9. Budget 2017—Government Priorities and Superannuation Fund ContributionsGRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) to the Minister of FinanceBudget 2017—Government Priorities and Superannuation Fund Contributions9. GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) to the Minister of Finance: Does he agree with former Prime Minister John Key that a meaningful tax cut would cost $3 billion I reckon" and is this a higher priority for him in the upcoming Budget than restarting contributions to the New Zealand Super Fund?Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Finance): I agree with the former Prime Minister that that amount would certainly represent a meaningful tax cut but I also think that a $1 billion package or a $1.5 billion or a $2 billion package depending on how it was targeted and over what time period might also represent a meaningful tax cut. In terms of priorities for Budget 2017 I have publicly set these out and helpfully will do so for the member again—firstly delivering Better Public Services for a growing country; secondly building the infrastructure we need in a modern economy; third paying down debt as a percentage of GDP with a target of achieving 20 percent of GDP by 2020-21 at which time we would restart contributions to the Superannuation Fund. And finally we remain committed to reducing the tax burden and in particular the impact of marginal tax rates on lower- and middle-income earners when we have the room to do so. Grant Robertson: Was John Key correct when he said that a $1 billion tax cut package would only give average earners $7 or $8 a week and was not a meaningful tax cut?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: I see what the member is trying to do but I do not propose to design the 2017 Budget on the floor of the House today.Grant Robertson: If he is going to spend $3 billion on tax cuts what essential social spending programmes will not be funded to afford those cuts?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: The Budget is coming. I do believe we intend to have the House receive the Budget on 25 May this year. There are not too many more sleeps left yet Mr Robertson and all these questions will be answered at that time.Grant Robertson: We are going to enjoy the next few weeks. Does he think that Adrian Orr chief executive of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund was referring to him yesterday when he said "Recent public comments illustrate that many people don't understand what the New Zealand Super Fund is and what it does" given his reluctance to restart contributions to the fund?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Mr Orr would have to speak for whom he was referring to but I actually read that and thought he was referring to Mr Robertson.Grant Robertson: Was the Superannuation Fund wrong to describe comments such as his that it is wrong to save for the future when there is debt to be repaid by describing those comments as misleading or will he now admit that it is just his ideological addiction to tax cuts that is putting restarting contributions to the Superannuation Fund last in his priorities?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: In terms of the member's apparent quotation of my comments he is incorrect. But actually I would say to him that it is important to think of the incomes of people today as well as the incomes of people in the future. The member and his party often come down to the House and talk about the spending pressures on low- and middle-income earners or housing costs for people and actually their incomes are very very important when you are considering those matters. So the member may say he does not care but I certainly do."