Duncan Helen: Future Directions (Working for Families) Bill — Second Reading 
Duncan Helen: Future Directions (Working for Families) Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:617;Page:13465] 
HELEN DUNCAN (Labour) 
: 
 Budget day 2004 is a great day for New Zealand and particularly for New Zealand families. The Working for Families package that is at the centre of the measures announced today will make a huge difference in the lives of low to middle income workers. These people are the big winners from today’s Budget and I think that is just great. More than 60 percent of working families will be better off as a result of this Budget. Those in the $25000 to $45000 income range will be better off by up to almost $100 a week. The average increase will be $66 a week—a hugely significant increase that will make a real difference to the standard of living of these families. 
As the advertisements say: “But wait there’s more.” Increases to childcare assistance will provide an average $23 a week per child and even that is not all. Increases to the accommodation supplement will give an average $19 a week more. This money is going where it will do the most good and make a real difference. It is not going into the pockets of the well-off as tax cuts do. No this money is going to help the Kiwi battlers and to fight child poverty. If as the Prime Minister said we use the measure of 50 percent of median income as the threshold the percentage of children lifted from poverty is a staggering 70 percent. I think that is fantastic. 
The Budget helps families in other ways too. As someone who has a keen interest in education I am delighted with the wonderful improvements in the provision of early childhood education. The rates of subsidy will increase significantly and lots more families will be entitled to receive the subsidy. At least 33000 children will benefit from this provision. 
There is another improvement that will be very much appreciated by New Zealand parents. Up until now free early childhood education has been provided only through the kindergarten service. But this Labour-led Government is extending this to all community-based childcare centres. From mid-2007 all 3 and 4-year-old children will be entitled to 20 hours of free education. I know that will be appreciated by parents and I also know it will ensure that quality early childhood education and care is available for all children. That will provide a great start for those children and as research shows it will benefit them right through their educational lives. 
Of course the National-ACT Opposition does not like this bill! It does not want to help low and middle income families. It only wants to give tax cuts—tax cuts that deliver the most to those who need it least. Those members want to look after their mates on the high incomes. They do not care about hard-working low-income New Zealanders. The National-ACT Opposition also wants to cut the corporate tax rate so that overseas investors are better off and more money flows off shore. Well how sensible is that? 
I tell those members that this Labour-led Government cares about hard-working New Zealand families and we are going to look after them. The Future Directions (Working for Families) Bill is great policy and I am proud to be part of a great Government that is making a huge improvement in the lives of New Zealand families. 
I want to thank Dr Michael Cullen and the team of Ministers who have produced the best and most forward-looking Budget we have seen in New Zealand for decades. It is brilliant and I am proud to be a part of this Government.