Muller Todd: Budget DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMuller Todd: Budget Debate[Sitting date: 28 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:4154. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty): Talofa lava Mr Assistant Speaker. This is a Budget that I joined the National Party for. This is a Budget that I put my hand up to be an MP for. This is a Budget that I knocked on 10000 doors for. And this is a Budget I am very proud to say that I am going to vote for because it speaks to the National Party: economic competency Better Public Services and being there for those who are the most vulnerable.Economic competency was throughout the Budget that we heard last week. It was great to hear a return to surplus plan despite the global financial crisis Christchurch and in particular the low-inflation environment that we have had over the last year or so impacting on revenue. To see the projection looking out of 3 percent growth over the next few years—from the perspective of the Bay of Plenty where I come from I say that it is great to be part of a region that is topping the regional growth at the moment with 5 percent. What an extraordinary projection that is.When you see that we have created 190000 jobs over the last 4 years and we plan for another 150000 in the next 4 years it is great to have a Budget that is that positive as my colleague Mr Bishop outlined before. To see as part of that the average wage lifting every year to be up over $63000 by 2019 and to see unemployment under 5 percent is competent economic management. In the Bay of Plenty we are seeing that flowing through well with a record number of jobs. It is 41 percent up year on year—41 percent—in the Bay of Plenty.In the area of Better Public Services with a particular focus on health was it not great to see the additional investment in elective surgeries which is really popular in my area of Tauranga with more hip and knee replacements going to happen in that hospital over the next year. Also there was the $76 million to help Waipuna Hospice. I was part of that opening a few weeks ago. It is great to see that it is going to have an additional investment. Also in education in early childhood education there is the $75 million and there are more places in the ongoing resourcing scheme which I know is going to be particularly well received in my local area.In recent political history when the country is on its knees it turns to the National Party and historically once we have corrected the ship and helped families to get back to being more established then the country looks perhaps to other parties to look at the social investment. Well that is not going to happen any more not after this Budget because we have signalled very clearly to this country that this is the party. The National Party is the party that knows how to get the balance between the environment for economic growth and then to be able off that encouraging position to invest for families. What a package that was. Mr Bishop was right. To be able to stand there and watch this Budget being spoken about and seeing the reaction on the other side—those members knew that this is going to be a defining part of this Government. This is a defining package of being there for those who need it in their hour of need and they certainly do.When Louisa Wall talks about the legacy of the Government she is right in one sense. This package will be a part of the legacy of the Government but she is too quick to be talking about legacies because we are not even halfway through. We have got a fantastic vision for this country and you saw that in very much of what we discussed in respect of the Budget last week.In response I would have to say the Opposition’s arguments have been very weak. To be standing there as Grant Robertson and others do decrying the surplus as being too low and saying it should be higher well Mr Robertson what would you cut? Mr Robertson what would you cut? You say the debt that we have accumulated over the last few years is too high. Well Mr Robertson you cannot say that in one word and then in the other have a list as long as your arm of new Government spending that you would then want to see. Either you have to tax people to make it happen or you need to cut. That is why on this side of the Table we have got the right answer.To hear the Opposition talking about means testing superannuitants—by all means keep it up. I would love to be part of a debate in Tauranga when the people of Tauranga send the message back to you that your vision for the country is wrong and our vision for the country is right. I support this Budget.