Shanks Katrina: Budget Debate 
Shanks Katrina: Budget Debate 
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KATRINA SHANKS (National) 
: 
 It is my pleasure to take a call tonight. It is interesting to listen to what Opposition members have to say about early childhood education and taxes. According to them—in their world—National is all bad. We are making all these opportunities yet National is all bad! I tell members opposite that over 1 million people voted for a National Government because they believed that National would make a difference. Over 1 million people decided that they wanted a change in Government because they were sick of what was happening in education. They were sick of working hard and not getting rewarded for it. They were sick to death of the nanny State and the direction in which the previous Labour Government was taking this country. 
What is this Government doing? First of all we have addressed taxes. National has said that it wants people who are earning money to get some of their own money back because the Government believes that people should have their own money back and that when they work hard they should get ahead. In this country we reward people who work hard. We are making the tax system more transparent and more workable. Opposition members have said they have been around and talked to constituents who have come through their doors. I have talked to many people and I can tell those members that people are pretty happy to think they will work hard and get rewarded for it. People are pretty happy that we are listening to what they want. Instead of getting them trapped in a welfare system and handing out more and more money we are giving them back their money. That is what will get growth in New Zealand. 
What else did we do? We did things in education that the Opposition obviously does not like. We talk about early childhood education and not having 100 percent trained teachers in preschools. I remember when Labour was in Government and it tried to force through legislation requiring 100 percent fully trained teachers. There was an outcry in the sector because many many people teaching in that sector were not qualified. My children went to preschool and some of their teachers were not fully qualified but they were some of the best teachers my children ever had. They had a love for children and they had the time and patience. The kids absolutely loved them. The previous Government tried to stop those teachers from teaching even though they were still good teachers. They left the sector in droves. They should never have been driven out. Labour thought it knew best but it did not. This Government listens to what parents want. We listen to what the people of New Zealand want and then we put things in place. 
I will talk about the top tax rate and quickly pick off that little bit because tax is my area as I come from a chartered accountant— 
Sue Moroney 
: Talk about GST. 
KATRINA SHANKS 
: Certainly I will talk about GST. When we said we would put GST up we made adjustments absolutely everywhere else to counter that increase. We have cut tax for people who work we have increased superannuation and we have increased Working for Families. People might listen to the spin of the Opposition but this Government is doing a good job. We listen to the people of New Zealand. Was there a huge outcry after the Budget? No there was not. Did Phil Goff’s ratings go up after the Budget? No they did not. He is sitting on a nice flat—what is it—6 percent preferred Prime Minister rating. 
I do not think this Labour Opposition has any fresh ideas to offer this country. The Opposition is lost. It is like a boat without a rudder. It is just floating along depending on where the tide will take it. Those members have no good arguments against this Budget. They have no fresh ideas because they are tired. We may see this Labour Opposition slowly slowly get a new idea but now it has none at all. It needs some fresh blood as it is extremely tired. 
It was my pleasure to take a call in this debate this afternoon.