Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeParker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 26 June 2014. Volume:699;Page:18944. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]3.Hon DAVID PARKER (Deputy Leader—Labour)to the Associate Minister of Finance: Does he still believe that a 33 cent top marginal income tax rate is the reason for fewer departures to Australia in 2014?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Associate Minister of Finance)on behalf of theAssociate Minister of Finance: Yes it is one of the factors. As I said the combination of lower taxes a stronger economy and more job opportunities have stemmed the flow of people to Australia. People are going to make their decision to stay in New Zealand or move offshore based on the opportunities they have to earn a good income in either country. We have supported higher take-home pay in New Zealand through lower income tax rates. In addition 84000 jobs were added to the economy in the last year. Weekly wages were up 3.2 percent compared with inflation of 1.5 percent in that period and 172000 jobs are expected to be added to the economy over the next 4 years. Wages are expected to rise by around $7000 in that time. These are all important reasons why more New Zealanders are choosing to stay in New Zealand and bring up their families in this country.Hon David Parker: If he sticks to his answer on Radio New Zealand National this morning how does he explain that migration to Australia peaked at an all-time high of 54000 in the year to September 2012 4 years after he came to office when the top marginal tax rate was 33c as it is now?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well what I think that means is that you have got to look at the whole picture. We have had a concerted programme across the economy. I know that Labour members were hoping to take photos of football stadiums full of crowds and say that that was the net migration figure but in actual fact they will now need a phone box if they going to try to push that during the campaign.Jami-Lee Ross: What recent trends has he seen on permanent migration to Australia and what are some of the main reasons for these changes?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: I am pleased to report that there has been quite a turn-round in migration to Australia and that is good news for New Zealand. For example in the year to November 2008 a net figure of 35300 permanently departed New Zealand to live in Australia. That is an average of nearly 3000 every month. At that time we were deep in recession even before the global financial crisis inflation was more than 5 percent floating mortgage rates were nearly 11 percent and house prices had doubled in 9 years under the Government of the time. By comparison to those outflows in 2008 in the months of April and May this year the net migration loss across the Tasman was around 200 each month—the lowest-equal monthly figure since this data series began in 1996. So New Zealanders are clearly voting with their feet recognising the—Grant Robertson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: The Minister will resume his seat. There is a point of order from Grant Robertson.Grant Robertson: I am sure you know what it is.Mr SPEAKER: I could anticipate. The answers are excessively long. If the Minister gets further supplementary questions I would like him to address that.Hon David Parker: If he sticks with his answer on Radio New Zealand National this morning how does he explain that migration to Australia hit an all-time low in January 1984 under his spiritual forebear National’s Robert Muldoon when the top marginal tax rate was an eye-watering 66c in the dollar?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: The problem for Labour is it is never happy—either too many people are staying or too many are going. But I guess the answer back in 1984 was that people just could not afford to leave.Hon David Parker: Is it correct that the Minister received his advice linking marginal tax rates to migration flows from Colin Craig the man to whom National is throwing the East Coast Bays electorate and the man who believes in chemtrails and thinks the moon landings may have been faked?Mr SPEAKER: Where there may be some ministerial responsibility the Minister can answer.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: What I can tell New Zealanders is that if that crowd ever gets into Government they will be receiving advice from a German resident in Coatesville. Labour is the tail on a big Green German Alsatian and it better not forget it.