Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Budget Debate 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Budget Debate 
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LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (NZ Labour—Mana) 
: 
 Kia ora talofa lava and warm Pacific greetings to all. This Budget is a further demonstration that this Labour-led Government has managed the economy carefully. In spite of the difficult times this is a good-news Budget and a very good-news Budget after the last speech. It is easy to say that this is a good-news Budget but let us look at the facts. The levels of the operating surplus growth rate and debt as a proportion of gross domestic product (GDP) are three accurate indicators of economic management. They are hard facts. Last Budget the projected operating surplus for the year was $2.3 billion. This year the projected surplus is expected to be over $4 billion. At 4.4 percent our growth rate is up from 3 percent last Budget and one of the strongest in the OECD. Last Budget gross debt was forecast to fall to 28.6 percent of GDP down from the 36.8 percent when the Government took office. In this Budget gross debt is forecast to fall to 27.2 percent of GDP. That is the lowest level of gross debt as a proportion of GDP since Treasury began collecting the data in 1971. The hard facts stack up. The levels of the operating surplus growth rate and debt have all shown significant improvements since last Budget. My congratulations to Dr Michael Cullen! 
Last Budget the Opposition said that Labour had got lucky that the global economic conditions had been good and that Dr Cullen was just riding on the good times. The Opposition said that global economic conditions may get worse. That was one prediction they got right. But Dr Cullen has managed the economy well during the bad times as well as the good times. Dr Cullen continues to show that he has a safe pair of hands. 
With each Budget Dr Cullen has demonstrated the wisdom of prudent financial management. Steady sensible financial management may be boring but it is good for our country and as a result the New Zealand economy is in good heart. The key economic indicators bear this out. Negative international factors will slow the growth rate next year but it will bounce back because we have the fundamentals right. Inflation is within the target range and unemployment is continuing at its current low level. 
This is a good-news Budget. This Budget is good news for all New Zealanders. This Budget is good news for the people of Mana. The people of Porirua City and up the Kapiti Coast are experiencing a period of economic growth. Steady economic development is the good-news story for the people of Mana. According to the latest edition of  
Regional Outlook 
 a publication of the Wellington Regional Council Porirua City enjoyed an economic growth rate of 5 percent in the year ended March 2002. Kapiti Coast district also faired well at a respectable 3.1 percent. The report prepared by Infometrics an independent economic forecaster shows that there is good economic growth in Mana. Why is that? One reason is that Government policies are working on a regional level and complement the excellent work done by groups like Business Porirua the Porirua City Council the Kapiti Coast District Council and the initiatives of the Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency. 
The retail sector has been an important driver of growth in our area. The report notes that retail trade at the new Porirua MegaCentre adds to the already substantial North City Shopping Centre and was a key contributor to the expansion of the business sector over the year to March 2002. However the increase in value was spread across many industries. That is good news. It demonstrates that growth in Mana is broad-based and should be sustainable. Mana is home to many many smart and successful businesses that are benefiting from the Government’s sound economic management. 
Let me tell the House about one smart and successful company run by a smart and successful local businessman. Murray Treweek runs Effuzi International a company that manufactures high-quality seating systems for lecture theatres auditoriums and stadiums. Murray’s job is to put bums on seats. He is doing that throughout Australia. Some examples are the Auckland Town Hall the Bruce Mason Theatre in Takapuna the Capitol Theatre in Sydney the 2070-seat Lyric Theatre in the Sydney casino complex 18000 seats at the Bay Park Speedway 20300 seats at the Waikato Stadium 18400 seats in the new west stand at Jade Stadium and seating in virtually every university in New Zealand. Effuzi International is exporting over 70 percent of its products. Effuzi International based in the humble suburb of Elsdon in Porirua is just one example of successful local companies that are growing and providing jobs for New Zealanders. I can give the House many examples of local businesses that are doing well. 
The Government is providing the right conditions for economic growth and appropriate assistance when required. Labour is transforming the economy. Economic innovation is at the heart of this Budget. To have innovation we must have better education. This Budget places a high priority on education—$1.186 billion in new education spending over the next 4 years has been announced in this Budget. This includes $422 million for the new tertiary education funding system $400 million for new school buildings $167 million on an additional 774 teachers and $84 million to increase the numbers in industry training. Young people who study at the Whitireia Community Polytechnic in Porirua are amongst those who will benefit from this Budget. 
The Modern Apprenticeships scheme will receive $56 million to increase the number of places available. This is really important. The Modern Apprenticeships scheme is one of our great successes because it provides opportunities for our young people who will not go on to other tertiary education. In the year 2000 30 percent of Porirua school leavers left without a qualification. That was not good enough. This Government is putting real money into education to turn round the statistics of educational failure that were the product of 10 years of neglect. We have not forgotten that good education starts at a very early age—$55 million will improve access to quality early childhood education. Some of this funding will go to early childhood centres in Mana. 
This Budget demonstrates the responsible leadership that the Prime Minister has provided to New Zealand and the careful fiscal management of the Minister of Finance. Health education economic development overseas trade new technology and the police all receive a funding boost and at the same time $1.879 billion will go to the New Zealand Superannuation Fund to be set aside for future pension payments. This Budget is good news for the people of Mana and it is good news for all New Zealanders.