groups who fought and continue to battle to protect this very special place. I’m sad to say that the potential removal of the rural urban boundary will likely mean that your work is far from over. I am committed to continuing work with the many environmental groups in the East Coast Bays, to muck in with you, to help you, and to promote the work that you do, because our greatest treasure is this beautiful land. In the immortal words of Neil and Tim Finn, “we glisten like a pearl at the bottom of the world”, but we can’t take this for granted. It is a priority for us to restore and preserve this great treasure.

It’s always bothered me that environmental protection is cast as somehow a left-wing issue. Conservation—the care and the protection of nature—is part and parcel of the conservative political tradition to which my party belongs. I, for one, don’t believe that capitalism and environmental protection can’t sit together. The reality is that environmental protection is a priority for all of us. To solve the challenges that we face in our generation and the ones to follow, we need to go beyond conventional political boundaries. I’m interested in what works. We need a successful economy to pay for the choices we make to protect our environment. We need a diverse economy to add value to our world-class primary produce and to tread more lightly on the land. We need to cooperate across sectors and across parties, so that the good work of one Government is not undone by the next.

I come to this House believing in freedom, personal responsibility, and achievement through hard work and determination. And I believe that, as a society, it is our duty to help those most in need. If we are to improve the lives of all Kiwis, we need a society that fosters these values. We must be ambitious in our thinking and aspirational about what we can achieve, open to the world, not fearful of it, flexible in our approach and focused on what works, no matter where the idea comes from.

I love seeing the world through my children’s eyes. I love seeing how “normal” can change so much from one generation to the next. It will be normal for my children to have a young female Prime Minister. It’ll be normal for them to have their marriages defined by love and not by gender. It’ll be normal for them to think about sustainability in every aspect of their lives. I relish the challenge of working on policy that will continue to place us on the right side of history.

[Applause]

Ki te iwi o Ngāti Kahungunu, tēnā koutou. To all the people of Ngāti Kahungunu, greetings. Ki ngā hapū whanui o Heretaunga, tēnā koutou. To all the hapū of Heretaunga, greetings. Ki ngā kaumātua o Heretaunga, tēnā koutou. To all the elders and leaders of Heretaunga, greetings. Kia ora mō te aroha, me te manaaki ki au mai ra no. Thank you for the love and support you have given me over the years. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Acknowledgments to you the tribe of Ngāti Kahungunu and the subtribes at large and the elders of Hastings. Thank you for your empathy and respect towards me and so, accolades and acknowledgments to you collectively, my appreciation to us all.]

It is a tremendous honour to speak for the first time at the beginning of the 52nd Parliament. It is a privilege to represent the people of Tukituki in this House and I thank them for voting and bringing me here. Mr Speaker, I acknowledge you and congratulate you on your appointment, as I acknowledge the appointment of former Hawke’s Bay resident the Hon Anne Tolley as Deputy Speaker, and the other presiding officers. I acknowledge all leaders of this House and all political parties, and respect their seniority and mana.

Congratulations to the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern; Deputy Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Winston Peters; and to all Ministers. I acknowledge the Rt Hon Bill English and the Hon Paula Bennett as leader and deputy leader of the National Party. On behalf of all of us National MPs, I wish to thank both of you for your outstanding performance across the nation in the recent election campaign. I am incredibly proud to be elected as a National MP and I thank you both for your time in Tukituki during that campaign.

I acknowledge the party president, Peter Goodfellow, the board and National Party staff led by Greg Hamilton. I offer a particular vote of thanks to central regional chair, Bernard Cleary, for his support, advice, and personal help. It is an honour also to join my fellow Hawke’s Bay MPs, the Hon Stuart Nash and the Hon Meka Whaitiri, who, although across the political divide, I regard as friends after working with them for many years on many issues. I also welcome the opportunity and the working relationship with my National Wairarapa colleague Alastair Scott as we work together to help the people of Central Hawke’s Bay.

I acknowledge and thank my predecessor, the Hon Craig Foss, for his dedication and commitment to the people of Tukituki. And, whether they are watching or not, I also greet our community leaders in Hawke’s Bay: Hawkes’ Bay Regional Council Chair Rex Graham, Hastings Acting Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, and Central Hawke’s Bay Mayor Alex Walker.

Honourable members, can I also thank you for the courtesy already shown to me by many of you of this House whom I have worked with in my former role as President of Local Government New Zealand. I look forward to these respectful relationships continuing.

As the member of Parliament for Tukituki, I want to share a little about myself. I’m married to a wonderful wife, Kerryn, who’s with me today, whom I love and who has been a tower of strength since we met, and who was a superstar in this campaign. Mr Speaker, I put it to you that not many wives or husbands or partners in this Chamber would actually enjoy door knocking. She does, and thank you for it. I am a father of four wonderful adult children from a previous marriage who are doing incredibly well. Emma, Thomas, Henry, and Charles continue to give me a huge sense of pride, with their achievements and success in life. I love them and acknowledge them. I also thank their mother for what she did in bringing them to this world.

My mum, who’s in the gallery, and my late father gave myself and my siblings an idyllic life, surrounded with love in a Christian household. We never wanted for anything, but we had modest means. My brother Andrew and sister Jeanette have both been a supportive part of my nuclear family, and as siblings we have all supported each other through life’s rough patches. I thank Kerryn’s parents, although they are unable to be here today, for their love and support, complete with free-flowing political advice and a bit of alcohol, to boot.

My dearest friends Michael Hindmarsh and Peter Roil have supported all my political campaigns and are hoarding professionals to die for. They have heard on countless occasions that this would be my last time—probably about five—and when this campaign started they stuck with me again, only the task was 100 percent larger. We met through board of trustees elections at Sherenden and Districts School, and they have been my friends, and lifelong friends, ever since.

To Trevor Helson, Tukituki electorate and campaign chair, who sits with us today: thank you for your full-time voluntary role during the campaign. You were supported by a wonderful and energetic team, and we achieved a wonderful result. Thank you to all of you who have continued to support me today, who helped during the campaign, and who helped financially.

Members, I am proud to say I represent the people of Hastings, Flaxmere, Havelock North, Whakatū, Clive, Haumoana, Ōtāne, Ongaonga, Tikokino, the Heretaunga and Ruataniwha plains, and rural hinterland places the likes of Ōtamauri, where I was brought up. I also represent the people of Ngāti Kahungunu, more than 25 maraes. I specifically acknowledge my good friend Ngāti Kahungunu chair Ngāhiwi Tomoana, and his wife Mere. I thank the Hon Chris Finlayson for the great work in settling all the claims in the areas I represent. We are in post-settlement positive mode now, and the benefits are quickly flowing with investments and confidence.

It is no accident I am here, as my father was a political and National Party stalwart and supported former Speaker of the House Sir Richard Harrison and Waikaremoana MP the Hon Roger McClay. From the earliest of memories I can remember him always being at meetings, and the rituals of election night parties. They weren’t raucous affairs but were full of stern study, opinion, predictions, and either elation or gloom. The gloom quickly subsided, however, as planning began for the next three years—just exactly what this side of the House has already done. There is a certain tinge of sadness, knowing that he died too young to see me enter this House. He would, however, be very proud.

I come here as the oldest member of the National “class of 2017”. I prefer the nickname “Uncle” to “Dad”, but what a great group of National MPs I have joined. I also acknowledge Nicola Willis, who I’m very hopeful will join us very shortly. We’ve all come here to make a difference to a positive New Zealand. While I’ve been a mayor of Hastings, president of Local Government New Zealand, and chair of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, I start this new journey with great optimism for both a change in the environment and for New Zealand. I have been out of National Party politics for decades, but I am excited to rejoin.

Unlike many, I’m fortunate to have enjoyed a good life. I still have good health, I’ve come from a loving, stable family, I have a university education, and I’ve had an enjoyable career. Despite this, though, my work, my faith, and my Christian upbringing have shown me that many people are not so fortunate. I enter this place to make a difference for those who have not enjoyed what I have. I enter this Parliament to improve things for my people and all New Zealanders. I do so, however, from a philosophical viewpoint that we need to empower people to succeed, not fund them to do so.

I also have a fundamental mantra that people can spend their own money more efficiently than any form of government, whether it’s central or local. This does not mean I do not support the State or local councils as collective ways of doing things more efficiently. I support both, but we should always remember that neither actually has any money. The money and support people receive in health, education, or welfare is our money. As we ration services or build infrastructure, we should constantly assess what makes sense, even if the approaches need to be very different from the past.

My life has been a journey made all the richer for my growing understanding of what is important to Māori. In the last 20 years, I have grown huge respect for the long-term relationship - driven perspective that comes from our Treaty partners. I have learnt a great deal about patience and have a very real understanding of land, water, and cultural assets.

New Zealand is a blessed nation at the bottom of the Pacific, surrounded by a pristine ocean. We enjoy a quality of life that is the envy of the world. I am incredibly optimistic about our future, and the issues we face are all solvable. We punch well beyond our weight on the global stage, and in relative terms our poorest are well supported. I joined the National Party because I believe in free enterprise, in rewarding hard work and risk, and in personal responsibility. A strong economy gives us options to address challenges. We need to constantly remind ourselves that our wealth is created by what we export, whether it is food, wine, manufactured product, or intellectual property. There is no free lunch, and as a nation we have to earn it before we can spend it. Every effort should be made to support our export base.

I have come to this House to try to make a difference in the following areas. Firstly, the home and the family: the work done by the Rt Hon Sir John Key and the Rt Hon Bill English’s last Government and outlined by the new Government in the Speech from the Throne is to be applauded. Both sides of this House want better for our families in health, housing, and education for those that are most vulnerable; the real difference is in the “how”. We do, however, have an ingrained level of poverty that is hard to fix. In my view, most of this stems from a lack of work and low incomes. This leads to boredom, a lack of motivation, often the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and a slow unwinding away from productive society. A loving family can do so much but only so much, if there isn’t enough money to cover the basics.

In Hastings, the most recent living example of that was the closure of the Whakatū and Tōmoana freezing works. Four thousand people lost their jobs over an eight-year period, and we are only just recovering. Recently, for the first time in decades, I can see the opportunity for our young people in the region. The economy in Hawke’s Bay has never been so good. We cannot squander this opportunity, and we need to back the next generation into work, into challenges, into skills, and into life experiences. We need to take some risks.

Two recent phenomena are adding to the new challenge in many homes: the proliferation of P and the dramatic increase in reported domestic violence impact on thousands of women and vulnerable children. I am appalled that in Hawke’s Bay police were called to over 6,000 domestic violence cases last year—one of the highest rates in the country. It is great that it’s being reported, but it’s sobering in scale. We will not arrest our way out of this, and it requires an attitudinal and home-based shift. Equally, methamphetamine is a scourge of society like I have not witnessed before. Its availability, widespread use, and mind-altering behaviour are fundamentally damaging families. We can have conversations around cannabis and the legalisation of it, but we must take a much stronger stance on P. It is a drug on its own, and its impact on health stats is not even measured in many parts of New Zealand. In simple terms, I want it gone from society.

I am a strong believer in climate change, and from international travel I know that we are well placed to manage it. Our deep blue ocean surrounds will temper its impacts on New Zealand, but not entirely. It is my simple view that the sooner we take action, the better we will support future generations. I have watched the painful Ruataniwha Dam project come to its knees. While some members of this House will be pleased about this outcome, I strongly caution members that doing nothing is not an option. Climate change will have a profound impact on water distribution on the eastern edge of New Zealand, and water storage of winter flows will be vital to support production in areas such as Canterbury and the Heretaunga and Ruataniwha plains. Unfortunately, many New Zealanders have formed the view that irrigation and water storage is a bad thing. In reality, the real issue is around nutrient pollution. I would encourage members of this House to take a long-term view about water storage. There will be no escaping from it in the long term.

I’m also a strong advocate for the environment, from a pragmatic perspective. I have watched people’s anxiety around the state of the environment increase. I have watched a largely urban electorate show less and less tolerance to our rural friends. So while we are quick to point to cows wading in a lake in the South Island on a hot summer’s day, or shots of pollution in rivers, the bulk of urban pollution goes unnoticed. Our urban estuarine environments are being polluted by rubber tyres, brake linings, and heavy metals. All these things are difficult to fix, are expensive, and will take a long time. These challenges are for urban and rural people alike.

In closing, it’s also important that this House is also aware that the good people of Tukituki are looking for some Government support for some projects, and I particularly put this to the Labour side, now that you’re in charge. A new main hospital block for the Fallen Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Hasting is likely to cost between $150 million and $200 million; there was a promise before this election for the four-laning of the Napier-Hastings Expressway; and there needs to be assistance given, where possible, to dealing with the Three Waters issues in central Hawke’s Bay and, as has been identified in this campaign, an assessment and possible construction of a new school in Havelock North.

In closing, I’m incredibly grateful to the people of Tukituki for placing me in this Chamber. I will represent them with all my knowledge, skill, and humbleness. I have a faith, and stand by my Christian values of honesty, tolerance, love, and care for human beings. To this end, I am completely accepting of gender diversity, racial diversity, culture, and sexual orientation. I enter this Parliament comfortable in my own skin, confident in my ability to deliver for Tukituki with an open mind to listen to others. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Applause]

It is the greatest privilege to be standing before you today as a member of Parliament elected by the people of Clutha-Southland to represent their views, hopes, and dreams for their region and for New Zealand.

People in Clutha-Southland are pioneering, hard-working, and community focused. The rest of New Zealand can learn a lot from Clutha-Southlanders. It’s a place where people still look out for each other, people still know each other, and, most importantly, people still talk to each other, whether it be across the fence or in the supermarket aisle. It’s where I regularly see carefree kids riding their bikes around their neighbourhood, and where local people still rally together to support a good cause.

I intend to be a strong voice in Parliament for Clutha-Southland. I believe in the core National Party values of strong families, caring communities, personal responsibility, individual freedom, and choice. These values form the basis of my own philosophy. I was motivated to stand for Parliament by a desire to uphold these values. I believe the Government’s role is to get out of the way and let our people get ahead and be rewarded for effort. My experience in life has shown me that it is attitude and hard work that is key to succeeding.

The Clutha-Southland electorate, and previous forms, has an extremely proud history of leadership and contribution to New Zealand over the years. It has included the Hon Adam Hamilton, the Rt Hon Peter Gordon, Sir Brian Talboys, Sir Robin Gray, and, of course, our leader and former Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Bill English. I want to take this opportunity to thank Bill for his leadership, and to congratulate him on the policy development that he has led throughout his years in Parliament. His social investment approach to complex social problems and its long-term dividends for New Zealand make him the most gutsy politician of his generation.

I’d also like to acknowledge current mayors in the region: Jim Boult, Bryan Cadogan, Tracy Hicks, and Gary Tong. These individuals stitch together the fabric of our Clutha-Southland communities and provide excellent leadership. I look forward to working with them to progress the interests of our people.

Clutha-Southland doesn’t just produce some great people; it’s one of the most productive regions in New Zealand. It is the largest general electorate in the country. It runs from just south of Dunedin to the north of Invercargill, and spans from the Pacific Ocean to the Tasman Sea.

I have learnt that many people in Clutha-Southland are not afraid to call a spade a spade. You cannot pull the wool over the eyes of a Clutha-Southlander, even if it was grown and shorn there. It is an honour to represent an area that is part of my heritage and my identity. I am proud of my established family history in Clutha-Southland. My great, great, great grandfather John Barr was a Balclutha businessman who leased the Government ferry across the Clutha river and built the first store and bakery in the township. Today, I have family members throughout Clutha-Southland.

My late grandfather Ronald Walker often spoke of how it is ultimately up to the individual to determine the path they take in life. The seeds of working hard and taking personal responsibility for oneself were sown early in my childhood by my grandfather. He helped put hundreds of Southlanders through university, running the Otago University extension programme for a number of years, and also helped establish the Young Nats in Southland in the 1940s. And I better not forget to say hello to my nana, who is watching from Invercargill.

My urban-raised father Alan and my rural-raised mother Barbara taught me that everyone deserved a chance, and that we should all contribute back to our community. I’d like to thank my father, who continues to dedicate his life to helping others. Thank you, Dad. I’d also like to thank my mother, who has sacrificed so much to raise me and my siblings. Thank you for all that you do, Mum. If you were a taxi driver you’d be a millionaire by now, given the fetching and carrying that you’ve done over the years. I’m sure you would have done almost as many kilometres in your car 20 years ago as the Clutha-Southland MP at the time.

I respect my urban heritage. This will hold me accountable to the needs and concerns of the urban areas within the electorate. Encouraging growth in small towns and responding to challenges of growth in larger towns will be one of the many issues I face. I have an obligation to my rural heritage, which will hold me accountable to the needs and concerns of the farming communities within the electorate. I have many fond memories working on my grandparents’ farm during my teenage years.

Coming from a family with four siblings, I learnt early to listen to those around me and to respect their views. I also learnt that working with others achieves more than working independently—a lesson that I’ve put into practice throughout my life. I was born and raised in Dunedin and attended Māori Hill Primary School and John McGlashan College. Like many young people, I wasn’t too interested in learning. To complicate things, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 14. Going from leading a normal life to half a dozen injections a day was tough. I eventually left school early to get a job. I understand first-hand that some people may not achieve on a typical educational time line, but they still can succeed in education and contribute to their community.

My early education and health experiences has made me passionate about these areas, especially in regard to our youth. I didn’t experience typical school success for many reasons. Perhaps an alternative learning environment may have suited my learning style—that’s why charter schools are vitally important, and yet another achievement of our previous National-led Government. I was the kid who some might argue slipped through the cracks, but I still managed to experience success and I want to help ensure youth have meaningful education options with relevance to the real world.

My first role after leaving school was as a commercial fisherman. I look back on my time as a fisherman with pride. It was my first real experience of what hard work is all about. Long hours on the boat were challenging. I also learnt the importance of the primary sector to New Zealand. It’s important we give these producers every possible chance of success.

In addition to my fishing days, I’ve worked as a voluntary community patrol member, and later as a police jailer. I always had a desire to become a police officer but was unable to apply to Police College because of my diabetes. This was a huge disappointment to me but it taught me that when one door closes, another opens and you need to be willing to move on and learn from life’s lessons.

After a few other jobs, I decided to study for an accounting degree. Instead of incurring a significant amount of debt by taking out a student loan, I decided to work in the mines in Western Australia to save some money. Six months of hard work allowed me to save enough to pay for the fees. It was during this time I also took up refereeing rugby. A few years later I made my first-class debut, which is achieved by less than 1 percent of rugby referees. Rugby refereeing is a lot like life. To learn, you need to listen. To succeed, you need to simplify your processes and focus on just one or two key issues that have the greatest effect. In business, you also need to focus on the one or two things that matter. Rugby refereeing was the perfect training ground for politics.

Graduating with an accounting degree was a huge confidence builder for me. I had come a long way from dropping out of school. Looking back, I know I wouldn’t have gained the skills I now have if I’d gone straight to university from school. I needed those years to mature. Since then, I’ve set up, franchised, and sold my own business, worked at a “big four” accounting firm, have been a business adviser to others, and served on the boards of the Otago Rugby Football Union and the local lottery distribution committee.

As someone who has benefited from our public health system, I am a firm believer in primary care being easily available close to where people live. Travel times can impact on primary care in rural areas. Failure to gain early treatment or intervention from primary-care providers can add huge costs for the New Zealand taxpayer. I will fight hard to maintain services in the electorate and fight for fair funding of rural health.

I first joined the National Party several years ago, after advice from John Key to stand in a red seat, cut my teeth, and learn. I’ve always been inspired by others to do something significant, to make a difference, because life is short. I was fortunate to have known Jonathan Keogh, who was tragically killed by a repeat drink-driver. Jono’s legacy inspires me to make a difference, and his name will never be forgotten. I commend Jono’s sister Megan MacPherson and his family for directly helping to change the drink-driving laws. I, like many others, miss Jono and he is often in my thoughts.

There are multiple challenges ahead. Right now in Clutha-Southland we should not be cutting off the hands that literally feed us, from farmers in Gore to hospitality workers in Queenstown. The Government must ensure immigration settings allow business owners in Queenstown and primary producers across Otago and Southland to have the workforce to process goods. Clutha-Southland has around 2 percent of the population and produces over 15 percent of the country’s GDP. We need to keep our workers to process the goods from the region and to keep the people flowing through our small towns like Lawrence, Lumsden, and Nightcaps. Our immigrant workforce contributes to our diversity and keeps our towns afloat.

I recently visited a rest home in Tapanui and asked a 96-year-old gentleman and returned serviceman for advice. He told me to continue to learn. Learning indeed is for life, and is lifelong. My biggest hope is to make Clutha-Southland proud of the contributions I can make to our country. I hope that by taking this gentleman’s advice I can achieve this. I promise to listen to my constituents, and I thank them for the advice they have given me to date.

There are many people I would like to pay tribute to for being in my life, and although I cannot name them all, you know who you are. I want to thank the people who have enabled me to stand here before you today. To the more than 1,200 Clutha-Southland National Party members, thank you for placing trust and confidence in me. To Bridgette Smith, Margo Hishon, Rachel Bird, Tim Shiels, Richard Soper and the rest of the executive and campaign team, your dedication to the party is energising and the sheer distances you have to drive for meetings is remarkable. The electorate is in safe hands in your care.

To Mark Patterson, great to see you here as a list MP. To Kate Hazlett, Andrew Hunt, Roger Bridge, Alastair Bell, president Peter Goodfellow, and the rest of the regional executive and National Party board, thank you for your hard work. To the Young Nats, for the weekend campaigning in Queenstown, you all rock. I learnt a good lesson that weekend—not to start days that involve the Young Nats in Queenstown before 11 a.m. Grant McCullum, for the phone calls offering advice, thank you. Michelle Boag, your wise words are really appreciated. Eric Roy, thank you for the good solid advice in your Southland manner and way. National’s strong result is a tribute to you all.

To the ladies who run my offices, and life—Rebecca, Paula, and Alison, thank you for keeping me going. Sarah Dowie, Mike Woodhouse, and Jacqui Dean, “Team Southern”, let’s go. To David, thank you for being here today, and to Donna, you’ve been a tower of strength in my life since I met you 18 months ago. Penny, you’re an inspiration to me, and words cannot express how much your support for me throughout this election process, campaign, and since being elected has meant. I wouldn’t be able to do this without your support. I admire the contribution you make to society in your role as a clinical psychologist, and, yes, you often remind me you did beat me to Parliament as you were Eric Roy’s Youth MP.

The privilege of serving this Parliament is one that comes to very few. I didn’t come here to eat my lunch, nor to “be” a member of Parliament. I came here to do things as a member of Parliament—to help make change that benefits all New Zealanders and to help to enhance the lives of the people of Clutha-Southland. I will probably make mistakes in this House, as I have made many already in my short life. But my respect for the institution, my loyalty, and my commitment are solid. My philosophy is honest and true, and my compassion is infinite. I hope that everything I do in this Parliament and in my time as a member of this Parliament is a tribute to those who have gone before me, those who have helped me, and those whom I love and who love me. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

[Applause]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As this is my first time speaking in this House, let me congratulate you for your election as the Speaker of this House, and your team, the Deputy Speaker and two Assistant Speakers. Thank you for your service in presiding over this House of Representatives and this debating chamber.

While I am thanking parliamentary figures, I would also like to acknowledge Her Excellency the Governor-General, Dame Patsy Reddy, for her role in opening Parliament last week. I’m also grateful for the service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, and for the service she has given to New Zealand over the past 66 years. We have the finest constitutional framework anywhere in the world. It has served our country well, and I am sure will continue to do so for many years to come.

With that in mind, I’m particularly humbled to find myself in this room and incredibly honoured to be standing here as the new member of Parliament for Pakuranga. I would like to acknowledge and thank the people of Pakuranga for the faith they have placed in me as their member of Parliament and representative in this House. I’m conscious that it is my responsibility to represent the views and values of my constituents, and I’m eager to do that because I share their values. The values of Pakuranga are the values that have made New Zealand great—a commitment to hard work, fair reward, personal responsibility, equal opportunity, and common sense. These time-honoured values are cherished by Kiwis across the country and are instilled in children by their mums and dads every day.

I’m the second of five children born to Ivan and Sarah Brown, who are here in the gallery this evening. I was born in Rotorua but my family moved to Auckland when I was 12, and I’ve lived there ever since. I was not brought up in a wealthy family. We were comfortable but there were challenging times. My parents were able to provide me and my siblings with what we needed, but I know it wasn’t always easy. However, when I look back I see the truly important things they provided in great abundance. I was raised by two loving parents. I was taught discipline, the importance of working hard to get ahead, and taking responsibility for my actions. Their love and commitment to each other has been their greatest strength and has been the best example I could ask for.

I married my wife, Rebecca, at the beginning of 2016. I want to thank her for all her love and support that she has given me in my journey to this place. She is my rock and I could not have come this far without her unconditional love, encouragement, and wisdom. Rebecca is from Sydney and is the daughter of Lebanese parents whose families moved to Australia to find a better life for their families. Rebecca then met me and moved to New Zealand for what I hope is an even better one. Thank you for your love, Rebecca.

I graduated from the University of Auckland, where I studied law and commerce. I went on to work as a commercial banker with the Bank of New Zealand, working with a range of small and medium sized businesses in Auckland. This experience has given me an insight into the engine room of New Zealand’s economy and the fact that this country is built on the backs of men and women who take risks, who mortgage their homes, and go out to try and achieve their dreams. A Government is at its best when it backs its citizens and trusts them to pursue their dreams. Too many Governments in the past have obstructed those who want to get ahead. I believe that Kiwis can fly if they are not tied up in red tape.

I’ve been involved in politics for a good part of my life now. My first experience in this field was attending my local residents association, the Clendon Residents Group, and being elected as the secretary at my first meeting as there was the need for some fresh young blood. From there I chaired the inaugural Manurewa Youth Council, was elected to the Manurewa Local Board in 2013, and served as its deputy chair. I was thrilled to help progress a number of key projects and initiatives along the way.

One issue that I was particularly proud to be involved with during this time was the passing of the Psychoactive Substances Act. That Act, effectively, banned the sale and supply of these dangerous drugs. I’m grateful that this Parliament passed that legislation, and I was proud to have played a part in getting policy put through Auckland Council and then through this House. There is more to do on this important issue and the issue of protecting our young people from the harm of these products and other harmful drugs. It will always be an issue that I care deeply about.

I would like to acknowledge Angela Dalton, councillor Daniel Newman, and the Hon George Hawkins, who I worked alongside during my time in local government. Thank you for the opportunities you provided me and the advice you gave. You taught me that actions speak louder than words—a maxim I will always honour.

Being elected as the MP for Pakuranga has been the biggest honour of my career, but winning could not have been done without the help of an excellent team of supporters and electorate team. I’m pleased to have so many good people to work alongside, and I look forward to continuing that work into the future. My electorate chairman, Peter Martin, epitomises Kiwi commitment. My electorate and campaign teams include John Slater, Simon Williamson, Hadyn Padfield, Jenny Gibson, Chloe Masters, Katrina Bungard, Sarah Fenwick, Rahul Sirigiri, Nathan Wilson, Daniel Church, Carla Mikkleson, Te Haua Taua, Cedric Jordan, Michael Baker, Gaylene and Evan Whetton, Bill and Maggie Burrill, Erin Dillimore-Muir, Lynn Kidd, and Josh Beddell. I will also acknowledge Sean Palmer for his advice. Their support has been fantastic and their advice has always been flawless. I’m proud to be their member of Parliament, and I want them to know that I know I would not be here without their help and support. My appreciation also goes to the National Party president, Peter Goodfellow, our board members, regional chair Andrew Hunt, and the staff at regional HQ.

It would take me about 10 hours to properly thank all those who have helped me in my campaign, and I don’t believe this House will grant me the opportunity to do that. Instead, I’ll ask the forgiveness of those I can’t mention by name and hope they know how much their support has been appreciated. They should all be proud of the excellent result they achieved at the last election: significantly increasing National’s party vote in Pakuranga, to the third highest in the country. Of course, I cannot fail to mention my predecessor in Pakuranga, Maurice. Maurice, if you’re watching this, and you probably are, thank you for all the work you have done for this electorate and the nation. As you can see, we’ve built on your success. I think a pool party in Los Angeles is definitely in order.

As I stand here today making my maiden speech, I am conscious that we are standing inside a war memorial commemorating the brave men and women who have fought for the freedoms and peace that we enjoy as a nation. When I contemplate their sacrifice, I realise that I’m fortunate to be standing here. Because of the heroic deeds and selfless actions of the generations who have gone before me, a new generation, my generation, is free to shape its destiny. The traditional values previous generations have fought to uphold are what have brought me here and are what I will be fighting for. We are fortunate that today we do not have to defend these values by force of arms, like previous generations did, but that does not mean they are secure. Today we fight to maintain the democratic principles upon which our nation was founded: preserving the right to speak and think according to our conscience, and the protection of the vulnerable and disenfranchised in public debate. Unfortunately, these principles were so well protected by previous generations that many today do not appreciate what life is like without them, and so do not value them as they should.

Freedom is not simply doing what we want to do to satisfy our individual desires and needs. We are not ships in the night but he iwi tahi tātou—we are one people. We must use our freedoms to serve the common good for all in our society. Moreover, the future security of our democracy and the health of our community are grounded in the past, out of which they grew. We must look back in order to move forward. G K Chesterton called tradition the democracy of the dead, and this place, Parliament, with its traditions, is underpinned by the freedoms won for us by the ANZACs, the suffragettes, the civil rights leaders, and those who throughout our history have fought for this country and its values—freedom informed by truth and all that is just, the willingness to do the right thing no matter the cost, irrespective of contemporary fashion or whim.

As I look forward to my time in this place, I will also be looking back, conscious that I stand here on the shoulders of those who have gone before me in seeking, by the grace of God, to help make our country an even better place for the future generations. Like so many others, it is that desire to make this country a better place that has driven me to stand for Parliament and to serve in this House. I’m fortunate to have many friends precede me into Parliament. I’ve known people like Judith Collins and Simon O’Connor for many years, and am glad to be taking a seat alongside them. I’m also delighted to see my good friend Christopher Penk beginning his career, and I look forward to learning the ins and outs of Parliament alongside him. I’m also looking forward to hearing what kinds of flattering things you’ve got to say about me in your maiden speech!

I joined the National Party because I share its values and believe that those values are what create a prosperous and successful country where all New Zealanders are valued and have the opportunity to succeed. I’m proud of the National Party’s conservative tradition, and I look forward to advancing the wisdom of those values across the House. I’m proud of this tradition because I care about people. I believe that Parliament is there to help make a difference in people’s lives but not to run their lives. The role of Government is to help create the conditions where people are able to thrive from their own hard work and to succeed based upon their own skills. I believe that people succeed when the Government allows people to thrive and make decisions for themselves.

I also believe in good governance. When Governments are forced to intervene in people’s lives, it must be for the right reasons, based on a desire to improve their lives, and any intrusion must be as small as possible. Too often decisions are hastily made, or laws are quickly passed with little thought about the unintended consequences they have. Good laws are made through good process, through sound reasoning, and proper consultation. I hope we will see principled actions and well-reasoned policies from this Government, not merely politically expedient propaganda. I won’t be holding my breath, and I hope you don’t either, because they say it’ll cause brain damage.

I believe that the crucial role of Government is to protect its citizens and the nation. The protection of the citizens of the country is central to the role of Government. Maintaining law and order and national security are areas deserving of more investment and will be welcomed by the people of Pakuranga. We need more investment in tackling gangs and continuing to crack down on the illegal supply of drugs flowing into our country.

The Pakuranga electorate is full of entrepreneurs, business owners, and investors. The Government’s role in business must be to provide opportunities for businesses to grow and succeed. This means opening up new trade links, reducing red tape and regulation, and investing in much-needed infrastructure projects. Two such projects close to my electorate’s heart are the East-West Link and the Auckland-Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative. I am tremendously disappointed to hear that the new Government intends to put the brakes on this kind of growth, and I will do everything I can to encourage them away from this myopic decision. Traffic congestion is a huge issue in Pakuranga for the people who live there and businesses that operate in East Auckland. These transport projects must be progressed, and I will champion them and others like them during my time in this House.

One of the other values that I will be a staunch advocate for during my time here will be the importance of freedom of expression. As members of Parliament, we are fortunate to work in an environment where freedom of expression is generally protected. But we must ensure that freedom of speech is not merely a parliamentary privilege but something people everywhere can enjoy. All New Zealanders should enjoy freedom of expression, as that underpins a strong democracy.

Of course, with every freedom comes responsibility, and at times limitations. However, those limitations should be rare and a matter of last resort. I’m opposed to the idea that Governments should stop people saying things that offend or annoy others. Governments should not be in the business of protecting people’s feelings and affirming every person’s sense of self. A safe society is one where we debate ideas rather than suppress them. A tolerant society welcomes all ideas and debates them on their merits, rather than determining what ideas are allowed and which aren’t.

We who work in this Chamber must always remember that the Government wields tremendous power. Too often private individuals are trampled by Governments rather than protected by them. This applies to freedom of speech, of course, but in other ways as well. It is often the case in society that the weak can be neglected in favour of the strong, and those who shout the loudest get the most attention from the Government. I believe that it is the role of this Parliament to protect the most vulnerable and to ensure that their rights are safeguarded. It is to our shame that New Zealand has a rising epidemic of elder abuse in our country. We must address this and other disturbing trends.

I worry that our society is becoming harsher, less caring, and less compassionate. It is not sufficient to merely spread these words throughout society; they must be backed up with actions. I believe that many of society’s problems are rooted in poverty. However, unlike some, I am not solely focused on material poverty. There is a growing poverty of compassion, a poverty of respect, and a poverty of understanding between communities and generations. This must be stopped, and I will do everything I can to help. This is a far better way to build a kinder society than the redistribution of wealth, because making New Zealand more caring, tolerant, and compassionate will enrich us all.

In conclusion, just as we acknowledge God at the opening of every parliamentary day, I acknowledge Him now as I start my parliamentary career. I humbly acknowledge my need for His guidance during my time here and pray that my time would be to the betterment of the welfare, peace, and tranquillity of the people of Pakuranga and New Zealand. Thank you very much.

[Applause]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Congratulations on your election and congratulations to your fellow presiding officers—in particular, my colleague the Hon Anne Tolley.

I acknowledge our strong party leadership, the Rt Hon Bill English and the Hon Paula Bennett, our strong and united caucus, and, in particular, the “class of 2017”. It’s wonderful to see our friend Nicola Willis here in the gallery this afternoon. We look forward to welcoming you at some point in the future.

I stand here today the proud son of Shirley and John, and grandson of Ron and Joan, Arthur and Eva. My family have sacrificed much for me to be here. My paternal grandfather contracted polio as a child, making farming a struggle for my father’s family on their farm just outside of Waimate. My maternal grandfather passed away at a young age, leaving my grandmother to raise three daughters on her own. Gender equality was borne out of necessity—she did the work of two men on her own and raised three strong and independent women. She was a formidable woman and had a huge impact on me growing up.

My father spent much of my childhood growing his small business, so much of the heavy lifting of raising my sister Anna and me was left to my mother. On top of looking after two kids, holding down a job, and being involved in a variety of worthy causes, she made the time to go to night school. She’s been an example to me of the awesome impact and importance of education, and of lifelong learning. I’m a firm believer that we are products of our environment—that the people we meet and the experiences we have shape who we become. In that sense, I recognise my privilege. I come from a loving family, with two parents still together.

I was born and raised in Ashburton, at the northern end of the Rangitata electorate, the sort of place you wouldn’t think twice about letting your kids go off at all hours, kicking a ball around the park until sunset. The Rangitata electorate, I’m proud to represent, spans much of mid-Canterbury and South Canterbury. Unlike the 20 or so Auckland MPs who have to share a pretty mediocre rugby team, I’m spoilt with two strong heartland teams.

In the west, we have the Southern Alps and Mt Hutt, rising high above the Canterbury Plains below, with picturesque communities like Methven, Mt Somers, Staveley, and Mayfield not far away. Travelling south, the electorate cuts to the east when you reach the Rangitata River, tracing the outskirts of distinct and diverse communities like Temuka, Ōrari, Winchester, and Pleasant Point. Timaru, where my wife and I live, lies at the southern boundary, home to a thriving port, major food processing and manufacturing plants, artisan cheese, craft beer, excellent coffee, and, of course, Caroline Bay—the Riviera of the South. If you haven’t visited yet, to quote a questionable Australian marketing campaign, “Where the bloody hell are ya?”

Further north, the coastline turns rugged, with hut settlements looking out over the ferocious South Pacific Ocean. You’ll often find me at the Rangitata Huts, outside of mobile phone coverage—my apologies in advance to the senior whip—hiking the coastal trails, or trying to catch some dinner. Further inland are the towns and settlements of Fairton, Hinds, Wakanui, Winchmore, and Ashburton Forks, all surrounded by rich and fertile soils, which help make mid- and South Canterbury a food basket for the world. In all of these communities you’ll find the friendliest and most welcoming people you’re ever likely to meet. I am honoured and humbled to be their servant in our House of Representatives.

I went to my local primary, Allenton School, where my mother worked in the office for 20 years. After being sent to the principal’s office just once, I quickly learnt that the growling I’d get would pale in comparison to what was waiting for me at home. While I was at Ashburton Intermediate, I became a keen rugby player for my local club, Allenton, and with dreams of becoming an All Black, I enrolled as a boarder at Christchurch Boys’ High School. Known as one of the most prolific producers of All Blacks, Christchurch Boys’ has produced 46 at last count. Sadly, my talent and training went unrecognised, and I made it only as far as the mighty third XV. By that time, my attention had turned elsewhere.

I started studying economics in year 10—20 years ago—and haven’t stopped since then. I credit this, and some exceptional teachers, with encouraging an early interest in politics. More than anyone, I thank Dr Bruce Harding, my year 13 English teacher, for fostering debate, treating us like adults, and goading me into arguing with him daily. He was a staunch Alliance supporter, so I’m not sure he’ll appreciate my thanks or the fact that I’ve gone on to become a National Party MP.

I had a year off, pulling pints in London and backpacking around Europe, and came home to study political science and economics at the University of Canterbury. Coming from Ashburton, these years in Christchurch and stints in London and, later, in Wellington were quite a shock. I’m still not entirely comfortable in big cities. Throughout high school and university, I spent every chance I had in Ashburton working on Dad’s cousin’s pig farm. There I learnt more than anywhere else the value of hard work, and an entirely new and colourful vocabulary—I’m still trying to unlearn it. But, above all, it’s given me an understanding of the huge importance of our primary sector for jobs, for exports, and for what we eat and drink.

Following university, I came to work in this place, never expecting I would be here nearly a decade. I worked on some fascinating issues: Auckland governance reforms, foreign charter vessels, the International Convention Centre, and Novopay. I visited some incredible places: Indonesia, Colombia, and India. But what I remember most are the people: my colleagues I worked with, all of whom were here because they wanted to make New Zealand a better place.

Traditionally, maiden speeches are a time for new MPs to talk about what they want to achieve during their time in Parliament. I recall once reading a speech by Roger Douglas, the architect of free-market reform in the fourth Labour Government. In it, he called for the State-backed construction of carpet manufacturing plants across the length and breadth of New Zealand. I can only hope my vision for our country stands the test of time a little bit better.

New Zealand is a wonderful country, but I believe our best days are ahead of us. I’m here because I want to contribute to make that a reality. I want to see New Zealand continue to develop into a small, confident, outwardly focused country—a country that remembers its history but looks to the future; a country that overcomes challenges rather than becoming consumed by them. As the world grows smaller and as technology advances, the things that once held us back, like our distance, become less important, and biosecurity and the environment become our strengths.

Our population, too small for a sizable domestic market, means that we have to trade. To quote one of my colleagues: “New Zealand companies are barely out of nappies before they have to start selling offshore.” That’s why I’m a strong supporter of free trade. We cannot hope to become prosperous and successful, as a country of 4.7 million people, by trading with ourselves and turning our backs on the world. The benefits of trade are enormous, but where it’s most felt isn’t Ponsonby or Panmure, Khandallah or Karori; it’s in regional New Zealand. On the back of the China free-trade agreement, trade with China has tripled in the last decade. Half the pizzas in China are now topped with mozzarella from Fonterra’s Clandeboye plant, in my electorate. We now need to redouble our efforts in new and growing markets like South America and the Middle East and do much more in Africa.

I’m incredibly nervous about talk of cutting migrant numbers. The local economy is growing strongly in my area. We simply don’t have enough people to do the jobs that are available. A large cut to work visas would stall growth in the regions. We have to move away from blaming migration for the social ills of the day.

The world is changing rapidly. It’s important that we continue to offer an education to our young people that will help them prepare for a future we cannot today imagine. We have world-class schools and universities. But I am concerned there is a notion prevalent in too many of our high schools that their role is solely to train kids to go to university. Farming and the trades have to be given a far more equal weighting when educating young kids about their career opportunities.

We do have much to be proud of. We are a vibrant multicultural society. We are addressing past injustices. But we can’t rest. In the last year, more than 600 New Zealanders have taken their own lives. There is no single answer, no silver bullet to fix that. I was pleased that the last Government set aside $100 million as part of Budget 2017 to investigate new approaches. We have to accept what we’re doing now isn’t working. When 600 of our fellow Kiwis are dying at their own hands, we have to say that this is unacceptable.

When I was in my late teens and early 20s, three of my best friends took their own lives in tragic circumstances. I’m sorry that I couldn’t do more for them. It’s a feeling that doesn’t go away. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with, and still is. I was fortunate that about this time, when I was at university, I met someone who helped me through it. I wouldn’t be here without her. Her name is Rose; she’s here today, and the best moment of my life was when she agreed to marry me.

Before I end, I have a few people to acknowledge. No campaign is run by one person, and the most successful campaigns have too many people to thank, but there are a number of people without whom this couldn’t have been possible. My family are here in the gallery today, and they’ve been nothing but supportive, despite, I think, a fairly healthy degree of scepticism for politics and politicians. Thank you for your support and for listening to me prattle on for many years about stuff that you couldn’t care less about. To the three Ministers I worked for—Rodney Hide, Phil Heatley, and Steven Joyce—thank you for your guidance, your patience, the opportunity, and your friendship. Thank you to my campaign team—Jess Letham, Mark Oldfield, John Hunt, Colin Truman, John Driscoll, and Alan Booth. My campaign chair, who, I’m sure, will be watching in the office, Alison Driscoll—still not a single disagreement in seven months, a pretty remarkable achievement, particularly for me—and to Roger Bridge and Angus McKay, thank you for your advice and encouragement.

Fellow Rangitata candidates—Olly, Jo, Tom, and Mojo—thank you for a good-natured campaign. I learnt something from all of you. It’s great to see Jo here as a Labour list MP, but I’m incredibly saddened that Mojo Mathers wasn’t high enough on the Greens list to return. To my predecessor, the Hon Jo Goodhew, thank you for being a constant source of advice and guidance and for the job you did as our MP for many years.

Finally, to my wonderful wife Rose: thank you for joining me on another journey.

[Applause]

Ko Matt King taku ingoa, nō Te Nota ahau nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Matt King is my name, I’m from the North and so, salutations, acknowledgments, and accolades to you collectively, and to us all.]

Mr Speaker, I’d like to start by congratulating you on your election to the prestigious role of Speaker. I look forward to your positive rulings over the next three years—in our favour.

Members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, friends and family, I stand before you filled with pride as the representative of the people of Northland. I’m proud to be a National Party MP in the most powerful and united Opposition this Parliament has ever seen. Today is my opportunity to introduce myself and to share my journey and what I hope to achieve while I’m here.

I come from the mighty Northland, a truly beautiful place steeped in history. I live a short distance from the harbour where Kupe landed on the shores, a short distance from the site of the first Māori settlement, and in the region with the largest iwi, Ngāpuhi. Our electorate’s largest town is Kerikeri, and it’s also the site of our first permanent European settlement and New Zealand’s oldest surviving building: the Stone Store. In the beautiful coastal town of Russell, we had New Zealand’s first capital, and across the water at Waitangi are the grounds where the Treaty was signed. These factors, taken together, make us the birthplace of the nation.

The vast Northland electorate stretches from Cape Reinga and Ninety Mile Beach in the North, across to the beautiful Whangaroa and Bay of Islands harbours in the East, to Dargaville and the mighty Tane Mahuta kauri in the West, and then wrapping around Whangarei and extending past Wellsford and Mangawhai in the South. We have 1,700 kilometres of coastline and the best scenery in the country, despite what my colleague Tamati Coffey might try and tell you. We enjoy the country’s highest average temperatures and we have 3.6 percent of the population and just over 5 percent of the land. We are a region with many challenges, but I am incredibly positive and optimistic about our future. It’s a true honour to be voted in by the people of Northland to represent them, and it’s a real privilege to be one of 120 people tasked with the responsibility of ensuring this country is governed well.

I want to acknowledge our leader, Bill English, and our senior management team, both past and present, for their leadership and guidance of our country over the past nine years, through the global financial crisis, the Christchurch earthquakes, and several other major challenges that we have faced as a nation. I would like to acknowledge our party president, Peter Goodfellow, and the National Party board, which he leads. I want to acknowledge Northland regional chair, Andrew Hunt, and his executive, and, finally, our general manager, Greg Hamilton, and the crew from the service centre, who I am told are possibly the best team we’ve ever had.

I’d also like to acknowledge my predecessors and the work they have put into the Northland electorate.

I’d like to acknowledge my National Party colleagues, especially from the 2017 intake, and my colleagues from across the House for their success in getting here. I’d also like to mention at least three people that didn’t make it, but they’re knocking on the door: Nicola Willis—up there—Agnes Loheni, and Paulo Garcia. I hope to see them in the House in the next term, hopefully. We enjoyed some time during the induction period before the games began, and I look forward to working with you all in the various select committees and duties.

I’d also like to mention and acknowledge my two main opponents in Northland: Labour’s Willow-Jean Prime, for showing the same determination and perseverance that I have to make it here, and Winston Peters, for being unrivalled in his longevity as New Zealand’s longest-serving and possibly best-known politician.

It’s important to me that, as one of the front men, we never forget the team behind us working away to ensure our success. To my superb Northland electorate team: a huge thankyou to you all. I am nothing without you. I appreciate every bit of time, every effort, and every bit of encouragement that you’ve all put in. I want you to enjoy our success, because it is our success.

I want to make special mention of our electorate chair, Rose Ellis. Rose is a massive asset to Northland. In the 2015 by-election, she drove over 10,000 kilometres in one month and put in countless hours of work, all at her own cost, to support the National campaign in Northland. And in our 2017 campaign, Rose didn’t let up. She led from the front and she really did make a huge difference, and I will never forget that.

I’d like to single out for special mention my campaign chair, Grant McCallum. Grant is a former National Party board member and a man with a mountain of knowledge, who was and is a huge help to me. Grant’s guidance and advice was critical to our success.

I want to offer my thanks to all Northlanders who supported me through the campaign and put their faith in me to be their representative. My political career began in 2010, when I entered the rather prolonged race to be the Northland candidate for the 2011 election. I made the short list on that occasion, but I didn’t make the podium. Having no desire to be an MP anywhere but Northland, I essentially shelved my political dreams and got on with what was a pretty good life. Then, rather unexpectedly, along came round two in 2015. This was a mad dash to the finish and a greatly shortened selection process, and this time I made the podium, but I didn’t get the gold.

Finally, in late 2016, in round three, I made it across the line and was selected as the National Party candidate for Northland. On that day my campaign began, and it did not stop until late on 22 September, with my electorate chair, Rose Ellis, balancing on my shoulders, pulling out the last nail of our last hoarding. I credit this long and onerous campaign and my team for our ultimate success in winning back Northland.

A little bit about my early history and my journey here. I want to thank my family, starting with my wonderful parents, who gave me the best start in life that anyone could wish for. If everyone experienced the upbringing that I’ve had, there’d be no need for policemen or judges, lawyers or prisons—you wouldn’t need locks on your doors.

I’m the eldest son of Joe and Jenny King, who this year celebrated 52 years of marriage. My father is a well-respected chiropractor and farmer, and my mother is a schoolteacher and fantastic provider. My parents worked really hard for what they have and made many sacrifices to give us the life we enjoyed. My father’s word is his bond—a handshake seals the deal. He leads by example, and he set the bar high. Words cannot describe how proud I am of them.

I was also blessed to briefly know my older sister, Joanna, who was taken from us at a young age. I have one younger sister, Tara, and one younger brother, Patrick, whom I admire greatly. I’m the proud father of three amazing children, Jake, Robbie, and Jasmine, and the husband to an incredible woman and mother, my wife, Sarah.

I was born 50 years ago in Auckland and moved north at age nine. We grew up on a picturesque hill country farm in the mid-north, which we now own. We had an amazing life on that farm: swimming in and drinking water from the two rivers that flow through it, riding our horses and dirt bikes across the hills, hiking through the bush, eeling in the creeks, scaling the cliffs, and climbing deep into the glow-worm caves. Our farm has it all. Well, it’s 40 years later, and nothing has changed. We can still do all that, but these days I prefer to sit on the riverbank and watch my kids do the action stuff.

After leaving school and scraping together some cash, I left on my big OE. I bought an old American Ford station wagon in San Francisco, and for a year it was my home whilst I travelled the length and breadth of North America, clocking up over 20,000 miles and covering many parts of Mexico, the US, and Canada. This was a huge adventure filled with incredible memories, and I recommend it to all.

On returning to New Zealand, I completed three years of study, graduating from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Science, and after graduating, I followed in my grandfather’s footsteps and joined the police. During my 14-year police career, I got to experience the human race in all its glory. I dealt with the sad, the mad, and the bad. I saw and experienced things that cannot be unseen, and I came out of it at the other end with a heightened level of compassion for people that has never left me. I learnt many of my most valuable life lessons during that period of my life.

I’d like to share with you a story about my grandfather—also named Joe—who was a policeman for 30 years. He ended up on the North Shore in Auckland before the harbour bridge was built. He was the sole policeman from Campbells Bay to Waiwera. I recall him telling me many stories from his policing days, and these have stuck with me.

I recall a story where my grandfather received a call to a bad car accident on the Ōrewa hill, north of Auckland. At that time, a new cop had just been stationed in Ōrewa, and my grandfather headed north to assist him. He learnt that the car had rolled, that the three occupants had been thrown out and the car had landed on one of them, that the injuries were life-threatening head injuries, and that it was pretty grim. My grandfather was told that the injured passenger was his son, my father. En route to the scene, my grandfather passed the ambulance going the other way, heading to hospital. He knew his son was in it. He continued on to the scene to help his mate, the new cop, and did his job, because that’s the kind of man he was. My grandfather has long since passed away, but if I’m half the man he was and my father is, then I’ll be doing all right.

By far, the biggest and most proud achievement of my university days was the discovery of my soulmate and the love of my life, Sarah. Sarah has been by my side for the past 27 years, and is one out of the box. I can honestly tell you I could not have made it here without her love and ongoing support. My dad always said to me, “The secret of a long and successful marriage is to listen to your wife.” You’ve got to listen to your wife. I can hear her now, and her words are: “Harden up, you big girl’s blouse.” Never has there been a truer word spoken, that beside every successful man stands a great and equally successful woman.

I want to close with my dream for Northland. I want a region where all of our children can grow up, get educated, have a career, and raise a family here in Northland. I want a region where all of our children are raised in the strong, stable, and loving environment that I enjoyed, and that we can stem the flow of our young people out of Northland. It’s especially personal to me, as my son Jake is chasing his dream and training to be an airline pilot in Hamilton. I would dearly love it if we grew the North to the stage where he could do his training up in Northland so I could get to enjoy having him around more often.

How do we grow and prosper? Well, it starts with investing in our infrastructure: our roads, our bridges, our digital and energy networks, our schools, our hospitals, and our people—especially our people. I want to encourage our many talented people to step up, take leadership roles in our community, become mentors, and lead by example. I want us to stop talking about the potential that Northland has; I want to realise it. I am committed to keeping Northland on the map, to keeping us front and centre.

To Northlanders, I give you this promise: I will work the hardest and the smartest that I can to achieve our dreams and our aspirations. I’m proud to be a Northlander. I’m proud to be your MP. Thank you.

[Applause]

Thank you for this opportunity to address the Parliament, Mr Speaker. I do so with great expectations and great excitement. I congratulate you and your fellow presiding officers on your respective appointments.

Let me begin by recording my gratitude to all who voted in Helensville, including, but not limited to, those who did so for my party and me. I acknowledge and thank my opponents for a campaign that was frank but fair, and robust but reasonable. I also acknowledge all fellow members of this House, including, in particular, the “class of 2017” on both sides of the aisle, not least of all my colleague Simeon Brown, who was generous enough to mention me in his own remarks, and all my National Party colleagues under the strong and principled leadership of Bill English.

It’s well known that my predecessor in Helensville as MP was John Key. I’m grateful for the advice that he has generously given me. During the election campaign it was observed by many that I have large shoes to fill if I am—extending the metaphor—to follow in his footsteps. Nevertheless, I shall endeavour to tread the path that appears to me, exercising my own judgment in accordance with my own experience and world view, to represent the surest path to health and happiness for the people of Helensville.

The Helensville electorate, within Auckland’s North West, is magnificent. I may be biased—and, indeed, it would be strange if I were not—but in my view it represents the very best of our nation, comprising as it does, fertile farmland, commanding coastlines, bountiful bush, secure suburbs, flourishing forests, and beautiful beaches.

My journey to Parliament has been at once atypical—including many voyages over and under the oceans of the world, on which more later—and in other ways somewhat typical, including a career in the law. I completed a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Linguistics at 19 years of age, having already by then commenced a lifelong love of language. I find a happy home here in Parliament—an institution whose words are powerful enough to be known as Acts. Along with my BA, I had started a law degree but, in a victory for adventure over academia, decided instead to run away to sea, so to speak, rather than face classes in jurisprudence. More specifically, I served in the Royal New Zealand Navy as an officer of the watch on HMNZS Te Kaha, an Anzac class frigate.

I was also privileged to serve in the role of aide-de-camp to Her Excellency the Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright, travelling around New Zealand and abroad as a member of the vice-regal household. At 22 years of age, I was, at least, at that time, the youngest person in New Zealand to have the privilege of holding that role. Already by then a keen student of public law, at Government House I had the considerable privilege of witnessing Royal assent being given to legislation. In a strict constitutional and historical sense, it is lawmaking power beyond even that enjoyed by this House.

In 2004, I joined the Royal Australian Navy to fulfil my dream of driving submarines. The genesis of that dream is unclear to me, but may have been my boyhood enjoyment of the Jules Verne classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. As navigating officer of a diesel-electric submarine, I was driving a hybrid vehicle long before most Green Party MPs ever did. Every submariner knows that the best stories of the silent service are seldom told: those of hard times and good times alike. Through the looking glass known as a periscope, I saw things over a decade ago that are still as clear in my mind’s eye today as though I’d viewed them only yesterday.

My service with the Australian Defence Force was completed with Operation Iraqi Freedom, when I was stationed on a shell-scarred oil terminal. And so it was that I spent Christmas of one particular year a metaphorical stone’s throw away from where the Euphrates and Tigris rivers of ancient Mesopotamia still meet and flow together into the northern Arabian Gulf, in turn not far from the little town of Bethlehem. To the men and women of the Defence Force, I say, “Victor, Mike, Tango”, along with “over” rather than “out”.

It was then time to return to NZ, where I completed my law degree. On admission to the bar, I practised law, eventually in a firm that I established with a business partner, Ong & Penk Lawyers. My experiences on the long and winding road to Parliament have shaped me for good and, almost without exception, for the better.

Next, my heartfelt thanks to the National Party campaign team and executive committee of the Helensville electorate. I owe my place here to each one of you. Our leader, Stephen Franklin, is a great New Zealander who has served with the SAS, the police force, St John, and, of course, Sir John. To all National Party members, supporters, and, of course, our voters: thank you too. I acknowledge the party president, Peter Goodfellow and his fellow board directors, including Andrew Hunt, who is also to be thanked in his capacity as northern regional chair. Others who have supported me strongly and kindly in various ways are too many to name, but they know who they are. I also know, and it is my solemn resolution never to forget.

It’s my belief that family members of politicians should not generally be mentioned in Parliament, for a number of reasons. The exceptions that prove this rule for me are maiden and valedictory speeches, being rare opportunities to thank those who are nearest and dearest. First, my eternal gratitude to the best parents a son could wish to have, Debbie and Stephen Penk. Both are teachers by instinct and, indeed, also profession: my mother at various levels in the schooling system and my father as a lecturer at the law school of the Auckland University.

They raised five boys in a household that was not wealthy in a material sense—far from it—but one rich in love. They taught me the overriding importance of fidelity, family, and faith. We were raised in West Auckland and I attended the local State schools, of which Kelston Boys High School deserves particular mention as a favourable, formative influence. I’m also grateful for the love and support of all my brothers, and my sisters-in-law too, and I acknowledge the presence of Alex and George in the gallery today.

There is much that I could say about my grandparents, but I’ll focus briefly on the experience of each during World War II. This is because the self-sacrificial ethos of that generation—quite rightly called the greatest by many—is typified by such service. My grandmother Joan Penk joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. As a “WAAF”, I hope that she would be pleased that I’m now able to represent an area that includes the RNZAF airbase at Whenuapai. Her husband, my grandfather Harold Penk, served as a medic in the New Zealand Army. A brave and devoted man, he was mentioned in dispatches at the time, and it’s my pleasure to be able to mention him in Parliament now as well.

My maternal grandfather, Professor Forrest Scott PhD, was a naval officer in the Second World War, who bequeathed us a diary in which he describes the torpedoing and loss of his ship, HMS Springbank, by a U-boat. His wife, and my grandmother Helen Scott, was a schoolgirl evacuated from Dover during the Nazi bombings. Her determination was amply demonstrated by obtaining a degree in mathematics at Cambridge University in the 1940s, an era in which women were actively discouraged from studying such subjects. I’m delighted that she will be watching on Parliament TV today, provided that the Silver Ferns are not playing a netball test on another channel at the same time.

I will also always be grateful to my dear parents-in-law, Ken and Tjoe Choe. They are invariably supportive and generous, not least of all because they allowed me to marry their eldest daughter. I met my beautiful wife, Kim, at law school. An excellent journalist specialising in online news, she has recently, at least temporarily, exchanged the fourth estate for first-time motherhood, a role she handles wonderfully well. Our son was born just two days prior to the recent general election. Jokes about her being in labour and me being in National were not made in her hearing at the time. Some might say that I will be spending my days here sitting on the backbenches of the Opposition side of Parliament in much the same way that a newborn baby does: making unreasonable demands and unintelligible cries, often due to an excess of hot air from the other side of a room. I could not possibly comment.

I move now from the personal to the political. I joined the National Party immediately on my return to New Zealand in early 2008. For several years, I served on the electorate committee of Paula Bennett, twice as electorate chair. In 2011, I represented her in a judicial recount of the Waitakere election result. That was under my mentor and friend Peter Kiely, chair of the National Party Rules Committee, whom I thank now for many years of help and encouragement. I recall walking into that room with our candidate behind by 11 votes, and we emerged several days later with her ahead and, accordingly, the victor by nine votes. I will never forget that fascinating intersection of law and politics.

My values are closely aligned to those of the National Party, as you might well expect, in particular our emphasis on providing equality of opportunity and the strong belief in the value of personal responsibility. Beyond that, I would like to offer some thoughts on an aspect of lawmaking that is seldom considered and understood properly even less. It concerns a paradox of choice and freedom. Every person has rights that are limited by reference to rights enjoyed by others. That much is generally acknowledged as a matter of principle, although in practice we do not always protect every heart that beats.

But perhaps more complex and interesting is the paradox of making laws that ostensibly offer choice and freedom to a person but have the actual opposite effect. By way of example, a person who is offered by the law, and accepts, the choice of taking an addictive substance will suffer from a lack of choice as a result of doing so. Much more could be said, and, indeed, I’m sure will be said, in the coming months along these lines.

I also wish to comment briefly on the present electoral constitutional arrangements of this country. It has become clear that MMP Governments are now invariably formed in three stages, one of which involves the voting public and two of which do not. First, there is an election of MPs to seats by the people; second, a selection of the Government by politicians; and, third, a collection of some, but not all, of the relevant parties’ policies, again by politicians alone. Given such democratic deficit inherent in the rules of the MMP game, it is unfortunate that the people are given so little opportunity to view the way in which the game is played at the second and third stages.

In my hope that this speech will be watched at least once on YouTube, by someone other than me, I have, effectively, created a game of maiden speech bingo. In these 15 minutes I have referred to three Beatles song titles, three Charles Dickens novels, three books of the Bible, and three famous naval ships. Each is significant to me in some way. You may recall that I began addressing the House with “great expectations”, one of the Dickens novels’ titles, of course, but the rest I will leave to anyone interested in looking.

I conclude my remarks with the motto of the submarine on which I served, HMAS Sheean, which was, simply, “Fight On”. I emphasise those words for two reasons. First, I do not resile from the adversarial nature of parliamentary democracy, but I will fight fairly. A contest of ideas provides the least unsafe way of making the least dangerous laws. In Opposition, we have not only the right but also the responsibility, more significantly, to oppose bad Government policy, even as we do support any good policy that they may propose. A legislative Chamber that is fiery is not a bleak House but a bright one. Second, that motto, “Fight On”, also speaks to the high value that I place on resilience, persistence, and determination. Even as I finish now, I promise that I will always, at all times, fight on.

[Applause]

Waiata

Sitting suspended from 6.05 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.

I move, That this debate be now adjourned.

Motion agreed to.