Smith Stuart; Tolley AnneSTUART SMITH (National—Kaikōura): Thank you Madam Deputy Speaker. What a fine three seconds that was so I'd like to acknowledge the previous speaker Paul Eagle. Given that he put two hoardings up on a spare bit of land in his electorate I think he's achieved more in construction than the housing Minister has in his short stay in Parliament so he has to be congratulated.This is my fourth Budget that I've witnessed as an MP; the first one as an Opposition MP. It was with some trepidation that I came into the House last Thursday for this Budget wondering—because the Government had been talking down the Budget all week and I was expecting them to pull some sort of a rabbit out of the hat. Of course when we were all in our spokesperson roles reading the Budget for the first time as it was being read out we were quite surprised that actually they had underdone the talking down and in fact it didn't reach any heights at all.I'd have to give Grant Robertson credit; he read the Budget well. You know it's got to be difficult to read for forty minutes a prepared speech and he did that well. And then the Leader of the Opposition stood up and gave what was a phenomenal speech—an absolutely phenomenal speech. It was lively. Every interjection that came his way he used and it really brought the whole House to life. That took the wind out of the sails of the Government and they spent the rest of the day and today trying to defend the indefensible. So I thought that was a very interesting start in the Opposition to a Budget and I'm sure my colleagues share my view. But coming to the issues around my own particular spokesperson roles I was a bit disappointed to see some money go out of civil defence. I'm still trying to get to the bottom of what—I know the text alert system has now been paid for and perhaps that explains part of it but it seems a bigger chunk has gone out of it but I haven't quite got to the bottom of that yet.In terms of the wine industry it's a great concern to see the funding much reduced on what was put in by National and I think particularly now that we've got Mycoplasma bovis as a real threat and the potential of brown marmorated stink bug—all of those issues; that's not the right time to not increase funding in biosecurity. So I really am concerned about that.But it's the Earthquake Commission (EQC) that gives me quite some concern. There was $2.4 million put aside for an inquiry into EQC—Andrew Bayly: How much?STUART SMITH: $2.4 million.Andrew Bayly: 2.4?STUART SMITH: Yeah I know—it's quite a bit of money for an inquiry but you know these things cost money I guess—and $8 million towards a tribunal. You know there are some serious—Dr Duncan Webb: What price justice Stuart? What price justice?STUART SMITH: There are quite a lot of issues with EQC and I fully accept that as the member has just raised. However I do think the Minister responsible for the Earthquake Commission is struggling. I have put 592 written questions to her and I've had 23 satisfactory answers. The Minister is clearly struggling. She's got four portfolios. Steven Joyce was able to handle that with ease but it's not everybody's cup of tea and I just feel for the Minister. I really know that there are other people that could help. She needs help and I think Dr Duncan Webb—he's very experienced in this area a very experienced member. He is a new member but quite clearly very capable and I'm sure he would be able to help the Minister. Or maybe if the Minister's got too much on her plate she could step aside he could take over and she could help him. Christchurch deserves better. It deserves that and if we've got someone who's on the case then we wouldn't need an inquiry and a tribunal. I'm prepared to reach across the House if the Minister was to give me some information—more than delighted to help her with this portfolio because quite clearly she needs that help. We are after all supposedly in the era of the most open and transparent Government; 592 questions with 23—Andrew Bayly: And how many—23.STUART SMITH: 23. She's consistently late answering them. It's not good enough to do that but you know I do accept that she's probably overwhelmed and not able to carry out the job. So the offer of help is there.It was quite interesting today as well to hear the Hon Amy Adams coming up with two numbers: a $5 billion increase in operational allowances and $6 billion borrowed by Crown entities. My maths tells me that's $11 billion and I think the familiarity she was talking about was Steven Joyce's $11 billion. He did warn them; he was good at his spreadsheets. That $11 billion is a big hole in the Budget and they are trying to cover it up with a different—creative accounting. So with that I commend the Leader of the Opposition's amendment to the bill and no confidence in the Government. Thank you.DEPUTY SPEAKER: I omitted to say at the beginning: this is a split call.