15 September 2005, 11am

Dr Don Brash Speech notes to public meeting,

Akarana Yacht Club, Okahu Bay,

Auckland

National's First Ten Tasks

In two days' time, New Zealanders will decide which political party is prepared to confront the issues that really matter to our country and its future.

It is a critical choice for all of us. A choice that will determine whether our children and our grandchildren will be able to find their futures here, or whether we will continue to see a growing exodus of our brightest and best to other shores.

Just yesterday we saw the unprecedented spectacle of the Chief Ombudsman instructing the Minister of Finance to release Treasury papers costing Labour's student loan policies.

He did so because he felt New Zealanders were entitled to have that information before they cast their votes on Saturday.

Helen Clark and her colleagues wanted to deny them that information.

Remember, Helen Clark's Government originally told us there were no such papers because Treasury had not costed the student loan promises.

Yesterday's release of documents showed not just that those statements were utterly untrue, but that Labour's original estimates of the costs of the policy were a joke.

In short, they looked the public in the eye and told them a blatant untruth about the existence of the Treasury papers. And they knowingly told the public another blatant untruth about the costs of their policy.

Then they tried to hide the paperwork until after the election.

Helen Clark's government showed by their actions that they have no respect for the New Zealand public.

A government that is prepared to treat the public that way has forfeited any entitlement to the respect and confidence of the New Zealand people.

And this Saturday, the New Zealand public should reciprocate that lack of confidence at the ballot box.

Ladies and gentlemen, New Zealanders have had enough.

We have had six years of Labour bungling the NCEA. We have had six years of Labour's 111 crises. We have had six years of Labour's political correctness. We have had six years of Labour's high taxes and waste.

And in this campaign their message to New Zealanders is: Don't let National in. That is the limit to their vision, their plans for New Zealand.

Well, New Zealanders deserve something better than that.

And on Saturday I urge them to vote for something better than that. On Saturday I urge them to vote for a government that is prepared to take a stand on the issues that matter to mainstream New Zealanders.

And that's what they'll get with a National Government.

Under Labour, it will be more of the same.

National will have exams. Labour will have more excuses. National will have a welfare safety net. Labour will have their welfare drift net. National will be focused on all Kiwis. Labour will be focused on iwi. National will make criminals do the time. Labour will keep on letting them out in no time.

And, most importantly, National will provide the incentives to work hard, to get ahead, while Labour will continue to collect your taxes and then waste them.

When I say that we intend to tackle the issues of mainstream New Zealanders, I mean business.

That's why I've set a timetable of the TEN specific things that I will make my personal priority. These first ten priority tasks are an action plan to tackle the issues that really matter.

We have put our commitments in print - more than 1 million printed brochures have been distributed throughout New Zealand. And those commitments are in that brochure for all to see.

These tasks are a very real commitment to the Kiwi values that have served this country well: Hard work, responsibility and opportunity.

Today, I say to New Zealanders: If you want to return to hard working New Zealand values, lower taxes, less waste then my message is simple.

Give your party vote to National on Saturday, and my team and I will get on with the job

ENDS

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