Martin Tracey: Budget Measures (Financial Support for Newborn Children) Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMartin Tracey: Budget Measures (Financial Support for Newborn Children) Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 15 May 2014. Volume:698;Page:17989. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TRACEY MARTIN (NZ First): I will take just a short call on Part 2 of the Budget Measures (Financial Support for Newborn Children) Bill. I actually just need to ask the Minister of Labour directly whether he could explain part of the regulatory impact statement. If we were not under urgency for this bill—and I am not quite sure why we are under urgency for the bill because nothing happens from tomorrow when we pass it for quite some time—it would go to a select committee and I would be able to ask the officials for clarification. I am absolutely happy for any member of National to jump up and explain this if they can please. I am absolutely happy for anybody over there on that side to explain this for myself and therefore for the parents who are receiving Working for Families. I would be grateful.Point 5 of the regulatory impact statement says that to receive the Working for Families payments “a person must be at least 16 years of age and also meet residency requirements. The amount of payments depends on the number of dependent children aged 18 or younger that are being cared for; the age of the child being cared for; the total family income; where the family income comes from; and any shared care arrangements.” I would pick up the note that this is a parental tax credit. If it is a parental tax credit it does seem strange as to why the circumstances of the parent matter. If there is a philosophical statement there that we support parents through a parental tax credit why does it matter what the financial circumstances of that parent are? So it would be great if you could just explain that first part.Point 7 however says—and I read it last night and I really would like somebody from National to explain it—“The FTC and IWTC are currently abated at 21.25 cents in the dollar when annual family income exceeds $36350. The PTC is also abated at 21.25 cents in the dollar; however the amount of the abatement is calculated against 56 days of annualised income rather than a full year’s worth of incomes; this creates an effective PTC abatement rate of 3.26 cents. The MFTC is abated dollar for dollar until a family’s income reaches $21216 after tax.” If the Minister would like to jump up and just clarify that paragraph that would be great. Mike Sabin have a go at it—no problem. But then we shift to the departmental disclosure statement and this part on page 3 under the statement “Parental Tax Credit” which reads—David Bennett: Tell us about your man Denny.TRACEY MARTIN: You will not be able to answer it if you do not listen Mr Bennett. The statement reads: “The Bill increases the maximum amount of Parental Tax Credit (PTC) payable”—[Interruption] Can you hear me Minister? I am sure it is a little bit loud. You might not be able to hear the question.Sue Moroney: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I am not that far from the speaker. I am really struggling to hear her over the rabble of the National Party benches and I would like you to call them to order. They have been doing this throughout this whole debate and I think it is time that they actually let the speakers be heard.The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy): Yes well having been present for a few debates across this urgency I would have to say that it has been a fairly energetic debate from both sides and I am not sure it is any more appropriate now than it has been at any stage. If you want the Chair to intervene every time on either side well we are happy to do that—Hon Trevor Mallard: No.The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy): Order! I am on my feet. Look this is the highest court in the land. There is a standard of decorum that I would like to see us embrace and members just ought to be conscious of that.TRACEY MARTIN: Thank you Mr Chair. So just for the Minister I will start that paragraph again. It is on page 3. The Minister has officials behind him who might be able to provide him with an answer. It is in the departmental disclosure statement on page 3 under “Parental Tax Credit”: “The Bill increases the maximum amount of Parental Tax Credit (PTC) payable on the birth of a newborn to $220 per week”—so it is for newborn children—“for the first 10 weeks following birth. This takes the total maximum payment to $2200 per newborn. The higher payments apply to babies born on or after 1 April 2015.” Let us be clear: it is 2015. But it is the following paragraph that I have concerns about. It is this paragraph that I know I would like clarification on: “The Bill also changes the abatement formula for the PTC so that is”—the English is a little bit off—“abated against each dollar of family income over the abatement threshold earned over the year rather than over the parental entitlement period.”