Calder Cam: Budget DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeCalder Cam: Budget Debate[Sitting date: 05 June 2013. Volume:690;Page:10746. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Dr CAM CALDER (National): Enchanté. Merci. The principled pragmatic Government continues to work relentlessly for the betterment of every New Zealander. It is working and succeeding in cushioning vulnerable New Zealanders from the ongoing effects of the worst financial conditions in decades. Whilst in Spain the unemployment rate is in excess of 25 percent and that of the US is in double figures here in New Zealand the household labour force survey shows very encouraging job growth with the unemployment rate dropping from 6.9 percent to 6.2 percent in the March quarter. There were 38000 more people employed in that quarter. This result puts New Zealand in 11th place in the OECD. Our participation rate grew to almost 68 percent and remains higher than that of Australia which rests at around about 65 percent. Our growth in GDP at 3 percent is higher than for most other developed countries.Wages have increased by 22 percent since 2008; 22 percent is twice the rate of inflation. House mortgage rates are at the lowest in 50 years. Annual inflation is running at 0.9 percent. The cost of living increase is the lowest in decades and we have heard that Standard and Poor’s has endorsed the Government’s approach by placing us in the world’s 10 least risky economies. Just yesterday the good news continued. Further positive signs of a stronger economy underpinning the tax revenue and combined with responsible control over spending kept the operating balance before gains and losses—the OBEGAL deficit—below $4 billion which was $664 million less than was forecast.The Government’s economic management has been widely praised over the last few years by a variety of international pundits of impeccable economic credentials. Most recently the IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde praised the Government’s economic policy and Business Growth Agenda. She described the economy as being very stable very promising and a lot better than in other parts of the world. Imagine what her comment would be should the New Zealand economy be managed by a dysfunctional pick-up team of an anti - free market Labour Party and the red-green money-printers. The IMF in the report issued only yesterday endorsed New Zealand’s balanced and pragmatic economic management and confirmed that the Government’s economic plan strikes the right balance between supporting growth and limiting public debt. The IMF stated: “The benefits of the plan are many. First it withdraws fiscal stimulus at the right time by making room for the expected increases in private sector and earthquake-related construction spending. Second it has improved the macroeconomic policy mix by reducing pressure on monetary policy. Third it creates fiscal space to help the country deal with aging and health care costs that are expected to increase over the long-term and to cope with any negative shocks that may cause a sharp reduction in domestic economic activity or potential liabilities associated with thebanking sector. Last it could help raise national savings reduce the current account deficit and limit the increase in foreign liabilities.” It is a resounding vote of confidence in this Government’s proven prudent financial management a safe pair of hands and a stark contrast to the reincarnated 1970s Labour Party in coalition with those of a red-green hue.Our economic programme includes a large number of measures aimed at improving the competitiveness of businesses including increasing our exports and infrastructure and innovation improving skills deepening the capital markets and sustainably developing our natural resources—interventions vehemently decried by Labour and the Greens. It seems they truly do believe that all they would have to do should they ever find themselves on the Treasury benches is press a button and print money. Hopefully that is a clarion warning call to all thinking New Zealanders mindful of their children’s and grandchildren’s future. This Government is encouraging investment right across the New Zealand economy as we know that nothing creates jobs and grows income for New Zealand families better than economic growth. A growing healthy productive economy allows us to invest in infrastructure better public services security education and health.No Government has ever spent more on health. Let us look at the facts. We are making $1.6 billion available over 4 years boosting total health spending to a record $14.7 billion—$14.7 billion. While many developed countries around the world are freezing or even reducing their health funding National is growing and protecting our public health services.In my maiden speech I spoke of my wish to see a campaign for men to raise their awareness of the need to take responsibility for their prostate health. Budget 2013 delivers $4.3 million over 4 years to raise awareness among men of the need to look after their prostate health. Each year about 3000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 600 die of the disease. A prostate cancer awareness campaign will ensure men get better information will get better care and will ultimately enjoy better survival rates. This Budget is great news for Kiwi blokes and their families.We are combating the high rate of obesity in New Zealand by significantly increasing funding to raise the number of people getting heart and diabetes checks. That is a national health target. We are doubling the funding for Green Prescriptions at a cost of some $7.2 million. Green Prescriptions see general practitioners or nurses prescribe exercise and improved diet to patients and their families which is a proven way of increasing physical activity and improving health. We have extended the Fruit in Schools programme. Last year over 18 million individual pieces of fruit were delivered to pupils in low-decile schools. Over 100000 students in 484 schools across our country benefited.Sadly New Zealand faces an increase in dementia as people live longer. This Budget invests $17 million in aged-care and dementia services including improved home support services trained health care workers and increased funding for dementia care workers and bed subsidies. We have targeted $100 million to meet population changes and cost pressures in disability support services. We are investing $48 million in elective surgery such as hip replacements and for cataracts and more than $21 million to reduce the incidence of rheumatic fever among our most vulnerable which is particularly apposite in our schools in Manurewa in Māngere and in Manukau East in parts of the far north in Flaxmere and in Porirua. I was visiting Ngā Iwi School just last week delivering a certificate to the principal there for its hard work in reducing the incidence of rheumatic fever by swabbing the throats of vulnerable kids.No Government has ever spent more on education—no Government has ever spent more on education. National’s targeted spend across the entire education sector for2013-14 will be $12.4 billion. Ensuring every child gets a good education we believe is the most crucial intervention we can make to raise living standards unlock the potential that lies within all our young people and allow them to realise their dreams and aspirations and to create a more competitive and productive economy. We are spending over $1.5 billion on early childhood education. Our education investment in early childhood education and in primary and secondary schooling is 7.2 percent of our GDP which is well above the OECD average of 5.8 percent. This is a huge increase up from the $860 million spent on early childhood education in 2007-08 yet only a few weeks ago the New Zealand Educational Institute president had the barefaced effrontery to rail against cuts in early childhood education.We are spending $5.67 billion on primary and secondary schools and over $4.2 billion on tertiary education but unlike with the previous Government this spend is targeted and we expect results from the money invested. All up our spend on education is well over $12 billion as I mentioned. We are demanding outcomes from our spend and are setting ourselves targets. We make no apologies for wanting all kids to leave school with the tools and skills they need to unlock the potential that lies within all of them. That means intervening early with those being left behind and lifting them up and encouraging those who are doing well to do even better. We know that quality early childhood education sets a child up for life and we are aiming in 2016 to have 98 percent of all entrants in school having participated in early childhood education.We have invested over $48 million in the Targeted Assistance for Participation fund which will mean that vulnerable communities Pasifika and Māori many of whom are in the south of Auckland—Manurewa Māngere Manukau East—will benefit and be engaged in early childhood education. This is a prudent compassionate Government delivering a fiscally responsible Budget for the betterment of all New Zealanders.