Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: General Debate 
Lotu-Iiga Peseta Sam: General Debate 
[Volume:662;Page:10759] 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA (National—Maungakiekie) 
: 
 The upcoming Budget is what National will put forward for this country. We have a plan despite what the previous speaker David Cunliffe alluded to. The plan will underline this Government’s credentials as a safe economic manager of this country. The plan will look to a tax system that is fairer across all sectors of the economy and it will also produce a set of accounts that will read much better than those under the last Government which were bleeding red before the economic recession hit this country. Unlike our counterparts across the Chamber we will not have a borrowing programme that will lead us to the type of situation occurring in Greece and other countries across the world which are experiencing severe financial distress. 
The legacy the last Labour Government left us was one of stagnant growth and one of economic growth that year on year was approximately 1 percent. One percent growth per year year on year during its administration is unacceptable. But growing at a rate of knots under the last Government was core Government bureaucracy. That was the biggest game in town under the last Government and it is the game that this Government is committed to reining in. The other big legacy the last Labour Government left for us was a tradable sector that had been declining for 5 consecutive years. For 5 consecutive years the New Zealand export sector declined. We will not get out of this economic recession unless we expand the export sector expand job opportunities within that sector and expand the economy in terms of our external debt. Things will be grave economically if we are not prudent. Our external net debt is 90 percent of GDP. I repeat that: our external debt is 90 percent of GDP—one of the highest ratios in the Western hemisphere one of the highest ratios among developed countries—and we have to stop it. 
The last speaker asked about creating jobs. I heard from my friend Mr Quinn recently that a job is available: the job of Leader of the Opposition. Apparently a barbecue is going on this Friday night but we do not know the location. We do not know whether it will be in Wainuiomata St Marys Bay or up in Northland. [ 
Interruption 
] Well that riled them. Where is it? I hear it is in St Marys Bay. Members should bring their own lattes—BYO lattes. They do not eat sausages any more; they eat quiche at the barbecues. Labour members eat quiche at their barbecues. 
Hon Member 
: A new leader on Saturday morning. 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
: We have heard right here in the Chamber that there will be a new leader on Saturday morning. As much as I admire my friend and colleague Mr Goff who is MP of a neighbouring electorate and is a good electorate MP I do not believe that the people of New Zealand look at Mr Goff and see the next leader of this country. Members on that side of the House have to think about where leadership comes from. 
Carol Beaumont 
: Why don’t you talk about jobs for New Zealanders? 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
: They want to talk about the economy. It is about productive investment and savings. Only through investment savings and changing the structure of our economy will we get out of this recession. 
Stuart Nash 
: Where’s the plan? 
PESETA SAM LOTU-IIGA 
: I say to Mr Nash that the plan is quite clear as he knows. The plan is quite clear: a fairer tax system investment in innovation and investment in jobs that matter to this country. We are also about saving.