McKelvie Ian: Oral Questions — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMcKelvie Ian: Oral Questions — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 01 April 2015. Volume:704;Page:2798. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]11.IAN McKELVIE (National—Rangitīkei) to the Minister for Small Business: How will small and medium businesses benefit from the Government’s proposals to simplify the tax system?Hon CRAIG FOSS (Minister for Small Business): Small and medium sized businesses will benefit from a simpler and modernised tax system. The Government is considering possible improvements to simplify the tax system for businesses by streamlining the collection and calculation of PAYE GST and related information by integrating these obligations into various business processes—things such as leveraging new technology and simplifying calculation for provisional tax based perhaps on real-time information. I encourage small and medium enterprises to make a submission on these very good proposals. These initiatives will make for a more modern efficient and flexible tax system once again demonstrating why this Government is better for business.Ian McKelvie: How are small and medium businesses benefiting from the changes the Government has made to the tax system?Hon CRAIG FOSS: Small and medium businesses whether in rural areas in the city on the farm or in the factory have already benefited from changes that this Government has made to the tax system including lower company tax rates lower personal income tax rates and making tax compliance easier for businesses through initiatives such as myIR online accounts. Small and medium businesses are also benefiting from other changes by removing unnecessary reporting requirements cutting red tape and improving infrastructure.Chris Hipkins: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Over several days there have been questions from Government members to this Minister which he has answered with a prepared short speech. Although there are no rules that prevent Ministers from reading answers it does seem to be a waste of the House’s time to get short speeches to patsy questions.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Small business is the heart of the New Zealand economy and I am disgusted that the Labour Party members should say it is a waste of the House’s time to consider their interests. [Interruption]Ron Mark: Point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: Order! I hope it is a fresh point of order from Ron Mark.Ron Mark: Firstly that was not a point of order and I have been sat down on numerous occasions by you for making points of order that—Mr SPEAKER: Can the member make his point of order quickly.Ron Mark: OK. The point of order draws you specifically to Standing Order 383 in particular Standing Order 383(1) and (2) and questions are meant to be short. The point raised by the whip for Labour is very well made. You yourself and other Speakers in the Chair have said that we should not be giving speeches. If a person cannot give their answer orally then they should be sat down.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is there a further point of order being raised by Chris Hipkins or has he caused enough trouble?Hon Gerry Brownlee: Point of order Mr Speaker.Mr SPEAKER: No I do not need any more assistance from the member. Members should know that questions are allocated and the Government gets a share of those questions. Government members have every right to ask a question about how small and medium sized businesses will benefit by proposed tax changes. I did not think the list that was read out was unduly long. I am certainly aware that the Minister on many occasions is long with some of his answers. On this occasion I did not think he was at all.Ian McKelvie: This will be very good. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! Equally all members have a right to ask a supplementary question.Ian McKelvie: What reports has the Minister seen on proposed changes that will not simplify the tax system for small and medium businesses? [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! On the basis that the answer does not comment on another political party’s policy the Minister can answer the supplementary question.Hon CRAIG FOSS: I have seen a report: “Overly burdensome tax compliance must be addressed. It is an avoidable drag on the productivity of our small businesses.” I absolutely agree with that statement but I have also seen a report from the same author that proposes complex new taxes and burdens on small businesses. The author of those two reports cannot have it both ways. The author of those reports is the Labour Party. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I am on my feet. I am going to take this opportunity to ask that Minister to look carefully at Speaker’s ruling 154/2A. It is not reasonable to use a question from the governing party to simply attack other members of this House or other political parties. It is to cease from that Minister.