5. JOHN KEY (National—Helensville) Link to this
to the Minister of Finance
Is he still committed to making progress on a single economic market with Australia?
Will he be attending the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum in Auckland on 5 and 6 May with other senior Ministers from New Zealand and Australia, chairmen and chief executives of leading businesses, and heads of Government departments; if not, which New Zealand Ministers will be attending in his place?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
Probably not, and neither will Peter Costello. I understand that my colleague Lianne Dalziel will be attending. I think Phil Goff is also attending.
Hon Phil GoffWhat will he be doing with his time, instead of attending a forum that will discus topics including the harmonisation of business standards, financial markets, taxation, and common borders, all of which fall squarely in his portfolio and would clearly contribute towards a single economic market with Australia?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
As the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Minister for Tertiary Education, Leader of the House, and Attorney-General, I suspect I will have quite a bit to do.
Does the Minister recall that the Australian Treasurer, Peter Costello, attended the previous forum in Melbourne last year, which was one that he pointedly snubbed—a decision that brought on an editorial comment from the New Zealand Herald at the time, which stated: “Without any doubt, it is a disservice to transtasman relations.”; if so, does he think he should turn up to the forum?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
Mr Costello and I discussed attendance at the forum, and he indicated that he did not intend to come across to it.
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
No, but unfortunately, last year it turned into a Wailing Wall of people pushing their own barrows, as opposed to addressing the wider relationship. As a consequence, significant changes are occurring in the leadership on both sides of the Tasman in business, and the politicians are actually getting on with the real business.
If the Minister is not going to the forum, will he try to spend some of the time to dream up spin about the Supplementary Stabilisation Instruments report, which was released today—a report that he had for a month and that was released without a Government press release, 30 minutes before a State lunch, and on the last day of Parliament before a 3-week adjournment—or has he reached the same conclusion as the National Party reached before the report was even written that it was futile and made no sense whatsoever, but was simply a jawboning experience from a desperate Minister of Finance?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
The problem with that question, as with most of the member’s Tony Ryall imitations, is that it bears no relationship to the facts. The facts are that the report was prepared at the request of the Governor of the Reserve Bank and the Secretary to the Treasury. It is a report from them and to them, and what is more, it makes some very interesting suggestions. If, of course, the member does not want to think about any issues, and if he thinks from his vast knowledge as an international financial market speculator that he knows everything about central bank management, then he obviously should follow his leader, go to the central bank, and become the Reserve Bank governor, because he will never make a Minister of Finance.
Can the Minister confirm that in fact it was under a Labour Government that the partnership forum was set up, after years of National having a disastrous relationship with Australia across the Tasman; and can he confirm that all the reports say that there has been unprecedented progress towards a single economic market—progress that was not made under the National Government in its last term in office?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
It is absolutely accurate to say that when we became the Government, the whole CER relationship had been going nowhere since about 1989, and the Australians were very pleased that we picked it up and started to run with it. We have signed a whole range of agreements recently. We are making progress on a range of issues. To listen to Mr Shewan yet again say that the only issue is franking credits is not, in fact, a good use of my time.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I am somewhat reluctant to raise this because it was my own colleague who made the comment, but it may require a considered comment from you. I would have thought that to suggest someone was doing Tony Ryall imitations would, in fact, be unparliamentary and should have been ruled out of order.
Madam SPEAKERIs the reason the Hon Phil Goff will be attending the forum that it is part of his training wheels being attached, so that he will be ready to be Minister of Finance in the very near future?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
I have terrible news for the young pretender: the old incumbent will be here for a lot longer yet.
Has the Prime Minister asked the Minister whether he will be attending next year’s forum as the Minister of Finance, or is she still confused about exactly what he will be doing next year and who the Minister of Finance will be?
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN Link to this
Two things are clear: Helen Clark will be the Prime Minister, and I will be the Minister of Finance. What is doubtful is whether, if we invite along any representation from the Opposition, Mr Key will come along as Leader of the Opposition, or as the Opposition spokesperson on small business by that point.