Valedictory Statements

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I suspect that when I look back on my life, it will divide into two periods: before 2020 and after 2020. The year 2020 has been an extraordinary year for all of us. Can anyone really believe that it is still only August and not, in fact, 2025? For my family and me, it hasn’t just been about the incredible effort of responding to COVID19 and the lockdown; there was the near end of our marriage, the death of my father, and now the end of my political career. We even had to put the dog to sleep a few weeks ago. It’s been a rough year. Just two weeks ago, I was not preparing to deliver my valedictory speech, but here I am, ready and happy to say goodbye.

I am leaving Parliament because I can no longer serve as a Minister, and I can no longer serve as a Minister because some of my actions have not been congruent with the expectations we should all have of Ministers or anyone in a position of power or leadership. As Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety and as a leader in my office, it was not appropriate to have a private relationship with a staff member in a department that reported to me and who worked directly with my office. We must recognise not only the imbalance of power involved but also the impact such a relationship can have on a workplace. That’s why I have to go. Anyone who thinks otherwise hasn’t been paying attention. Just because it was tolerated in the past doesn’t mean it ought to be in 2020.

I apologise to my family. The trauma they have experienced has been excruciating. First, there was the trauma of our own private business. Then there was the dehumanising trauma of being used for headlines and clickbait by an industry that somehow thought it was appropriate to publish images of their house when they were at their most vulnerable. Every attack, every thoughtless and uninformed commentary, cuts at the hearts of political families. We at least get to put our case; our families don’t.

I am sorry for the hurt and humiliation I have inflicted on my family and for the direct impact of my actions on so many others. My family is incredible. They are tough cookies, overflowing with resilience, and we will come out of this stronger together. My pride in each of them is boundless. Clare is a profoundly impressive schoolteacher, taking to her new career with gusto while exuding all the skills and knowledge of a seasoned pro. Laila is smashing NCEA level 1, with a string of merits and excellences. Last week, she won her school singing competition. Flynn is a leader at his school, and his football team is in an arm-wrestle to be the top junior team in Palmerston North. Scarlett is excelling at her new school and working hard to prepare for her upcoming dance competition.

A politician’s loved ones are vital to their career, and I thank them deeply for the many sacrifices they have made over the years. Also vital is an army of supporters and volunteers. I can’t name all the people who have contributed to my political work, but I do want to place on record the names of those who have committed considerable time and energy over the years. From the Labour Party in Palmerston North: Lorna and Craig Johnson, Mark Andrew, John Shennan, Liam Rutherford, Shane Field, Finda Hope, Therese McCrea, David and Katherine Chisholm, Ros and Russell Hallam, Zulfiqar Butt, and Frank Bolton. My parliamentary staff, both in Palmerston North and here: the late Graham Keenan, Joyce Squire, Helen Toner, Mark Johnson, Kerry Holden, Robyn Barnett, and Sonya Holm. And in my ministerial office: Jeff Sissons, Haidee Hemsley, Joy Gribben, Marie McCafferty, Lisa Kinloch, Phil Reed, and Semi Kuresa.

Thanks also to the stakeholders in my portfolios—in particular, the Council of Trade Unions and BusinessNZ. We have had a very constructive and genuinely tripartite relationship that has served us well as we navigated an abundance of unexpected challenges during this term. Of course, we didn’t always agree, but agree or not, it was always a friendly, respectful relationship that helped us get a lot done.

This term of Parliament will be remembered for the strength, kindness, and compassion of New Zealanders and the leadership of Jacinda Ardern in the face of three extraordinary events: the horrific terrorist attack in Christchurch, the eruption of Whakaari / White Island, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of those events demanded an extraordinary response in my portfolios. I pay tribute to Immigration New Zealand, WorkSafe, ACC, and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for the exceptional way they responded to those events, for supporting and caring for people directly affected, and for the support they provided me as we made difficult decisions that had a profound impact on people’s lives at a speed that would ordinarily terrify public servants. At the beginning of the term, I would never have guessed that I would be the immigration Minister who closed the border. I mean, I knew we were going into coalition with New Zealand First, but it still never crossed my mind.

Even with those tragedies, we were able to achieve a lot this term. I was lucky enough to introduce this Government’s first piece of legislation: the extension of paid parental leave to 26 weeks. [Members applaud] Thanks to Sue Moroney, who should be getting the applause, for a ready-made bill, and because of that it was a relatively straightforward exercise.

The Equal Pay Amendment Bill was a different story. We inherited legislation that did not have the support of the working women it was meant to help, so we went back to the drawing board, gained a new consensus, and introduced fresh legislation. That bill went to select committee and came back with sensible amendments. At that point, key stakeholders who had submitted at select committee threw out the drawing board and demanded significant changes. I’m not going to follow the Hon Nikki Kaye’s lead and repeat my response word for word, but let’s just say it was brought to you by the letters “w”, “t”, and “f”. But given the importance of getting the framework right, we got to work. It took over a year of pain and patience on all sides to get the bill passed. The fact that the phrase “Minister, we’d just like to raise one more thing.” causes me to break out in a cold sweat is just an amusing side effect. More importantly, we now have a bargaining framework that should see thousands of working women get the pay they deserve.

If stakeholder relationships can be hard to manage, they’ve got nothing on coalition relationships. My first foray into coalition territory was the Employment Relations Amendment Bill. Labour and New Zealand First agree that the lowest-paid and most vulnerable workers need to get greater protection, but we clearly have distinct views on how to achieve that. Even so, we have restored workers’ rights to rest and meal breaks. Vulnerable workforces are better protected by Part 6A of the Act. Workers are now in a stronger bargaining position when negotiating employment agreements, and the fire-at-will, 90-day trials now only apply to 29 percent of workers.

It’s no secret that immigration has been a point of difference across all three parties in Government. Despite that, we got a lot done. We increased the refugee quota to 1,500, and we got rid of the unjustifiable discrimination that meant almost no refugees from Africa and the Middle East were able to resettle in New Zealand. We also made significant changes to the way temporary work visas will be issued in the future. A poorly functioning system created too many opportunities for exploitation and undermined efforts to improve wages, domestic skill levels, and working conditions. Over the next 18 months, our changes mean the temporary visa system will become easier to navigate for both migrants and employers, will reduce the risk of exploitation, and will assist in Labour’s ambition to build a more productive, more sustainable, and more inclusive economy—Grant Robertson.

We have also just invested $50 million to prevent exploitation, protect migrants, and strengthen enforcement action against exploiters. We must not tolerate the abuse of workers. The recent conviction for slavery in Hawke’s Bay demonstrates that the most extreme exploitation does occur in New Zealand and that we were right to prioritise tackling it. That work must continue. I agree with the call last week from Walk Free that New Zealand should pass modern slavery legislation akin to that in the UK and Australia. Immigration sector agreements will play a part in building good workplaces. They will allow bespoke immigration settings in return for agreed improvements to wages, training opportunities, and workforce planning so that migrant workers and New Zealanders will benefit. When we are able to reopen the border, these changes will serve us well. One thing I was determined to do as immigration Minister was reopen the parent category. It took time to get consensus and the income thresholds are far too high, but we got the category reopened and that is a good start.

Twelve years of advocating for Palmerston North constituents has been one of the most rewarding parts of the job. There are literally thousands of stories of the people who have come to us for help. I would like to relay just one.

Early in my first term a woman came to see us because the medication on which she relied was no longer funded. It was an unusual case where the medication was being used outside its normal purpose and therefore not funded by Pharmac, but because it was working for her the DHB had provided it. But under pressure from the new health Minister to cut costs, the DHB decided to stop. To protect her privacy, I won’t go into the details, but the effect of losing that medication had a disastrous physical and psychological impact on my constituent. Her first disclosure of contemplating suicide was to be—long story short, we got the DHB to see sense and the funding for her medication was restored. When she came in to thank us, she wept on my shoulder for a full five minutes. We had changed and possibly saved her life. That’s why we all do this job.

Serving just one term as a Minister, there is naturally a little bit of unfinished business. Top of the list is fair pay agreements. While our labour market works well for many people, far too many people continue to miss out on the benefits of a well-managed economy. We are unusual amongst OECD nations for not having some form of sector level collective bargaining, and that contributes to unnecessary inequality.

I had the privilege of meeting some of our lowest-paid workers while we were consulting on fair pay agreements, people working two or three jobs or working 60 hours a week who still couldn’t always pay the basic bills to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and clothes on their kids. These are our supermarket workers, our cleaners, our security guards—the very people who were looking after us as essential workers during the COVID-19 lockdown, the very people we relied on every day. This must change and I challenge this House to take every opportunity to build a society where we value everyone’s work, pay them enough to live on, and treat them with respect.

We have worked hard to get the fair pay agreements policy in good shape, and with a little more work early next term and a Government made up of parties unequivocally in favour, it can be turned into legislation and implemented. We all know the Holidays Act needs reform. Previous Ministers shied away from what is an exceptionally difficult policy area, but with the support of both BusinessNZ and the Combined Trade Unions we decided to tackle it, and we now have a good plan that’s ready to implement next term.

One of my great disappointments is that it was not possible to get consensus around a coherent and fair way forward on issues relating to residency visas during this term of Government. However, I am confident that this can be addressed in the near future with a plan that will satisfy our migrant and business communities.

Some thoughts from someone with the luxury of not seeking re-election: ACC is a taonga and we don’t know how lucky we are to have it. But we politicians have decided that ACC should be limited to covering injury, whereas illness is covered by the health system. I will never forget meeting a constituent—the Hon Ruth Dyson may have more to say about this shortly. I will never forget meeting with a constituent who lost three limbs to meningitis, who rightly pointed out that if she had lost those same limbs in a car accident, she would have been considerably better off financially and would have received superior treatment and support. That is impossible to justify. Health should also be run as a social insurance scheme, and New Zealanders should expect the same support whether they are injured or they fall ill. Speaking of social insurance schemes, we should have one for unemployment insurance, a proper one, not the miserly scheme offered up by the ACT Party.

And, finally—colleagues, hold on—our universal superannuation entitlement is unsustainable. People just live longer. It’s true, though, that abandoning universality or just increasing the age of entitlement are both likely to hit the people who need the most support the hardest. So here’s a thought: a means-tested entitlement from age 60 and a universal entitlement from age 70. As I said, I don’t have to get re-elected, but I’ll leave that one with you.

A lot has been said recently about the culture of this place. It is a hard place to work and not somewhere that I actually plan to stay much longer. But the work is incredibly rewarding. Making a real difference in people’s lives, whether it’s at an individual level or as a local MP, or for thousands of people as a Minister implementing policy, that’s what drives us all, no matter what party we’re from, and that’s why we keep coming back even though it often feels like madness. So while I’m happy to be going, I’m also incredibly happy to have been here. And whatever the future holds, I wish every member of this House happiness and success.

The last two weeks have shown me who my true friends are, and a lot of them are here in this Chamber. I will miss working with you, especially my good mates Carmel Sepuloni and Deborah Russell. I look forward to spending more time with you away from here, far away from here, with my other friends as well, and with my family, who I have definitely not prioritised enough over the last 12 years. And on that note, I’ve got to get home. See you.

[Applause]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Thank you for calling me by my name. Raymond is, of course, my English name. My Chinese name is 建 强—J-i-a-n-q-i-a-n-g. I learnt a long time ago from you guys that trying to get it pronounced correctly could be painful. I can’t Anglicise my last name, my family name, 霍—H-u-o. Many people get it confused and call me “Mr Hyo”, “Mr Hao”, “Mr Who”, and French people may certainly call me “Mr ’Uo”, because “h” is silent in French. Let me borrow the wisdom of the American-Chinese comedian Dr Joe Wong: “If my last name does get pronounced ‘Who’, that may well be my campaign slogan—‘Who cares’.”

Unlike the usual valedictory speeches about achievements, etc., I’d like first of all to reflect on what I have not achieved. I used to be Labour’s spokesperson for building and construction, and I had a good debate with the Government Minister about the building law review. I even accused him of taking a piecemeal approach. I chanted along with the sector that “CCC” is not a “CCC”, and a code compliance certificate should not be replaced with consent completion certificate without having other quality-assurance measures in place.

As recently as last week, I found out that if the clauses concerning CCC had not been implemented, although the initial time line for this change was later in 2012. Perhaps what we insisted on then was right, but I couldn’t convince the Minister, could I?

I sponsored at least four members’ bills. None of them were drawn from the ballot.

💬 Hon Ruth Dyson: Seek leave.

Thank you, the Hon Ruth Dyson. The bill on export education was designed to give the New Zealand Qualifications Authority more powers to tighten rules about the lower end of the private training establishments having international or national titles in their business names. In China, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries, such names are only reserved for reputable institutes matching their national or international status. It’s important for us to protect our international education industry, which contributes about $6 billion every year to our local economy, and it is our fifth-largest export industry. I have full confidence that post - COVID-19, we will be doing better at competing against Australia, the UK, and the US.

The latest one is still in the ballot, and it’s about the rather unusual dual system in our insolvency law. Personal insolvency is called bankruptcy, while corporate insolvency is called liquidation. The anomaly of that is that individual specialists can be appointed to liquidate a company, but only official assignees, who are salaried public officials, can be appointed to manage bankruptcy. The Law Commission issued a paper in 2001, calling it a statutory monopoly.

Currently, about 34 official assignees employed by the Government administered less than 1,500 cases a year, operating on a budget of $17 million. Proposed changes under my bill would help save taxpayers’ money and would promote business efficacy and efficiency.

I thank the National Business Review for its report on “Aussie-style change proposes privatising bankruptcy practice”, and I thank my former law partner Kalev Crossland and the Office of the Clerk, especially Linda McIver and researcher Tessa Vincent, for their input into this complex issue.

On the bright side, though, in 2010, as Labour’s spokesperson for ethnic communities, I initiated the idea of New Zealand Chinese Language Week Charitable Trust, and I spent more than three years talking to relevant stakeholders nationwide, gaining consensus and support. In 2014, at the annual conference of the New Zealand China Friendship Society, I launched the language week jointly with David Bromwich, Pat English, and the Chinese Ambassador, Wang Lutong.

The New Zealand Chinese Language Week is a Kiwi-driven initiative designed to increase the awareness of Chinese culture and language. The first of its kind in any Western country, it has become a popular event in our national calendar. I want to acknowledge Jo Coughlan, the chair, and thank her for her confidence in me and for her contribution in promoting Chinese-language learning in New Zealand.

According to an earlier survey by the New Zealand China Council, for every $1 million of global economic activity, there are 63 school students learning French, 31 Spanish, 17 German, and 10 Japanese, but only two are studying Chinese, and China has become our largest trading partner.

I also want to acknowledge Professor Neil Quigley, Ambassador Tony Browne, Professor Paul Spoonley, Sarah Thomson, and all the other past and present trustees.

I want to thank you, Mr Speaker, for allowing me and joining me to mark the occasion with a prayer in Chinese in Parliament.

As a list MP, I’ve given the job my all, and I’ve enjoyed my role, in particular, as the chair of the very busy Justice Committee. As a lawyer turned MP, I feel privileged to get involved in the reforms of some of the most important laws in New Zealand, such as the Trusts Bill, the Privacy Bill, and other bills such as the Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill. I acknowledge the Hon Amy Adams for the very bill she introduced as the Minister of Justice under the previous National Government. I had the privilege of having her as my deputy chair, but following her departure, things got bumpy.

There is a book called Do You Think You’re Clever?: The Oxford and Cambridge Questions. On page 73, there is a question: “Smith sees Jones walking towards a cliff. Smith knows Jones is blind, but doesn’t like him, so allows him to walk off the edge. Is this murder?”

Our initial reaction is that Smith’s deliberate silence is shocking—he must be guilty. He’s not—if we reframe the story that the reason Smith doesn’t like Jones is because Jones is a murderer who likes to kill for pleasure. Then, Smith begins to look more like a hero than a villain. Of course, if it is Smith who is the murderer and Jones the saint trying to stop him, it all looks very different again. The point from the story is that we must have real, not circumstantial, evidence to judge someone, and why we must be extremely careful not to imagine motivations.

Applying the story to what happened to the Justice Committee last year, should that good professor have not been critical of China but full of praise for China, would that have affected the way we voted procedurally? The answer is no, because the submissions had been closed some six months ago, and the rules should not be bent or overtaken by other political factors. To be fair to that National member, if he moved a motion to reopen the submissions to invite the professor in and I voted against it, then feel free to hold me to account. He didn’t do that. Instead, he leaked a story to the media, and the rest is history.

Surely, allegations were made that I—along with almost all active Chinese community leaders—was featured in that professor’s paper. One of the reasons why I was featured was because I translated Labour’s 2017 campaign slogan “Let’s do this” into “撸 起 袖 子 加 油 干”. It is a combination of two well-known Chinese phrases meaning “Roll up your sleeves” and “Work hard”. The only problem is that it happened to be used by China’s President at some stage. Therefore, I was accused of promoting their agenda—how bizarre. The story did not stop here. According to a New Zealand Herald report dated 20 September 2017, the professor also suggested a creative interpretation of the phrases, implying that it had undertones of sexual innuendo.

Much has been said about the importance of the good relationship between New Zealand and China, but this is not to deny real differences in our values and political systems. That’s why we need a quality and independent debate about our differences, challenges, and any issues concerning foreign interference. The Chinese community is supporting it. But if we allow the sweeping generalisation to sink to that level, the value of the debate, if any, would be diminished, and opportunities to look at real issues would be lost.

One such issue concerns the local Chinese-language media in New Zealand, and I have long been calling on them to adapt more to New Zealand standards and values to fulfil their role. The Chinese media plays a very important role, as a significant number of Chinese migrants rely on translated information to understand what’s going on in our society. Under our Privacy Act, news media is largely exempted from the privacy principles to enable them to undertake news activities, subject to certain conditions. I’d be surprised if any of the Chinese media entities meets the criteria for the exemption. Other allegations made against them include self-censorship, journalism of opinion, and partisanship, and those factors would make the Chinese-language media in New Zealand susceptible to external influences, including foreign interference. At some stage, the two regulatory bodies—the Broadcasting Standards Authority and the New Zealand Media Council—may consider establishing a separate arm for ethnic media. Civics education and regular induction programmes for new migrants are also long overdue. But that has nothing to do with scaremongering or conspiracy theories. I support what Professor Paul Clark said in the New Zealand Herald that “we need to work across borders, not put up walls”.

The anti-China narrative is an easy story to tell, but, as Stephen Jacobi cautioned, it may, however, “unintentionally tap into a prejudice against Chinese people which has raised its head several times in our history, including in the form of a poll tax once applied to Chinese immigrants”. Many Kiwi-Chinese people have made New Zealand their whānau. They’re not even interested in geopolitics. So please leave them alone. To protect them from the sweeping generalisation, I have deliberately skipped all the Chinese names—as you can tell from the gallery, none of them were invited. But I do want to thank them, thank my family, thank my team, and thank the Chinese community, and especially those business leaders who over the last four terms have given—using their own words—their party votes to Labour “against their conscience”.

I owe my presence here to many people whom I consider to be my friends and mentors. To name names may unfairly omit others, but I do want to acknowledge Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Minister of Finance, Grant Robertson. Our health and economic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic are greatly successful. New Zealand is one of the safest countries in the world, thanks to the team of 5 million.

I’m a proud Kiwi-Chinese. Sometimes “Made in China” or “Originated from China” may not be that scary. Instead, it can be benefiting, productive, and healthy—just look at kiwifruit.

Kia kaha. Thank you, 谢 谢 ! And goodbye 再 见 !

[Applause]

I’ve started almost every single speech in this house in Te Reo Māori, and, for a last time, kia ora, ngā mihi nui, ki a koutou katoa.

💬 Hon Members: Kia ora.

Kia ora. It’s been such a privilege to serve here. Growing up in Gisborne, politics seemed distant. I never ever would have dreamt that I’d be an MP one day, let alone be one here for more than a decade. I arrived here dead broke. I’d been living on an NGO salary and I even had to borrow money off Jeanette Fitzsimons to buy my first suit. Embarrassingly, I could tie knots to climb tall buildings but I didn’t know how to tie a tie. I entered at the age of 28, taking Jacinda Ardern’s place as the baby of the House. The next year, Jacinda and I shared the award of the New Zealand Herald’s backbencher of the year. If politics was a race, though, I think she’s lapped me a couple of dozen times since then. I am so proud, though, as a New Zealander at such a time of global uncertainty, that she is the one leading us and inspiring the world.

I love our country, our beaches, our rivers, our forests, and our mountains, and protecting our beautiful but fragile planet has motivated my life’s work. Coming from the activist world, I described my previous career at Greenpeace as banging on the outside of this place. I like to think I’ve spent the last 10 years banging on about the environment from the inside. In my maiden speech, I was a little bit critical about the previous Labour Government’s environmental track record—I acknowledge you, Helen Clark and Michael Cullen—and I actually remember there was a member, Trevor Mallard, who actually walked out in the middle of it with a loud “Harrumph!”. Mr Speaker, I hope you’ll stay for this one. Can I thank you, can I thank the presiding officers like Ruth Dyson, the Parliamentary Service, the cleaners, the security, and the Clerk’s Office for their amazing support. But I’d like to especially single out the Parliamentary Library. I consider their research the greatest perk a politician can have.

Sir Geoffrey Palmer once said that being a member of Parliament was the best education you could have into your country, and it’s true. I’ve been welcomed into people’s schools, farms, factories. I’ve learnt about people’s lives, their struggles, sitting around their kitchen tables. Thank you very much for this education. Across my career, I’ve been party spokesperson for and thrown myself into researching energy and resources; climate change; transport; housing; tertiary education; economic development; ICT; oceans; fishing; animal welfare; biosecurity; agriculture; forestry; food; commerce and consumer affairs; broadcasting; tourism; building and construction; science, research, and development—sorry, it goes on—libraries and archives; and Wellington issues. It feels like I’ve studied multiple degrees. I didn’t come here just to eat my lunch. The Parliamentary Library advises me I’ve asked 512 oral questions; thank God only a few of them were patsies.

To try and show the Greens weren’t anti-rugby at the time of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, I even played on the parliamentary rugby team. In my first game, I cracked a rib. In my second game, I broke my nose. There wasn’t a third. As part of my campaigns, I’ve swum with sharks, designed and launched a video game, crowd-sourced internet rights legislation, worked with an artist to paint a two storey - high mural, sent thousands of citizen-made origami whales to Japan to oppose their whaling, and organised rallies at Parliament and protests at the Russian Embassy. I scuba dived to launch an election policy, and protested under water. I even, rather ambitiously, once put in a formal bid for all 189,000 square kilometres of oil permits on offer with 14,000 supporters. Simon Bridges didn’t give them to me. I remember passing the Red Peak bill in all stages under urgency, then literally after my speech hopping on a plane bound for the hipster capital of the world, Portland, Oregon. I’ve tenpin bowled in the White House basement when Obama wasn’t home as part of a young political leaders programme and danced off against Kawarau’s hip hop dance champion; I lost. I’ve had a blast, and I leave here with a treasure trove of memories, but, most importantly, my values intact. I’ve stuck to my principles, I’ve spoken my mind, and I can look at myself in the mirror knowing I haven’t sold out.

Something I’ve tried hard to do here is always play the ball, not the person. I came here to protect the environment, not to play petty politics. I’ve given speeches that have gone viral, but I’m proud I’ve never resorted to name calling or cheap blows or insults. For 20 years now, I’ve campaigned for climate action, because this danger is the greatest challenge of our age. I focused here on keeping fossil fuels in the ground and encouraging clean energy. My proudest achievement was, after years of work, being part of the historic ban on offshore oil exploration. I helped negotiate the ends of tens of millions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies, and, alongside who I call New Zealand’s Erin Brockovich—Taranaki farmer Sarah Roberts—we uncovered scandalously light-handed fracking rules, and bringing that to the light of day led to serious improvements.

In our confidence and supply agreement, I’ve had responsibility for working on the massive sustainable farming fund, school energy project, and home insulation scheme. Achieving the 100 percent renewable electricity goal by 2035 was deeply satisfying and sets us up for a cleaner, cheaper, smarter energy future. After 16 years, it was great to finally pass Sue and Steffan’s country of origin food labelling Act. Something new I learnt this term was the power of drafting amendments and, rather than waving them about, sending them privately to the Minister saying I was soon going to be waving them about. It’s because of this and the mahi of others we got climate change in the Resource Management Act and interest rate caps in law.

I love our oceans, I love to scuba dive, and I love to sail. Protecting marine mammals and stopping seabed mining have been priorities for me. In opposition, I led the campaign that ended shark finning in New Zealand, I persuaded the previous Government to become a party to the successful International Court of Justice illegal whaling case, and, working with Pew, I launched the campaign to create the Kermadec Marine Reserve—but that one’s still a work in progress.

History is a passion of mine, and I remember one day sitting in here sort of daydreaming and listening to some dreary debate. I was looking around the walls at the 33 memorials to famous battles where New Zealanders have fought. I noticed, though, that one was missing—our foundational conflict: the New Zealand Wars. I researched, I wrote, I lobbied and worked through committees, and I’m so glad that one now sits in pride of place above the main door. It’s part of the movement to redress our collective amnesia and, for me, remind us that sovereignty wasn’t ceded in a treaty; it was taken at the point of a musket. So, in terms of my impact on this place, history will judge if I’ve left a mark, but at least I can tell my kids I left a plaque.

Any credit I have is shared with an amazing team. I’d like to thank my executive assistants Holly Donald, Jessie Dennis, Simon Tapp, Jeremy Short, Gina Lockyer, Jonathan Martin, as well as key advisers Babs Lake, Robin Campbell, Hamish Clark, and—hey, Clint. You’ve got to be around here a while to know that one. I want to thank party members for their support. I’ve tried to repay their confidence with hard work and scrapping for every win. I joined the party in the year 2000 as an 18-year-old inspired by the breath of fresh air represented by MPs like Nandor Tanczos. Sue Kedgley, in particular, is a wonderful person, and I wouldn’t be here without her. They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes, but I was lucky enough to work up close with mine, Jeanette Fitzsimons, and she became a true friend. My parting message to the Green Party is: constantly ask, are we inspiring a new generation with a bold vision? Are our ambitions and work matching the scale of the environmental crisis? And are we following Jeanette’s courageous example to challenge sacred cows like capitalism, colonialism, and, well, frankly, too many cows. Marama, James, “JAG”, Eugenie, Jan, Chlöe, and Golriz, I’m so proud of what us eight have achieved this term.

It was a hard decision to leave now, when I believe we will be back in Government pushing further and faster next term. But I’m going because all I want to do is spend time with my family and be closer to nature. I lost my mum and my brother-in-law Stephen Nicholls last year. They were both big supports and having loved ones pass makes one re-evaluate your life. As a family, we have moved to Kamau Taurua / Quarantine Island. In the midst of a global pandemic, Quarantine Island does sound pretty appealing. It’s a taonga in the middle of the Otago Harbour, and we’re the only permanent residents there on this amazing ecological reserve. I plan to do some research, some writing, and take a more hands-on approach to environmental protection.

My beautiful wife, Meghan, is the new island keeper and my new boss. We’ve been together 20 years, and I’m so glad I get to share my life with her, now on an island far, far away from this place. She’s been such a support, a rock, a counsellor, a speech writer, a critic. Thank you for stopping me from sending so many bad tweets over the years. Kids, I love you so much and I am so proud of you. Thank you, Dad, Jill, Mark, and Kerry. Arlo and Zoe have spent their entire lives only knowing Dad as an MP, always working, often travelling, and, if I’m honest, invariably distracted. Whenever I’d leave home before they were awake or came home when they were asleep, my heart broke another little piece. We had our fun times too, though. I used to have inflatable little pool toys in my office to play with the kids in the parliamentary pool. I remember, once, Barry Soper walking in while I was riding an inflatable killer whale with my son, Arlo. He just walked in and he just walked out.

Another time I arrived at work with my office surrounded by security guards investigating what looked like a break-in. There was stuff all over the floor, files scattered everywhere, paper all over the show. No, it wasn’t a modern day Bowen House - gate; it was a few minutes of a toddler unsupervised. It’s funny, though, because hardly anyone ever has asked me what it’s like to be a father and an MP. I never saw parenthood or domestic duties as my wife’s job. We purposely moved to Wellington when I was elected and I often took the kids to school and I tried to go home every night that I could to help put them to bed. I used to put a smile on and pretend that being an equal parent made me a better MP. But in all honesty, it’s been hard to balance fatherhood and politics, and it’s gotten even harder as I’ve gotten older. This job is all-consuming, especially for our partners who don’t get any of the kudos. I hope this place can seriously consider how we can make it more family-friendly.

For most of my time here, I’ve been the Green Party musterer—“whip” is too much of a violent term for the Greens. I loved being part of the inner workings of Parliament and supporting my team. I’ve worked hard across numerous committees to try and modernise Parliament and improve democratic engagement. Nikki Kaye, Clare Curran, and I, we worked together on a trial of live streaming of select committees. I’m glad that it’s just business as usual now. People no longer have to fly to Wellington to attend hearings. The public can see MPs working outside the theatre of the Chamber. As we saw over the lockdown, we had the technology to continue functioning.

This term I’ve enjoyed chairing the Social Services and Community Committee. I thank the members and the staff. I think we’ve had an amazing atmosphere. After so many long, long, long Green Party meetings trying to find consensus, I think it helped me a little bit to be a fair and constructive chair. I am disappointed, though, that we couldn’t get the numbers for a full inquiry into forced adoption. I believe New Zealand’s lack of an inquiry and apology and counselling support for the tens of thousands of mothers and children does slow the healing.

Across my career, I’ve had failures and setbacks along the way, but I’ve always tried to approach this job positively, energetically, ethically, while always focusing on the issues. I now honestly reflect after two decades campaigning for progressive change that a lot of this has been diligently fighting the symptoms, not the source. I’ve protested, petitioned, organised, and lobbied. I’ve got myself arrested and got myself elected and sometimes I’ve won and changed a policy or law. But after 20 years of campaigning, it feels like I’ve been fighting the Hydra. Often in this House, we spend our time debating if it should be a State-run, a corporate, or an electric ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. We need to think deeper into the systemic reasons behind growing homelessness, child poverty, the mental health crisis, plastic oceans, vanishing species, and unswimmable rivers. I believe these things aren’t designed bugs; they’re actually designed features arising from the neo-liberal operating system installed in the 1980s.

My challenge to the country, the Greens, and the wider progressive movement is that if we aren’t focusing on transformational change, we are simply arranging deckchairs on the Titanic. Our wealth, health, and survival are imperilled if we continue with a system that encourages greed, corporate power, and excessive consumption. Fortunately for us in Aotearoa, we have an alternative value system focused on collective wellbeing, long-term thinking, and a strong connection to nature in mātauranga Māori. I believe if we truly became a Te Tiriti o Waitangi - respecting nation, we could escape the fatal embrace of short-term, individualistic, environmentally damaging thinking that has dominated our politics.

I’m optimistic about our future. I believe we can restore our environment, heal our society, and grow a richer Aotearoa. Kia ora koutou.

[Applause]

💬 SPEAKER: Order! While this process is occurring, can I ask the supporters of Gareth Hughes to move out of the galleries moving to your right to allow for the supporters of Clare Curran to take your places. Thank you.

Waiata

It is with pain and relief that I stand to give my final speech. It’s also with a continued sense of wonder and awareness at the sheer privilege of having had this opportunity. For that, I thank from the bottom of my heart the people of Dunedin South, who continued to put their trust in me as their representative for the last 12 years.

The Dunedin South Labour Party has been my ballast; you have stuck with me through all the triumphs and disasters. Mine has not been an easy ride. Audrey Young once referred to me as a “Trouble magnet”. I don’t disagree, though it wasn’t intentional. I was part of a group of new MPs in 2008—called the “class of ’08”—determined to do politics differently, with fresh ideas and perspectives. I helped start a blog for Labour MPs, which had never been done before. “Red Alert” was truly innovative and groundbreaking, as well as a bit wacky and controversial. It also provided fresh meat for that emerging subterranean species we now call right-wing—and some left-wing—trolls. After five years, it ceased, but it provided a genuine platform for open discussion between elected politicians and actual people about priorities, new policy thinking, and ways of engaging with voters.

Over 12 years, I’ve been promoted and demoted too many times to count. I fiercely represented my constituents and their issues, which sometimes put me at odds with powerful forces. I had ideas, I had passion, and I was utterly committed to changing the existing political paradigm. I tried to progress some of those ideas in Opposition for nine years, and as a Cabinet Minister—and I’m truly grateful for that opportunity. In caucus, I sometimes used my voice at critical times. I spoke my mind. Sometimes, I spoke out of turn and, occasionally, I spoke wrongly and harshly. For that, I am truly sorry.

I made a public spectacle of myself in this House, which was portrayed in a way that is the stuff of our worst nightmares. I made mistakes. I paid a price. I was targeted. I’ve discussed the impact that this had on me. And, yes, there was a moment when I counted the number of sleeping pills I had. Thankfully, I sought help instead. I’ve recently called out the behaviour in our Parliament and described our political culture as toxic, for our political system is sick, and we all know it. More on that later.

I was ejected from the House three times by three different Speakers: for wearing a Highlander’s jersey, which was a badge of honour; for standing up for victims of sexual violence, a badge of honour; the third time, I don’t really know what it was about.

The Labour Party has been my tribe, my religion, for half my life. The union movement has been my greatest love since my first cleaning job, when I paid my first union dues at age 15. All of us who make our way to this place bring a set of values. Most take them seriously. The values that most resonate with me are compassion, justice, and plain old fairness. Giving people a voice and empowering them to live their best lives—that’s what the Labour Party stands for. In Opposition, as spokesperson, and in Government, as digital Minister, my priorities were to ensure access for all to new technologies and to put fair frameworks around them. There’s much work to be done inside Government to stimulate digital innovation with a common set of standards and services across Government. We continue to be stuck in the 20th century on this. It’s not rocket science but it requires breaking through the silos of Government departments and agencies. I tried—I championed openness from open-source software, open standards, open procurement, open government, digital equity, transparent algorithms, and for ICT to be New Zealand’s second-largest contributor to GDP by 2025.

The COVID-19 lockdown highlighted some stark digital inequality in our country as we rushed to ensure that children had the tools to continue to learn from home and that older New Zealanders who did not use internet banking could stay home and yet still pay for their groceries and medicines. Access to technology is a social necessity as well as a social good. Yet tech and digital is still seen as a portfolio on the edges worth around $10 billion to the economy, with $2 billion in exports in 2019. There are some one-off successes: the massive replacement of the IRD system, ordering a new passport online, and registering a business. But where are the initiatives that grow innovation within Government? We have burgeoning agtech, biotech, and fintech sectors. Where’s our govtech—the methodologies and applications that enable fast, agile, adaptive solutions to our most pressing social and economic issues? Why aren’t we building scale from our own IT talent through leveraging our $4 billion Government IT spend locally and embedding better practices within and across Government?

I acknowledge Don Christie, NZRise; Brenda Wallace and Pia Waugh, who led the Service Innovation Lab and government; and Kate MacDonald and Professor Colin Gavaghan for their work on digital rights and algorithmic transparency. I also acknowledge Nat Torkington for his championing of tech and his peculiar way of drawing together people from different backgrounds to address the pressing issues of our time. And Fabiana Kubke, you’re awesome. There’s too many to name, but special mention of Julian Carver and Chris O’Connell, both who died in recent years and provided me with friendship, mentoring, and ideas. There are just a few members of Parliament who understand and champion the tech sector. After this week, there are two fewer. I acknowledge Gareth Hughes and the work he put in over 12 years.

As I said, Government procurement is a powerful lever to shift local industry development. For years, Labour has championed the importance of using its considerable spending power to leverage the flow-on effect to our local economy. We can do better. Jim Kelly helped take that fight to the National Government for rail engineering at Dunedin’s Hillside Rail Workshops, alongside Dave Kearns, Stu Johnson, and Wayne Butson, the Rail and Maritime Transport Union’s general secretary. Don’t give up that fight; it’s too important. And, Jim, I wish you were here today, but I know you’re watching at home with Liz, and she won’t mind if I blow you a kiss.

I want to turn to the role of media, which is powerful for a reason. In non-democratic countries, it’s a propaganda tool to create and maintain a narrative that suits the Government or regime. In democratic countries, a free, independent, and vigorous media keeps democracy clean and safe. Therefore our media is precious. Edmund Burke recognised, in 1787, that the press played a key role in political processes, acting as a civic watchdog to maintain the relationship between the State and civil society. He said, “There [were] three estates in Parliament but in the reporters’ gallery yonder there [sat] a fourth estate more important far than they all.” Declining trust in our fourth estate is a fact and cuts to the essence of our political system, our way of life, our democracy. It’s time to have a serious discussion about how we practise politics in this country and how politics is reported.

Is the adversarial, centuries-old Westminster system fit for purpose in Aotearoa? I don’t believe it is. For a progressive country, highly respected in the world, we practise this system, in my view, in an immature and destructive way. Politicians and the news media focus on conflict, perceived or real slip-ups, rather than substance and the quality of ideas. The objective is to catch people out and take them down, rather than providing a platform of discussion for and against the best improvements to the lives of New Zealanders. Politicians should be held accountable, but we are not prey. The accountability lacks perspective—if you don’t believe me, go ask the public.

I address our news media today, particularly those in the press gallery. You are not unaccountable, though you act as though you are. Your mandate derives from the citizens of this country. Please use it wisely and maturely. You are neither judge nor jury. Remember that your power, and the notion of media freedom that you protect so fiercely, rests on a promise of service to the democratic public—you are accountable to them. To be credible, you must turn the mirror on yourselves. There is good journalism in this country. There are emerging green shoots that provide hope. State-funded media not controlled by but at arm’s length from Governments remains essential so that accurate news analysis and information is provided to citizens to maintain the social contract. The UK has the BBC; Australia, the ABC. We have a much smaller entity, RNZ, which I fear has lost its way in holding all media to a higher standard.

The declining state of our media is well known, but successive Governments have either ignored it or partially and unsuccessfully attempted to address the decline and the causes. In our first term of Government, some progress has been made, but it is again on hold due to what are considered greater priorities. Until public good media reform becomes core policy, our democracy continues to be at risk and our toxic political and media culture will worsen.

There are many who have travelled this journey with me. First, Parliament staff: you serve us, you put up with us, you clean up after us—security, VIP drivers, cleaners, messengers, the Clerk’s Office, the Parliamentary Counsel Office, the library, the Cabinet Office, Parliamentary Service, even IT. Jane McKenzie, you are a treasure.

I don’t know whether to curse or thank David Parker for putting the idea in my head to stick up my hand for Parliament. At the time I was elected, my boys were eight. I used to duck out of the Chamber in the evening into that little meeting room over there and read them a story each over the phone. Captain Underpants featured a lot, and Alex Rider books. It was bloody hard being a mum and a politician. I know you all relate to that, especially when your relationship breaks up and you have to make parenting work. By 2014, I was the primary caregiver. I simply could not have done it without my best friend and right-hand woman, Helen Lob, who cared for my kids when I wasn’t there, campaign-managed me, and ran most of the local Labour Party. Your fierce loyalty to me has kept me going through many difficult times.

I thank the Dunedin South Labour Electorate Committee, well served by chairs Richard Good, Don Pryde, Jim Kelly, Rebecca Williams, and now Simon Wilson; the Dunedin South branch; the women’s branch, Beryl Maultby, Lindsay Rackley, Linda Smilie, Carol Jess, Pamela Gordon, and Ros McCreadie; Ruth Chapman in the Region Six hub; Daryl Carran in the Meat Workers and Related Trades Union; E tū, my union; the Dairy Workers Union; and the Council of Trade Unions here today. Kevin Hale moved heaven and earth to get me from home to the airport and back for 12 years. One morning, so determined to pick me up, he and his car ended up hanging over the cliff at Broad Bay, on the Otago Peninsula, due to ice under the snow. A cow literally ran in front of his car and totalled it after he left me at the airport one morning, putting him briefly in hospital. Then there was the large hay bale that fell off the truck on to his car on the motorway. Note I wasn’t in the car for any of those incidents. I’m amazed you’re still with us, Cuddy; you’re a legend with the biggest heart.

I’ve had, and continue to have, incredible staff, both in Dunedin and Wellington. In my Dunedin South electorate office, Gemma Sattherwaite, Lauren Hourigan, Simone Hourigan, Judy Firestone, Hazel Davies, Georgina O’Reilly, Jessie Manning, Larissa McStay, Nadine Simpson, and Warren Chambers, who now run my office with humour and compassion, and who I depend on for everything. In Wellington, Gareth Hancock, Sarah Austen-Smith, Lauren Hourigan, Andrew Robinson, Sue Piper, Rebecca Brierton, Jessie Manning, and now the faithful Josh Livingstone. Helen Clark and Michael Cullen, you have always encouraged me. Thank you.

Despite my short time as a Minister, I tried to do a lot and was blessed with amazing private secretaries. Kate MacDonald, Bruce Donaldson, Meghan Bray, and Leigh Huffine, thank you for your service, the bonds we formed, and your embracing of my ideas. My colleagues: Chris Hipkins, who does understand what I was trying to achieve in opening up Government to be more transparent to the public. The proactive release of Cabinet papers and key policy documents is just the beginning. You lead the way with public sector reform. Please keep going on that open Government strategy and ensure our Official Information Act is applied properly across Government. The journalists are right on that—and, Jade, thank you for you friendship at a critical time.

Andrew Little, lots of respect to you. Please keep on with the electoral reform, and if we could achieve State funding for elections, our democracy would be so much healthier. Trevor Mallard, full marks for your work on how citizens can better engage with their Parliament—could do better on practising kindness and consistency. Grant Robertson, whether it’s the introduction of the wellbeing lens for economic performance, your strategic focus on planning now for the jobs of the future, or steering us through the most difficult period in our history post-war, you are values-driven, immensely capable, and with seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm for your huge job—and sport. Jacinda Ardern, you once said to me that I wore my heart on my sleeve and had more courage than you to speak my mind. I say that to you—that you have the courage of a warrior, the heart of a woman, and the soul of our nation within you. You are a leader like no other, and our country is so lucky to have you.

To my caucus family, thank you. Respect to you. Stick together. Look after each other. You’re all good people. I believe in you.

My family: Shirley Curran, my mum, who has stood beside me and stood up for me countless times. You couldn’t come today because it’s too painful, but you are watching at home. My dad, Kinney Curran, died eight years ago today. Dad, I continue to try to do the right thing. Judith and Katherine Curran, sisters and supporters: I know I’ve tested that support at times—thank you. You are strong, intelligent women. Callum and Riley, you probably don’t remember much about life with mum before politics. Well, that’s over now. I’m immensely proud of both of you.

From 2009 till 2012, I fought to keep the Hillside Rail Workshops open. I never gave up. Today, they are being refurbished, apprentices are back, and staff numbers are growing. In 2015, I filled sandbags alongside others to fight back a terrible flood in South Dunedin, sparking an intense debate about how climate change affects a densely populated, low-income, low-lying community. Things are better now. There’s a lot of focus on South Dunedin’s future, and a body of scientific evidence building. Be vigilant and strong, though.

In July 2017, I took a tent to the Octagon in winter and camped to force attention to the terrible attitudes of Work and Income to people in precarious living conditions. Everyone deserves a home. Work and Income is much kinder and more responsive now. Thank you, Carmel Sepuloni. To all the people of Dunedin South, now the Taieri electorate, my people: you will be in strong, capable, caring hands with Ingrid Leary should you elect her. I gave you my life for 12 years, and now it’s time to pass the baton. Ngā mihi nui. That’s a wrap.

[Applause]

Waiata

💬 SPEAKER: Could I now ask Clare Curran’s supporters to leave, preferably by coming this way, in order to make room for the family and close supporters of Ruth Dyson.

I had thought about beginning with remarking on the fact that I’m standing between a lot of my friends and a party, and I was going to seek leave to table my speech. But I heard from very reliable sources that it would be denied.

Rau rangatira mā, tēnei te mihi ki a koutou i runga i te kaupapa o te rā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.

[Distinguished guests. Greetings to you gathered here for this purpose today. Greetings once, twice, three times to you all.]

[Uses New Zealand Sign Language] This is my last time speaking in Parliament, and I thank everyone who is sharing this moment with me. I want to especially acknowledge the deaf community for the support they have given me. I am proud to have been involved in achieving New Zealand Sign Language as an official language in New Zealand. [Uses New Zealand Sign Language]—and that’s a bit of an in-joke with people who think the South Island’s above the North Island.

E le tuua fa’apo evaga le tatou mafutaga. Oute le sola foi fa’atama o le po. E ao ona momoli atu se matou fa’afetai i tagata Pasefika o Kalaisetete. Fa’afetai mo le tou tapuaiga. Fa’afetai mo lo outou alolofa. Fa’afetai mo la outou lagolago mai ia te a’u i tausaga e tele. Fa’afetai, fa’afetai, fa’afetai tele lava. Malo ‘aupito. Metaki maata. Fakaue lahi. I shall not depart like a thief in the night, nor shall I simply disappear into the shadows. I am moved to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Pacific people of Christchurch. Thank you for your spirit of solidarity. Thank you for your love and compassion for me. Thank you for your support for me over many years. Thank you.

I was elected to this House in the last first-past-the-post election in November 1993 as only the 37th woman to ever enter our Parliament. I gave my maiden speech in March 1994, three months before Chlöe Swarbrick was born. In that speech, I talked about the dignity of employment and a secure home, my personal experience of domestic violence, and my concern about the growing inequality in New Zealand. I came into this House as a community political activist, and I hope I leave as one.

I thanked our party team in Lyttelton and those who supported me to come to this place, and I want to do that again this evening. I would not be here if it was not for the extraordinary level of organisation in the Lyttelton / Banks Peninsula / Port Hills Labour team, plus the confidence that my constituents have placed in me, and the fantastic work of my parliamentary and electorate office staff over the last nearly 27 years—I wish you’d had the election in November so I could have done that 27 years. Marie Davis started in Parliament with me on day one and only left my office last year but—thank goodness—is still working in the building. Marie, thanks for heaps of stuff you’ve done. You are the best. And to all the staff who have worked with and for me over many years, thank you.

I want to acknowledge my buddy MP and long-time friend Lianne Dalziel, who supported me as a candidate and continues to do so. My love goes to you, Lianne, and to Robbie. To two other long-term friends, Fran Wilde and Annette King, both Dames, who have been amazing cajolers and supporters, thank you. And to all the council and community board members with whom I have worked, there has never been a time when I couldn’t pick up the phone or email or text with information or requests for help or support. It has been a great partnership.

To my Astoria buddies, Mark, Mark, Steve, Pete, and Trevor: we set ourselves some big challenges and we achieved them. Thanks for your enduring friendship through some really hard times. To Michael Cullen, one of my colleagues who’s always had the deepest understanding and commitment to change which made a long-term difference to the benefit of people, the legacy of his many policies and laws will remain, including such fundamental shifts in people’s financial security and wellbeing such as KiwiSaver, the more often talked about creation of the portfolio investment entity tax regime—I liked it—and the establishment of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. To Helen Clark, one of the two amazing Prime Ministers I’ve had the privilege to serve with, thank you for your vision, your leadership, and your support.

Thanks to my family, who have always been such consistent supporters, including my sister and brother-in-law, who are here this evening.

My biggest thanks goes to my husband and campaign organiser, Martin, who has supported me throughout this time. Since I entered Parliament, we’ve got married, when I inherited two adult stepchildren, who have gone on to give us amazing partners and five wonderful grandchildren, the oldest of whom started university this year—that’s very ageing. Some people have described Martin as my rock, but I’m a water person, and I always think of rocks as sinking. He has just the opposite effect—he’s more like my massive helium balloon. Thanks for everything.

I came in here at the start of the Labour revival, following the devastation of the 1990 election, when Labour had just 29 MPs out of a Parliament of 97. There were a lot of new MPs in our 1993 caucus. During the 1993-96 term, the number of parties in Parliament went from four to eight, in preparation for MMP.

My maiden speech opened in Te Reo and Samoan, acknowledging our first-nation language and the election at the same time as me of the first ever Pasifika member of Parliament in New Zealand. The diversity of our representation has improved significantly.

We’re surrounded by crests, representing wars in which New Zealanders fought and died so that we could enjoy the peace and democracy we value so greatly. I want to acknowledge the work of Gareth Hughes in his determined campaign to have a crest for New Zealand Wars added and also, alongside our Government’s decision, to again teach New Zealand history in our schools. Both these initiatives will make our country better educated and stronger.

When I first arrived, I was interested in the advocacy portfolios and how they worked alongside the primary portfolios. I noticed we had a Minister for women, for senior citizens, for youth, for Māori, for Pasifika, and, of course, for racing, but there was no voice for disabled people. So, with the encouragement of Helen Clark and Michael Cullen, I became the first disability issues spokesperson in our Parliament and went on to become the first Minister for Disability Issues. I’ve been pleased to see that all parties now regard this as a vital part of their line-up.

New Zealand is seen as having played a leading role in the development of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was the fastest ever UN convention to be developed—I’m sure because of our leadership. We ensured that disabled people were always included as part of our delegation that I led, and that became the benchmark for other countries to follow, and they did. So the UN changed to be a more inclusive place, and I was very proud to play my part in that change.

Passing legislation to make New Zealand Sign Language an official language was also a significant achievement—literally world-leading, in fact—but I regret that it wasn’t more prescriptive in its implementation, because its roll-out has been slower than it could have been. That should be fixed.

New Zealand was awarded the prestigious Franklin D Roosevelt award in 2007 for our leadership on disability issues, and the award remains on display on the reception desk on the tiles.

I enjoyed working on the Working for Families package, the most significant change to our social welfare system for decades, and also the It’s Not OK campaign, an important part of ridding our country of family violence. I spent eight years improving our ACC legislation, including moving private insurers out of the scheme after Murray McCully’s disastrous attempt to privatise it, and—the best—changing the absurd Bill Birch medical misadventure, medical mishap regime to a fair treatment injury regime which also contributes to healthcare improvement. Fortunately, Nick Smith as Minister didn’t get to unravel all my improvements during his time as Minister, but he certainly did his best.

As Minister for Senior Citizens, I recall making an offer to the executive of Grey Power that I would attend any branch meeting to which I was invited. To be honest, I didn’t know at the time that there were 77 Grey Power branches, but I did get to 74 of them.

I was the Minister responsible for introducing paid parental leave for self-employed new parents for the first time in New Zealand—not available in many other countries. I won funding to completely eliminate the adult cochlear implant waiting list, introduced caregiver qualifications which were matched with wage increases, developed a new model of aged care which was driven by quality of life rather than cleanliness of floors, moved disabled people from institutions into homes in their community and from sheltered workshops into fairly paid work, and—thank you, Michael—I won funding to increase the contract level for all essential social services to 100 percent rather than the 60 or 80 percent they were getting. Unfortunately, that money had only just started being put into contacts when the Government changed, and Bill English and Paula Bennett reversed the policy and left the services at less than full funding.

In my time here, I have been privileged to hold a wide range of positions, both in Government and in Opposition, including being a Minister of quite a few portfolios—about 13—and being the chief whip and now Assistant Speaker. I haven’t been the Speaker of our Parliament—yet. I’ve chaired several select committees and have enjoyed all my roles. I’m proud of the work I’ve done on behalf of my constituents and New Zealanders. Chairing the marriage equality committee and the abortion reform committee have been a huge privilege. Seeing significant law change such as these two pieces of law and the End of Life Choice Bill pass have been very satisfying, as will the two successful votes on the drug law reform and end of life choice referendums in September.

Thank you to the many chief executives and public servants who have worked with me on my portfolios. We properly challenged each other and ourselves. Your work has been extraordinary, and I thank you for your service. I also thank all the many others who make our jobs possible: our cleaners, our messengers, our clerks, our parliamentary staff team, our travel office, library, VIP drivers, and especially the team at Copperfield’s—everyone who works so that our Parliament can function.

I’ve been in Parliament for 9,768 days, more or less, and I haven’t yet had a day’s sick leave. I thought that sick days were able to be accumulated, until quite recently. Elizabeth McCombs, the first woman MP—elected to represent the same electorate that I was elected to represent—was the first “out” vegetarian woman in our Parliament. I was the second. When she died after only 15 months in this place, her vegetarianism was speculated as contributing to her early death. I hope I have restored the balance in consideration now!

I’ve been kicked out of the Chamber only once during my time here, which I think is extraordinary given my inability to be quiet. It was for interjecting on a point of order from the Hon Dr Nick Smith, and the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt was the Speaker. Do I hold a grudge? Yes! I have been sent to the Privileges Committee only once, for criticising then Speaker Rt Hon David Carter. Mr Carter kicked Marama Davidson out of the House when it felt like she had only been elected five minutes before. I thought it was unfair. A media commentator—Russell Brown, I think—asked on Twitter, “What is it about David Carter?” I replied: “Incompetent. Biased. Doesn’t like the job. Lazy. Sexist. Doesn’t give a toss.” I remember Gerry Brownlee thundering about how outrageous it was that I’d called him biased.

Our lives in Canterbury have been very different since September 2010, when our series of earthquakes started. In our electorate, the worst started on 22 February 2011, when we lost so many lives, homes, and jobs. Our worlds were turned upside down. Our communities reached out to each other and offered so much support and hope to people who were left in deeply distressing situations. My two volunteer fire brigades, Lyttelton and Sumner, alongside the Woolston crew, did extraordinary things and won respect for ever as a result. They left their own wrecked homes, not knowing where their families were, to help others. Nothing could make me prouder than our response and their response.

When we debated the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Bill in the House, giving wartime powers to Gerry Brownlee, I asked for three things. I asked that the voice of our communities be heard and that people in our community be the drivers of our recovery. I asked for the process to be open and transparent, and I asked for the recovery to be at a good pace. Sadly, my requests were not agreed, and we ended up with a disempowerment and frustration that remains with many even today. In August 2020, we still have inadequately or unrepaired homes.

But for me, the worst inaction by the then Minister was to deny people support to build rockfall protections for their homes. Because of a political decision, people had their perfectly good homes demolished. They didn’t need a wrecking ball; they needed rockfall protection, and then they could have continued living in their home safely. I admire those who stayed and wouldn’t leave their home, and they were rewarded by the Christchurch City Council, who finally gave them the support they needed. The council’s decision to support rockfall protection saved money and saved homes, but more than that, it respected the local residents. Then, because this massive series of earthquakes wasn’t enough, we had significant flooding, on more than one occasion, on the banks of the Heathcote. Again, the council stepped in to offer retreat to some residents, who gratefully but sadly took the money and moved.

A near tragedy was a human-induced one: the proposed closure of Redcliffs School. After all we’d been through, the then Minister of Education decided to make this announcement to the stunned community. As one senior school student said, “We thought the earthquakes were bad enough, but then along came something much worse.” It was Hekia Parata. But her proposal generated a call to action, a sense of unity and pride, and a flurry of prolonged and relentless activity from a community which knew that our school was at the heart of our community and it was going to stay there. Just six weeks ago, Prime Minister Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern opened the brand new school in Redcliffs. It was a magnificent celebration of the strength of the broader school community, and the best day ever.

Then there were the Port Hills fires in February 2017. I have never witnessed before, and hope to never again, the raging power of wildfires such as we saw then. Despite heroic efforts of firefighters on the ground and in helicopters, 11 homes were lost, and tragically we lost the life of Steve Askin, fighting the fire from a helicopter. Then, of course, there was the unbelievable terrorist attack that stunned our city and our country. Once again, our response was so telling and so powerful.

It’s a bit of a tradition in valedictory speeches to do a list for future MPs to implement, and I wouldn’t want to walk away from that tradition. I know that Chris Hipkins would be devastated if I didn’t give further “advice”! Here’s a few, Jacinda, for you and the next Government to get your teeth stuck into after 19 September. I hope that you’re joined by the Labour candidate for Banks Peninsula, Tracey McLellan, as part of an even stronger Labour team in this House. But before I give the House my list, can I say that it’s been a massive honour to work alongside Jacinda Ardern, who leads our country with integrity, determination, and empathy. She lives and breathes unshakeable values, and we are very fortunate to have her as our Prime Minister. Long may that continue.

OK, so let’s do this: extend the ACC scheme to how it was originally intended—Iain’s mentioned that—to cover impairments regardless of cause; ensure our social security system is fit for the current century by moving to individual entitlement rather than people being financially disadvantaged because they planned badly and got married; end the farce of the independence of select committees or ensure they are genuinely independent; seriously and continuously promote the value of disabled people as part of the paid workforce and as contributing members of our community. Ensure that all members—all members—can get home to their families on a Thursday of an ordinary sitting week by granting additional travel leave for this purpose to those who can’t get a plane home after close of play. The agreed early closure on a Thursday is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. Mr Faafoi, have every movie in our theatres captioned and put a true value on the worth of unpaid work.

No, that’s not my complete list, but it’s just a start.

Can I end with a final tip. I’m a big fan of Samuel Parnell, who pioneered the eight-hour day in New Zealand. Can I recommend that members take a hint from the name of the “dinner break” and not always fill it with meetings. When I first came to this place, I developed a habit of walking for an hour during the dinner break. I’ve kept it up on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with colleagues. We later formalised our walking group and have steadily developed helpful rules like no jogging—it’s so undignified—and no talking work. It’s fun and it’s something we all need as we navigate this institution we inhabit, away from homes and our families and for long hours. I recommend it. Jan Tinetti, Willow-Jean Prime, and Kris Faafoi are coordinating the walks from now on. If you don’t like walking, follow Kris. I hope you join them. It leaves at 10 past 6 from the Bowen House foyer.

When I first came to this place, I felt the responsibilities of representation and I have continued to feel those responsibilities. I promised then to work hard, to lead, to listen to, and to learn from the people I represent and to get stuff done. I believe I’ve done justice to that ambition. It has been an absolute privilege and I really love the role; I will miss it. But I leave you now to carry on the work of our Parliament. Be bold. Be brave. Leave a legacy. And go well. Thank you.

[Applause]

Waiata

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