Rt Hon Winston Peters

New Zealand First Leader

Member of Parliament for Northland
23 NOVEMBER 2016

Gerry or Jerry? That is the question

By New Zealand First Leader and MP for Northland Rt Hon Winston Peters

We were called by a businessman who had just come from Kaikoura to ask, was it normal for OSH to tell the army what to do in a state of emergency?

His business supplies farmers with essential goods. He was distressed to hear farmers are pouring 200,000 litres of milk per day down the drain. And they will continue to do so until the roads reopen.

Like all businesses, he’s become part of the collateral damage, not caused so much by the quake, but by the bureaucracy that’s now calling the shots.

The metropolitan committee brigade is issuing instructions. One can see them now, looking at three shovels leaning against the wall and telling the locals to take a pick.

If the Navy was not having their 75th anniversary in Auckland, with a flotilla of naval vessels, where would we have been? Three international warships, theUSS Sampson, HMAS Darwin and HMCS Vancouver played an enormous role in Kaikoura earthquake recovery efforts. Along with New Zealand frigate Te Kaha and tanker Endeavour and the HMNZS Canterbury taking evacuees from Kaikoura to Lyttelton.

Where was our leadership? Well, he was off in Peru, leaving the core businesses in Kaikoura under stress for a week, forcing them to ask the government to be included in a relief package. But eight weeks relief is not enough. Saving all the businesses for all of the summer is what is required, that should be the optimum priority.

In Peru he was making all sorts of statements about reviving the TPPA, and galvanising his relationship with his golfing buddy, not realising America is under new management, and that management will not be a TPP member.

So far so good. Our leader and a gaggle of his struggling ministers have not only insulted president-elect Trump with disrespectful comments thinking Hillary Clinton would win, but our leader had forgotten he also insulted Russia.

Then, the US option gone, the PM, floundering around in front of the NZ media, said he wanted to re-engage with Russia on trade after insulting them in Parliament over the last year, and walking away from pursuing the free trade agreement with Russia because the Obama Administration told him to do so.

What’s this got to do with the earthquake in Kaikoura? Just this.

Kaikoura is now a metaphor for New Zealand, present and future. When our flip flop Prime Minister said we were a “Rockstar economy”, he didn’t realise he was talking about the rocks falling from the hills blocking our road to prosperity.

Our leader in absentia has created his own earthquake while overseas. While he was away and our regions and capital in crisis, he put Lieutenant Gerry in charge. After all, he has done such a sterling job of Christchurch.

Why are we as a nation in a time of crisis putting up with this mediocrity? The people of New Zealand deserve better. Especially in a time of a national emergency. This is a true indication that this government is tired and run out of ideas.

Here’s an idea. Why not bring our best known, proven and admired general on board to get the job done!

Sir Jerry Mateparae.

He was a platoon commander. He’s had operational postings and a tour of duty. Commanded a combined-force Peace Monitoring group, was Joint commander for NZ forces attached to the UN transitional administration in East Timor. He became Chief of General Staff and was promoted to lieutenant general then appointed Chief of Defence Force and director of the Government Communications Security Bureau. You must agree, he’s got a pretty good CV.

Sir Jerry’s motto; He Tāngata He Tāngata He Tāngata (“It is the people’ ‘It is the people’ ‘It is the people’.")

The other Gerry’s motto is, “Where’s the beef?”

If we were in charge, we would appoint Sir Jerry, and say would you please go and do what must be done, and don’t come back until you are finished, or words to that effect.

Gerry or Jerry? We would put a real Commander-in-Chief in charge of the earthquake operation and take control of the emergency zone. OSH would report to him, not the other way around.

We believe that if Jerry was in charge there would be less mental health issues in future. The people and children of Christchurch are suffering because of the decisions of Gerry.

Will history repeat itself in Kaikoura and the surrounding districts?

Will they be treated worse than Christchurch? Will they live off forgotten promises like the families of Pike River?

As Jerry Maguire said “show me the money”. This government will eventually renege on the money and promises going into fix Kaikoura and its neighbours.

Imagine if the money this government has wasted on the flag, Saudi farm, Novopay, and other failed computer programs, Serco, Warner Bros, Whanau Ora, Crown limos and Ministry makeovers, was available now?

Unlike Christchurch speed has got to be of the essence, working around the clock 24/7 – a military man would understand that. The other Gerry doesn’t.

ENDS

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