Scott AlastairALASTAIR SCOTT (National—Wairarapa): This Budget has been enabled by a growing economy. That is the prerequisite to everything that has been announced in the Budget. People slide 3.5 percent off the back of their tongue and do not really consider what that means. Three point five percent means that there are more people in work today than ever before working on behalf of their families and communities and paying tax which brings about surpluses—surpluses that enable us to have choice. Just only a few years ago the Government's books were essentially at break-even. The 2017-18 year will see $2.9 billion in surplus rising to $7.2 billion in 2021. That is a result of a growing and strong economy and I just want to re-emphasise that that is a prerequisite to having any of these announcements that we are talking about today. We have the highest employment rate ever at almost 70 percent of those over 15 years of age. We have more apprentices in the economy than ever before enjoying what is just the beginning of a construction boom. You cannot find plumbers apprentices or painters anywhere in the Wairarapa electorate let alone in Auckland Wellington or Christchurch. It is important to recognise that those surpluses are what will be paying for the extra cops the new classrooms and the better hospitals that we deserve as a community.We must continue to maintain the momentum that has been built by this Government. I would like to at this point acknowledge the support of New Zealand First and the Greens as well as our expected coalition partners in support of the family tax package. In other words everyone in this House except for Labour is supportive of supporting those who are least well off—those who are struggling with their accommodation and those who receive Working for Families and that part of the Budget is absolutely targeted at those who are less well off. Just ask those guys across the House—that is why they are supporting it. And that is why Labour members are struggling to find something to oppose in this Budget because in their hearts they know that this Budget is affecting those who are least well off. So 50000—Minister Tolley has updated it; 60000 children are affected directly by this Budget by the combination of those three things I have just mentioned by bringing them above what is one measure of child poverty and that is those children who are living in a household that receives half of the average or median income. About a third of those kids who were below that line are now above it. That is a huge improvement in the standard of living for those at the bottom of the pile. We are always going to have a bottom 10 percent but it is important to acknowledge and recognise that those people at the bottom—the bottom 10 percent let us say or 5 percent—are far far better off when the economy is growing when the economy is heading the right direction when people are working when people are paying taxes and when there are surpluses to give the Government choice in what it is spending the taxpayers' money on.Let us not forget the taxpayer. Let us not forget the taxpayer because this Budget delivers for all New Zealanders particularly those who do pay tax. This is a dividend of success. With these tax cuts—$10 $20 a week—those in the relevant tax bands are receiving the dividends of success and all I hear from the other side or I should say the Labour Party members is that they want more money. They want more money to spend on behalf of the taxpayer. For some reason they believe in their sanctimonious attitude that they have a better idea of how to spend taxpayers' money. This Budget—this debate—is very positive. It supports those who are least well off the most affected who need the support in this community and I commend it to the House.