Bakshi Kanwaljit Singh: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBakshi Kanwaljit Singh: General Debate[Sitting date: 26 June 2013. Volume:691;Page:11291. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI (National):Thank you Mr Speaker for the opportunity to speak in this general debate. There are a lot of positives that the National Government has achieved. Heaps of rubbish is being dumped by the Labour Opposition which is totally opposite to the facts. I tell you that the ethnic community does not believe in Labour Party policies any more.The New Zealand economy is in better shape because of the National Government’s strong sensible economic management. Our Government’s economic plan is to deliver a faster-growing economy more jobs and a return to surplus which remains on track despite ongoing uncertainty in many parts of the world. The National Government has a growth-enhancing tax system with public service and support for science innovation and trade. We recognise that our future economic performance depends on creating more new ideas and competing with our global competitors.For this the funding has risen by 28 percent in the past 4 years. We have made investment into infrastructure. I am very much aware being an Aucklander how important it is to improve the general infrastructure in this area in order to expand the local market. Our Prime Minister the Rt Hon John Key is promoting New Zealand as an outstanding tourist destination. The number of visitors from overseas visiting all destinations in New Zealand has increased. There has been $158 million invested to boost tourism. Not only are tourists bringing their tourist dollars but the National Government is selling to the world more of what our country is producing. We therefore create more job opportunities for New Zealand businesses to grow hire more staff and invest in the future.Moreover more than one-third of the people living in Auckland were born overseas. The legislation to improve housing affordability will also be very welcome as this will speed up the supply of affordable houses to many migrants within the South Auckland area. Here I would like to say that we have been fortunate to have Ministers who havebeen listening. First of all I would like to give the example of the Hon Jonathan Coleman who brought in the policy for religious ministers which was one of the main issues of ethnic communities. Now the Hon Michael Woodhouse has brought in a policy for combating the exploitation of migrant workers which is also very welcome to the migrant community.Here I would like to share the story of many of the migrants who have been coming to New Zealand to run their own businesses. While they are competing with others some of them are not paying the full minimum wage. Others are in bad shape and they cannot compete with people who are not law-abiding business people. So this policy is a very good step towards curtailing their unfair advantage over the law-abiding competitors.I would also like to share some of the indicators that show that the economy is growing. While I was talking to many taxi drivers during early 2008 and 2009 they were complaining that they did not have enough business. If we talk to them now they say that they are much better off than they were in 2008. For example to buy a share in Auckland Co-op Taxis used to cost about $50000 a few years ago. Today the price of that share is more than $100000. It shows that the business of the taxi industry is growing which is an indicator that overall the economy is growing.Another thing that I would like to share with you is that car sales are the highest they have been in the last 5 years. If we look at people’s spending on different things it shows that the economy is growing and they have got money to—Hon Trevor Mallard: It just shows that the dollar’s too high.KANWALJIT SINGH BAKSHI: It is not that the dollar is too high; they have got money to spend Mr Mallard. It is important that people have got money in their pocket and they want to spend. Thank you.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): I call the honourable member Claudette Hauiti. Tēnā koe. Kei te pehea koe?