Bridges Simon: General Debate 
Bridges Simon: General Debate 
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SIMON BRIDGES (National—Tauranga) 
: 
 What a privilege it is to be a small part in the John Key - led National Government. To some extent I go along with some of the things that the previous speaker Sir Roger Douglas has said because he is right. Actually the National Government does have a $13 billion deficit this year. 
We are borrowing $256 million a week I think to keep things going and to ensure entitlements and does it not just show the lie in Labour politics when those members come into this House and talk about all the cuts and the cutbacks? We are keeping things going. We are a centrist Government which is doing the right things at the right moments in this country’s economy. [ 
Interruption 
] Many people say such very rude things about Trevor Mallard but I do not mind him. I saw an uncommon act of humanity when Sir Roger Douglas tipped over his glass of water—Trevor Mallard went over and did something about it. I like that; that is the sort of thing I expect a National MP to do but it was very good of him to do that. 
I will talk about the tax cuts because I have not had the chance in this House since 1 October to talk about them and now we know that they are bedded in. The remarkable thing—again something that shows the lie in Labour politics—is how well the tax cuts have worked. Despite all the scaremongering by Labour I am not getting emails any more from people complaining about GST because they are seeing the very real impact the tax cuts are having across the board for them. People are seeing the money in their pockets. They are feeling it. They are very very happy about the tax cuts. 
I am not an economist; I am the first to admit that. But I know that when we have $2 billion in GST rises and we have $4 billion going out in tax cuts across the board that means that 73 percent of Kiwis have a top marginal tax rate of 17.5 percent. That has to be good not just for fat cats but for all Kiwis on all incomes. We have done a very good thing there. 
In electorates like Tauranga Otaki and Hutt South which Trevor Mallard represents where there are significant populations of elderly people the news is best for them. Over the last couple of years an average married couple on superannuation with a home has had $100 extra. They have had an additional $40 in compensation with the tax cuts so they are substantially better off. 
One does not need to be an economist to know that there is more cash in people’s pockets as a result of what National has done. One does not need to be an economist to know that with inflation at 1.5 percent things are going pretty well in terms of prices staying where they are. After-tax wages are much higher than they have been in the last 5 or 6 years I think under Labour and Labour members do not like it. There has been real after-tax wage growth. It is not miracle stuff. 
Slowly but surely we are putting things in place. We are putting the incentives in place. We have lowered taxes. We are increasing the infrastructure spend with all the efficiency that that brings. We are bringing better smarter public services moving things to the front line. We are reforming the regulations. We are bringing in education and skills in a way that Trevor Mallard frankly—I know he tried his best—could not do. We are encouraging business innovation and trade in this country. I repeat what I said when I started: it really is a privilege to be part of this National-led Government— 
Stuart Nash 
: You said “a small part”. 
SIMON BRIDGES 
: Yes a small part—small in stature—but nevertheless I am privileged to have a part in this Government led by John Key as we do a lot of good in this country. 
The debate having concluded the motion lapsed.