[Volume:606;Page:3405] 
In her speech the Prime Minister said: “The strong economic performance has had a very positive effect on the Government’s fiscal position.” That is wonderful. But what about the taxpayers’ fiscal position? She went on to talk about sustainable economic growth but who would that benefit—the Government? Those who provide the wealth of this nation must take part in that wealth. The Prime Minister says the Government wants to work with business to lift productivity. What is the point? Again for whose benefit is all that productivity for? There is no benefit to people if they cannot accrue some of the wealth that they have helped to create.  
Then there is the issue of the work-life balance. Families are being hurt by having to shoulder their increasing tax burdens. The purpose given to achieve all those objectives was outlined by the Prime Minister: “Our children and our young people deserve to grow up in supportive families with adequate incomes.” and the best way to guarantee that is to reward them for their efforts reward them for their work reduce their taxation and allow them the ability to be self-supporting self-reliant families.  
I move on to the second point. In the last few weeks there has been a series of horrific crimes—none more horrific than that which occurred on January 21 when two women were hacked by an assailant armed with a sword. The same man who did that then shot another person. On February 1 a man admitted to ripping the heads off live chickens. Unbelievably Barry Ryder while abiding his parole conditions was free enough to commit sexual assaults on three boys. Meanwhile a number of shocking dog attacks have provoked an outrage that has everyone wanting a quick and decisive response. It was important enough for the Prime Minister to include a mention of the attacks in her address. But what about the people? What about the rising tide of violence on our employers the taxpayers of New Zealand—the people who put us here? Surely we can see an interest in maintaining their health and safety—or is that just being cynical about it? I did not hear of any priority to push for a safer and more secure society.  
There are many laudable goals that this Government has fostered and I am sure some of those things simply represent an omission by default. But one of the things that will make this Government better this year will be a vigorous and rigorous Opposition. Right now we do not really have that do we? We have a minority Opposition. We need cooperation amongst all of us to push through the best policies that we possibly can but that is not what we are getting from over here. Anything that the Government throws up the Opposition simply tears down as a matter of course without even investigating whether it is a good policy or otherwise. We do need robust debate openness and receptivity to new ideas—and that applies to both sides of the House. I think the problem is that National the minority Opposition is not standing behind its leader and supporting him. He is leader in name only. Every time I sit here and watch Gerry Brownlee have a look at him I am not sure whether he sees leader or lunch. It is time for the National Party to gel together and start contributing to the lively debate of this Chamber. Its function is to scrutinise the Labour Party to get the best out of it. Right now the performance on that side of the House is extremely poor and dismal.