Lee Melissa: Debate on Budget Policy StatementText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLee Melissa: Debate on Budget Policy Statement[Sitting date: 09 March 2016. Volume:711;Page:9540. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]MELISSA LEE (National): It is a pleasure to rise to speak in the Budget Policy Statement debate and I think it is important for this House to note what an amazing level of dedication and service our Minister of Finance Bill English has given to this country and our Government. New Zealand’s books are back in the black for the first time since the global financial crisis. As of last week the Government is running a $934 million operating balance before gains and losses and that is an increase of $724 million—higher than noted in the 2015 half-year update.This is an excellent achievement by our Government—a Government that is working hard to support our economy and promote better businesses and deliver key outcomes for all New Zealand. Unemployment is now sitting at 5.3 percent and wages are up by 3.1 percent in the past year. We on this side of the House are supporting the needs and aspirations of our country and we will do our very best to continue this fine work through 2016.Regional growth which our earlier speakers have talked about as well is up as well. Our Government has been developing the economy all over New Zealand. Although I am based in Auckland it is clear that the entire country is actually benefiting from well-balanced management by this Government.Earlier another member was talking about the tourism sector—I think it was the my learned colleague from Waitaki actually who talked about the tourism sector—and I have to say that tourism is booming. This Government in the last 7 years has spent $700 million promoting New Zealand tourism overseas and in the last year alone in 2015 we had international visitors spending $9.7 billion. So that $9.7 billion spent in New Zealand is a humungous benefit I would have thought when you are spending $700 million over 7 years and gaining $9.7 billion.While members were speaking I had an opportunity to actually check Facebook—often members do—and I was checking the Facebook of the New Zealand Embassy based in Seoul Korea. The embassy was actually celebrating tourism—New Zealand tour operators are visiting Korea to promote more tourism from Korea. Tourism from Korea last year in 2015 was up 21 percent year on year. With the free-trade agreement which was signed by this Government and came into effect in December 2015 lamb and beef duties have actually gone down and now apparently restaurants are selling lamb. They are putting lamb on their menu because the import duty to Korea has actually dropped from 22.5 percent to 18 percent. Restaurants are celebrating New Zealand lamb and beef and they are putting it on their menus. What a fantastic thing that is.Today a 9.6 percent increase in retail spending was noted for February compared with the same period last year as well as a 5.7 billion increase in the GDP for the Auckland region. This is coupled with a 3.7 percent increase nationwide which shows what a great state our commercial sector is in.Also since I was talking about the free-trade agreement I just want to commend the work of our former trade Minister and now ambassador Tim Groser. He should be fully commended by this House because he did a fantastic job for New Zealand not only for the Korea free-trade agreement but for the Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as the European Union trade negotiations which the new Minister Minister McClay is currently at the helm of. The agreements will grow our economy and put more money in the pockets of ordinary New Zealanders.I know that across the House there are some members who often talk about Auckland house prices and say that the reason why the situation happens is because of people with Chinese-sounding names—and mine happens to sound like one. So I think we need to recognise the role that migrant New Zealanders actually have in this country. How long are migrants going to be called migrants in this country? I have spent three-quarters of my life in New Zealand and I think I deserve to be called a New Zealander. Over 30000 Korean people have actually moved to this country and call this country home. [Interruption]The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Order! I want to hear what the member is saying and this barracking across benches is unacceptable.MELISSA LEE: As I was saying over 30000 former Korean residents—Korean-born people—are now calling New Zealand home and are very proud New Zealanders. As part of our diverse commercial and economic practice not just Korean people but 25 percent of all New Zealanders are born overseas—