1. Question No. 1—FinanceNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of FinanceORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Finance1. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by his statement that I acknowledge that a number of New Zealanders are facing a cost of living crisis"; if so will his Budget include income tax reduction for New Zealanders who do not qualify for any Government benefit or Working for Families payments?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I do stand by that statement which is why the Government moved quickly to reduce fuel excise this month—to help Kiwis experiencing pain at the pump due in particular to the price increases triggered by the war in Ukraine. It's also why the Government at the end of last year put in place measures to increase support for the family tax credit and also the 1 April changes that are coming forward. In response to the second part of the member's question she well knows that the Budget decisions are not announced at this point in the process but what I can say is that there is no place for the kind of tax package that she and Christopher Luxon are proposing where they'd get a multithousand-dollar tax cut while those on middle incomes get two bucks a week.Nicola Willis: Why does he think middle-income earners should not receive tax relief when according to ANZ "CPI inflation is moon-bound" and—SPEAKER: Order! I'm just going to ask the member to start the question again in a question form without an assertion at the beginning.Nicola Willis: Does he think middle-income earners should receive tax relief when according to ANZ "CPI inflation is moon-bound" and "Inflation pressures are extremely broad-based and still intensifying"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What most economic commentators are acknowledging is that those inflation pressures are indeed continuing. They are driven by supply chain issues by the rise in the oil price that comes out of Ukraine and by—Nicola Willis: What are you going to do about it?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: —a whole lot of matters that are beyond the control of New Zealand. On this—SPEAKER: Order! Let's get it right right from the beginning. The member knows she must not interject in that way doesn't she? Right. No more. Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On this side of the House we have determined that the best response for us at the moment is the fuel excise duty cut that we've made; to make public transport half price; to continue to invest in strong public services like health education and housing while supporting those on low and middle incomes including through the family tax credit changes.Nicola Willis: Does he agree with ANZ that "Households are facing increasing headwinds and budgetary pressures" and if so will he offer tax relief to households who are ineligible for Working for Families support?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In answer to the first part of the question yes and that is precisely why the Government has acted the way that we have. If the member wants to talk about meaningful tax relief I invite her to go out and talk to people who are earning around $48000 a year and explain to them why $2 a week is meaningful for them where thousands of dollars a year is suddenly meaningful for her and her colleagues.David Seymour: Does the Minister accept that core Crown tax revenue taken from New Zealanders has increased by $17 billion a year since 2020 and if so how is that not the time to cut taxes and let people keep some more of their own money?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I do accept is that yes the Crown's tax take has increased. That is partly as a result of the fact that companies are making greater profits partly as a result of the fact that more people are being employed and earning higher wages and partly as a result of the fact that we've had confidence in the economy that means people have been going out and spending.David Seymour: If things are so good then why can't the Government afford for people to keep some more of their own money when they're facing record high prices and being squeezed at the petrol pump and the checkout?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On the last point around the fuel that's precisely why the Government did do what we've done in terms of moving swiftly to make sure that we relieve that pain at the pump. Overall the Government's tried to get the balance right here. That's making sure that we do support those on low and middle incomes who are the most affected by rising prices while at the same time making sure that we do actually invest in health education housing and the public services that New Zealanders want and deserve.Nicola Willis: Is it the Minister's position that New Zealanders who don't qualify for a Government benefit or Working for Families are too rich to need tax reduction and if so how does he explain that to a New Zealander earning an average wage of $72000 a year confronting a cost of living crisis with no income relief in sight?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No I don't accept the first part of the member's question. In answer to the second part of the member's question on this side of the House we understand that all New Zealanders benefit from a properly funded health system. That isn't something that the National Government delivered back to New Zealand when we took office. We have consistently continued to increase that investment but much much more needs to be done. The member might want to reflect on those who sit around her who want a great deal more money spent in our health system but that won't be able to happen with the tax cut package she's proposing.Nicola Willis: Why would he deny $1600 in tax relief for a two-income family each earning $60000 a year who are faced with a cost of living crisis—SPEAKER: Order! The question—just get to the question.Nicola Willis: Why would he deny the tax relief to that family facing the cost of living crisis rising mortgage payments and predictions of worse to come?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On this side of the House what we are ensuring is that those who are the most affected by the increase in the cost of living do get support. At the same time we have reduced fuel excise duty which means that every single household in the country that relies on going to the petrol station is better off.Nicola Willis: Why should a worker whose wage has only just kept up with inflation pay more tax today than they did four years ago and why won't that Minister provide $800 in annual tax relief to someone earning $60000 a year?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On this side of the House we're extremely proud of the fact that wages have actually gone ahead of inflation for the period of time that we have been in Government up until the point that we have a global supply chain crisis and we have a war in Ukraine. On this side of the House we want to make sure that we support low and middle income people through this and all New Zealanders through initiatives such as the fuel excise duty cut. Nicola Willis: Is he concerned about New Zealanders like Sarah who writes "My family have left New Zealand as we cannot afford to live there anymore. We are now in Brisbane. Our rent has halved our cost of living has halved and there are plenty more opportunities for us all." and will his Budget contain measures to ensure tax-paying middle-income Kiwis can see better prospects in New Zealand than over the Ditch?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What the Budget will contain is a continuation of this Government's balanced approach that makes sure that we invest in health that we invest in education that we invest in housing and that we do support New Zealanders to make sure that they've got economic security through good times and bad. What the member's party is proposing is once again the National Party tilting the playing field to those who have the most away from those who have the least."