Choudhary Ashraf: Budget Debate 
Choudhary Ashraf: Budget Debate 
[Volume:639;Page:9645] 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY (Labour) 
: 
 It is a great pleasure to stand and say something positive about the Budget. It is certainly a delight to speak after Dr Worth who has mentioned exports and our export policies and I thought I would just mention that issue before I go to the main thing. 
Yesterday the Hon Phil Goff put out a statement saying that this Budget allocated a $23.8 million increase in funding for the strengthening and growth of a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise presence in the key markets of Asia. The expansion will see Trade and Enterprise open up to five more offices in China— 
Dianne Yates 
: How many? 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY 
: —five more offices in China—one more office in India— 
Dianne Yates 
: Where? 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY 
: —in India—and New Zealand concept centres in China and Japan. The concept centres will be modelled on the successful New Zealand Focus centre in Hong Kong—a permanent exhibition for the promotion of New Zealand products. So I say to Dr Worth that is the sort of thing this Government is doing. It is making sure that our products particularly our agricultural products are out there in the world bringing very valuable foreign exchange into this country. 
Dr Richard Worth 
: Where in India? 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY 
: The member has recently been to India—I know he has travelled there. The member has seen for himself the opportunities that are going begging in places like India China and the whole of Asia. This Government is doing something about it. 
As was said before by my colleague Maryan Street this Budget is very bold and very visionary. It is very important to realise how the people are thinking out in the street. Over the weekend I had a number of calls particularly from members of my Asian community and other ethnic communities saying that this Budget is a fantastic one. They see a whole lot of things in this Budget that are very valuable to particularly the Asian and other ethnic communities which value the culture of saving. Many of these people have come to this country from backgrounds where there has been a culture of saving where it is often said that if one earns a dollar one puts 50c away. In the cultures where these people have come from people never have any pension or superannuation schemes. They love the enhanced KiwiSaver scheme because we have made sure that it reaches out to all people irrespective of what wage or salary level they are at. The message I have got is: “Good on you Labour Government. You have done this at last.” Some of the things that in the past were decimated by the National Government are now being reintroduced. 
I am delighted that the Government is putting $40 per week towards a tax credit both for savers and for employers and also providing $1000 as a kickstart for all KiwiSavers. Of course for any scheme to become really productive and useful in the long term it is important that there is a compulsory contribution from employers because without that contribution there is no commitment from employers to make the scheme a success. We on this side of the House are delighted that this scheme has at last become feasible for all of our people irrespective of whether they are working for themselves or are employed. I am delighted to support this scheme to that extent. 
I will talk about other issues like education. One of the things that really made me proud of being a part of this Government a couple of years ago was the introduction of no-interest student loans. Again this is an ongoing issue for us. 
Dianne Yates 
: How many kids have you got at university? 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY 
: Exactly; that is the question I would ask. We on this side of the House value education. I value education for my children and for everyone in this country because without education we are nothing. Clearly the no-interest student loan scheme that we started has made sure that every child and every student has an opportunity— 
Darren Hughes 
: Opposed by National. 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY 
: Opposed by National regrettably. Now National members realise that they cannot do without it. They will do that with some of the other things we are doing now. I am sure they will come round to supporting KiwiSaver. They will realise by next year what will happen to their polling and they will support KiwiSaver. 
But I will talk about education. We are putting a huge amount of money towards education. That is fantastic because every child must have access to good education particularly at the tertiary level. We have to add value by having higher education—whether at polytechnics or at universities. People must have the opportunity to study because without it we cannot really understand where we are going as a country. We need to realise the contribution education can make to this country. Madam Chair— 
Dr Richard Worth 
: Speaker. 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY 
: Sorry Madam Assistant Speaker. With Labour in Government universal superannuation will never be questioned again. 
Darren Hughes 
: Cut under National. 
Dr ASHRAF CHOUDHARY 
: It would be cut under National. But under Labour this KiwiSaver scheme will never be questioned. We believe that every New Zealander has a right to a decent publicly provided pension when he or she hits 65—not 68 not 70. Previous experience tells us that the party opposite will again think about raising the age. That is simply not acceptable to New Zealanders. KiwiSaver is designed as a top-up to national superannuation. The current superannuation will not be replaced by this system—no way. At the same time as we are investing in KiwiSaver we are investing heavily in raising the rate of superannuation and in raising the New Zealand Superannuation Fund to make sure that superannuation can be paid in the future. 
That is something National fiercely opposes. New Zealanders should be worried. National members are dropping hints already about dropping universal superannuation. The only way to guarantee that we keep our superannuation scheme is to make sure that Labour is in Government. That is the message I would send out to my ethnic communities in this country. The only way that they will keep superannuation going keep KiwiSaver going and keep education going is to make sure they support Labour. The last time that Bill English was in Government the previous National Government cut the superannuation rates. Do people remember that? 
It is true that for people on very low incomes saving is a challenge and it is true that KiwiSaver will not be the answer for everyone. Certainly it will not be the answer for everyone but it will be fantastic for all of us because KiwiSaver makes it easier for even more New Zealanders to start saving for their future. It is certainly making it easier for people to do that. I am delighted that I am part of this Government which has brought in a Budget like this one which is fantastic for our future.