Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Budget Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Laban Luamanuvao Winnie: Budget Debate 
[Sitting date: 16 June 2004. Volume:618;Page:13702. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
LUAMANUVAO WINNIE LABAN (Labour—Mana) 
: 
 Kia ora talofa and warm Pacific greetings to everyone. Budget 2004 is founded on a set of economic policies that are distinctly Labour and is based on three core social democratic values: Labour believes in the innate quality of people; Labour believes that people are social beings who prefer living in families and communities rather than as isolated individuals; and Labour believes that people work best when they work together. As a consequence Labour’s economic and social policies respect individuality and diversity and they promote equality of opportunity and the right to participate fully in all activities. 
Labour’s policies are aimed at ensuring that all people should be able to enjoy a fair share of the nation’s wealth. The top priority of our economic policies is a growing job-rich economy. In the last two Budget debates I spoke at length about the many smart and successful businesses in Porirua City and up the Kapiti coast that were experiencing a period of economic growth and had benefited from this Government’s sound economic management. This Budget continues that steady economic growth in Mana and throughout New Zealand—growth that is broad-based and sustainable; growth that is the product of this Government’s fiscal management. 
But economic growth is only part of the equation for Labour. Social policy is on the other side of the ledger. Income and social support should in Labour’s view expand only when there is the capacity to sustain them. Dr Michael Cullen’s careful fiscal management has allowed Labour to deliver a Budget that allows this Government to move more New Zealand families to share the benefits of economic growth. Budget 2004 is about preparing for the future. Budget 2004 makes significant investments in future generations. 
Today I want to speak about the many families with working parents that are the big winners from Budget 2004. Budget 2004 has delivered and will continue to deliver for those who are in most need. More than 60 percent of working families will have gained considerable increases in income by the time the package is fully implemented in 2007. Working for Families when fully in place will benefit more than 300000 families delivering an average increase of around $100 a week in direct income assistance to families in the $25000 to $45000 bracket and substantially reducing child poverty. 
 Over the days since the Budget was tabled I have talked with many families in Porirua and throughout my Mana electorate and they are all very happy with the Budget. Many people have rung the 0800 number to find out their entitlements. Hundreds of families in Mana who bore the brunt of the harsh Budget cuts of 1991 and thousands of families throughout New Zealand who suffered from a neglect of family income health education jobs and housing are now better off with Labour. Let us look at some examples of how families are better off. 
Childcare assistance is being improved to support working families. Around 28000 families and 33000 children will benefit from increases to childcare assistance with average gains of $23 a week per child from next year. Around 95000 households will receive increases averaging $19 a week in their accommodation supplement in 2005-06. From October this year pre-school and after-school childcare subsidy increases are also extended to families on higher incomes. Beneficiaries will no longer have their accommodation supplement reduced if they earn additional income and working families can earn much more before their accommodation supplement is reduced. 
A number of other initiatives will assist parents to balance work and family responsibilities. From December this year most of those on the invalids benefit will be able to trial working more than 15 hours per week without losing their benefit eligibility to see if they can sustain employment. Overall these increases represent the biggest push to eliminate child poverty that we have seen from any Government in 30 years. 
The Budget announcements on education are part of the Government’s commitment to lift education standards and achievement ensuring that every New Zealander can reach his or her full potential through a top-quality education system. The Budget also contains a landmark package to provide free early childhood education. We are investing new funding of more than $300 million in educating our little ones. This means that from mid-2007 3 and 4-year-olds can have 20 hours a week at any community-based early childhood education centre for free. Up until now this was available only at kindergartens. This Budget provides a great boost to early childhood education. 
It also has plenty for the tertiary sector. This Budget recognises the pressures on tertiary students with a $110 million package. Lower and upper parental income thresholds are significantly increased meaning that more than 40000 students can now receive full allowances or qualify for partial or higher allowances. 
The Budget increase in school operational funding means that schools in the Wellington region are around 10 percent better off in real terms than they were in 1999. In 2005 schools in Mana Ohariu-Belmont Wellington Rongotai Levin and Kapiti electorates are expected to receive $1.31 million more than last year and $8 million more than in 1999. That is about $80 more in real terms for each pupil in Wellington. Projected 2005 operational funding for schools in all those areas is about $51.7 million on top of other funding. Nationwide the compulsory education sector will receive an extra $203 million over 4 years including $92 million extra for schools’ operational funding. 
Other educational initiatives in the Budget include ensuring quality learning environments in school and early childhood education property with funding of now $347 million; lifting school achievements through the national qualifications framework and the National Certificate of Educational Achievement which get an extra $17.8 million over 4 years; and training and helping our school boards with new money of $1.3 million. 
I also welcome Budget boosts to health funding including the extra money for hip and knee operations in Wellington. I also am particularly pleased to see that the Government will invest $212 million of new funding in research science and technology over the next 4 years to contribute to the continued economic growth of our region. 
 In summary this Budget will take New Zealand ahead. It is good for families and good for the economy. It keeps the balance between economic and social investment and it keeps the strong fiscal position. It is a Budget for growth and opportunity. It is a Budget for getting New Zealanders into work and making work pay. In conclusion Budget 2004 is true to the core values of Labour. It is consistent with social democratic economic policy. Budget 2004 reflects the Government’s strong commitment to fairness. Budget 2004 will dramatically improve the lives and opportunities of thousands of people and our children in Mana and across New Zealand.