5. Question No. 5—FinanceNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 5—Finance5. NICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National) to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all of his statements and actions related to Government tax and spending decisions?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Yes in the context in which they were made and undertaken acknowledging that that context can change as a result for example of the global and domestic economic backdrop including the emergence of a one-in-a-hundred-year economic shock linked to a global pandemic or the second-most expensive natural disaster to hit this country.Nicola Willis: Does he think the 80 percent increase in annual Government spending that has occurred on his watch has delivered an 80 percent improvement in public services and if so why don't New Zealanders agree with him?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: To reiterate the words of the Prime Minister earlier David Farrar is obviously charging a lot of money because he has to get many many mentions of his work in the House. I am proud of the fact that as this Government we supported New Zealanders through the COVID pandemic. The large chunk of the extra expenditure that the member is talking about was devoted to getting households businesses individuals and communities through the pandemic in a healthy way and with their businesses still operating and with people still in work.Nicola Willis: Can he confirm net Crown debt has risen from $5.4 billion in 2019 to $73.3 billion today and what does New Zealand have to show for it?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I can confirm yes indeed. To get through the pandemic we did indeed increase the borrowing that we did as a country. What New Zealanders have got to show for it is that tens of thousands of their family and friends are alive today because we adopted the approach we did. What we've got is 3.6 percent unemployment—one of the record-low levels of unemployment because we stepped in and we looked after people and we looked after businesses. The member might want to rewrite history and join Mr Seymour in the faculty of hindsight economics; on this side of the House we deal with what's in front of us.Nicola Willis: Were Treasury and IRD right when they said Fiscal drag has had the greatest impact on average full-time wage earners and why won't he adjust brackets and allow New Zealanders to keep more of what they earn when he seems to be able to find billions of dollars each time Chris Hipkins asks for quick cash but he won't find a cent for working New Zealanders?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: That is absolute nonsense. We have consistently over the last few years increased support for working New Zealanders be it through the family tax credit be it through childcare assistance be it through the lifting of the minimum wage. What I note is that our focus is on supporting New Zealanders to increase their incomes by their wages rising. The National Party seem to think that the only way you can increase someone's income is by cutting their taxes; that is a road to nowhere.Nicola Willis: How can he claim there is no wasteful spending that could better be used for tax reduction when the Ministry for Pacific Peoples can find $40000 for a leaving party and how much has he budgeted for his?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In answer to the first part of the question I invite the member to think about all of the Governments in all of the history of New Zealand and think about things like hair straighteners at Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment or an $11 million sheep farm in the middle of the Saudi desert. The Prime Minister has been clear that that expenditure was inappropriate. There is no budget there is no leaving party. However I am prepared to donate to the member's party when she becomes the leader and rolls Christopher Luxon.Nicola Willis: Now that he's had to walk back his views on depreciation deductions GST wealth tax and capital gains tax does he accept that his real legacy after six years in Government will be a highly indebted highly taxed economy in which public services have gone backwards?SPEAKER: That's probably the most assertions I've heard in a supplementary. The member can answer however he likes.Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In which case I will speak freely in response to that. The questions of legacy come when someone is at the end of their political career; I'm not. I'm here because I'm want to make sure that we lift more children out of poverty—the 77000 that we've lifted. I'm here to make sure that we add to the 60000 apprentices that we've trained in our time here. I'm here to make sure that unemployment stays low that wages keep rising and that we support and look after New Zealanders. The member betrays something though doesn't she? It's all about personal stuff legacies for that member. This Government is here for all New Zealanders; that member is here for herself."