This is what the public elect Labour Governments to do. We are the party that New Zealand looks to in times of change and challenge. It's not always popular, and sometimes it will be decades before the full benefits are felt, but there are too many times in this country when we lament the inaction of previous Governments, where short-term political expediency has taken precedence over what's right for our country. And that makes it all the more amazing that National is still happy to be known as the party of the status quo, interested only in the exercise of power.