Maiden Speech
Good afternoon ….. Speaker, Members and Guests, Leader Don Brash and President Judy Kirk
I am delighted to be in the house as a Member of Parliament representing the National Party and the people of Kapiti and Horowhenua.
I want to thank my parents Malcolm and Betty who are strong supporters of mine. You are always there to encourage and guide me.
To my wife Erica and fantastic mother of Henry (1 yr old tomorrow and been to more National Party functions in his first 12 months than anyone I reckon), this is a journey we are taking together and the family unit is paramount to me. Thank you Erica for your love and support.
And my brother Christopher and wife Kate, as Wellingtonians I know you are never far from here. Thank you for the encouragement.
Hon Roger Sowry. I take my hat off to you Roger, 15 years in this place – a former Minister and Deputy Leader who has served this party and the Kapiti and Otaki electorates well. You are missed in caucus. I know you are a phone call away for frank and honest advice. Thanks for your warmth too, Shirley.
To Ted Cobb, my Electorate Chair in Otaki, you offer decades of knowledge in the party and is now well supported by Jenny. Thank you both.
My campaign chair Mike Gilbert ran an outstanding team and the results speak for themselves in Otaki. We took a safe Labour seat with a 7,800 majority to the most marginal in the country – just a few hundred votes short. Mike, together we have unfinished business. I need you to hang tough with me and realise our goal of winning the Otaki seat for National.
There are many more people I would love to mention who tirelessly gave of their energy to me and the National Party. They include:
Anne Rogers, Peter Roe, Shelly Mitchell-Jenkins,
Lisa O’Neill & Bruce Little - Levin
Sue and Ridley Stockwell from Foxton
Antone Smith & John Williams in Shannon
Alan and Daphne Ayson from Waikanae
Murray Lobb and John Aburn in Paraparaumu.
I’m enjoying working with Sue Reid here in parliament.
The Otaki Electorate combines the districts of Horowhenua and Kapiti, stretching from Paraparaumu to Tokomaru and containing a diverse mix of people and communities.
I was born and bred there. I believe in our region’s exciting future and I am ready to play my role in making this a great place for our people.
The Guy family has a proud history in politics. I am the 5th generation Guy family member to serve in local body politics, stretching back to my great great grandfather Duncan Guy who served on the Napier Borough Council.
My father Malcolm and grandfather Duncan were both County Chairman of the Horowhenua District for decades. Our family has worked for years with all sectors of the community, including the Maori people – mainly with the restoration of Lake Horowhenua.
“He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka”
A choppy sea can be navigated (persevere)
The Guy family are listeners and leaders. We put people first and we prefer to lead with consensus. But we can make a stand and stick to it. Fence sitting achieves nothing for anyone…
That’s why I’m strong on building Transmission Gully and getting a better road and alternative route to Wellington. I also led the charge on saving our regions rescue helicopter service, initiating a 13,000 strong signature petition.
As a Horowhenua District Councillor, I’ve really enjoyed my 3 terms on local government and that experience should help me here in the House. In the last few years I’ve watched the impacts of the legislation that this Government pushes through and how it impacts on my ratepayers wallets.
My grandmother’s Nathan family has also served the community. My great grandfather Fred Nathan was Mayor of Palmerston North and was instrumental in lobbying the Government to establish an agriculture college in Palmerston North. Massey University has grown to be an outstanding institution and I enjoyed 4 great years there.
As a leading figure in the dairy industry – the Nathan family produced ‘Glaxo’ pharmaceutical products and milk powder – my great grandfather also appreciated the value of agricultural research and education.
So do I. Our farming business north of Levin has grown through the three generations of Guys to farm the land. Advances in technology through research and innovation have enabled that.
We have been pioneers of peaty swamp land that is now developed into black Gold. That’s if the Manawatu River doesn’t decide to smash the stop bank down again – like it did in February 2004 when it flooded 1,000 acres of our farmland for a month. In fact we went over our farm in a speed boat and didn’t hit a fence, such was the depth of the water.
I’m a supporter of major rivers being subsidised by central government – not just those that live in proximity to the stopbank paying the most. Rivers have a national “public good” aspect. As river channels continue to clog up, costs of raising stopbanks (like in Holland) will be huge on individual ratepayers.
That flood tested ‘our metal’ didn’t it Dad. We as a family are all better for it – we are survivors. I’ll need that survivor instinct in here, knowing I can take the kicks on the bottom of a ruck and get up and smile at my opposite.
We are in the business of People, Grass, Cows and Milk. Yes, people first.
I will need to escape from here to the green pastures of Kereru farm at Koputaroa and keep in touch with my employees who will provide the reality check away from here. I need to thank my farm team too for the hard yards they have been doing, in keeping our agricultural business running smoothly.
Today I question how much value and recognition this Government gives to the agricultural industry. I believe we are losing our rural roots and with it our Kiwi No 8 wire mentality, can do attitude and spirit of free enterprise.
Last weekend I judged an iconic kiwi event – the calf and lamb day at two rural schools. The numbers of children and pets participating continues to decline as kids become more focused on TV and computer games rather than getting outside.
It used to be that urban kids could go and visit their grand parent’s farm in the holidays and get a taste of rural life. That doesn’t happen now. More and more kids are growing up with no appreciation of rural life and this doesn’t bode well for our rural sector. We need to look at programmes in schools that encourage interaction between urban and rural.
Even the speech from the throne outlining the Government’s plan for the next three years paid little attention to the country’s producers – it is no wonder those in the provinces turned to National in their droves at the election. Those in the agriculture sector will be sorely disappointed with this Government’s vision for our most productive sector.
“The backbone of the New Zealand economy is our primary industries. The objective is to ensure the sectors lead the way in improving productivity and innovation.”
That was it. A one-sentence mention in a 45 min long speech.
New Zealand has depended on the agriculture sector for the majority of its export earnings for more than a century and we will do so for the next century. You can bank on that. The wealth of this country is firmly in the hands of the people on our land.
Fonterra is New Zealand’s number one company. It is also the world’s leading exporter of dairy products and is ranked among the top 10 dairy companies in the world. We should celebrate this, not ‘knock it’. Spare a thought for the cow cockie dairy farmers who get up at 4am each day working extremely hard to support their families and earn our export dollars.
Fonterra Chairman Henry van der Heyden has said the message still hasn’t got across to urban New Zealanders and the Government how important pastoral agriculture is to the economy.
Van der Heyden said, “If pastoral economy declines the whole economy declines. The aim should be to increase funding for research and development, with the aim of lifting productivity rather than trying to start new industries.
I endorse these comments and will push hard for increased funding into pastoral research and development, and innovation.
During this, my first term, I want to earn the respect and trust of my Caucus colleagues and be recognised as a team player in Caucus, in the Party and in my Electorate.
In conclusion I will endeavor to make the right decisions.
My ‘can do’ attitude is the way New Zealand used to be. We haven’t lost that attitude – just forgotten that it’s ok to work hard and play hard.
If my seat is ever empty here – rest assured I will be working hard in the Otaki electorate.
I am ready for the battle.
KIA KAHA, Te nako toa, Te nä kätoa kätoa
Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou Katoa