4. Question No. 4—Prime MinisterCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 4—Prime Minister4. CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and actions?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Prime Minister): Yes I do particularly the Government's response to the Commerce Commission's market study into New Zealand's supermarkets. The Government will implement a mandatory grocery code of conduct for major grocery retailers and their suppliers amend the unfair contract terms regime for grocery supply contracts develop an additional mandatory wholesale grocery access regime to provide a backstop for the voluntary regime proposed by the commission and allow grocery suppliers to collectively bargain. Along with the legislation introduced on Budget night to break up land banking this represents a significant step forward in making sure that New Zealanders pay fairer prices for their groceries.Christopher Luxon: Why did the Government announce a record $38 billion in new spending at the Budget when inflation is already at a 30-year high; and does she accept that record Government spending is putting upward pressure on inflation?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The reason why the Government announced the spending that we did in the Budget is because there are important things that New Zealanders rely on like a properly funded health system like a properly funded education system and good schools for their children like a housing system that makes sure that we deliver to New Zealanders. I do note with respect to the second part of the member's question that the National Party proposed to spend exactly the same amount of money as we did.Christopher Luxon: Does she accept that record levels of Government spending when inflation is already at a 30-year high means higher interest rates and higher mortgage costs for tens of thousands of Kiwi families; if not why not?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No I don't accept that. Demand is increasing in the global economy that is absolutely true but equally we have a number of commentators who have indicated that the Government spending makes up a very small part of that. And I reiterate once again that the National Party said they were going to spend the same amount of money. If Mr Luxon's now changing his position then he has to answer the question What is he going to cut?" because it doesn't add up otherwise. Christopher Luxon: What does she believe is the relationship between very high levels of Government spending and record increases in interest rates?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I believe is that the Government spending in the year to June 2022 which is what the Reserve Bank was referring to includes spending such as the wage subsidy scheme and the resurgence support payment. The National Party asked us not only to do that but to spend more and now they want to come back and rewrite history. They do not get to do that.Christopher Luxon: Is she concerned that the interest costs for a typical mortgage on the median house in New Zealand is now well over $700 a week an increase of more than $300 since 2017?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I have said often in this House that we are concerned about the pressures that households are feeling as a result of the global inflation spike and as a result now of the fact that yes for some of them their mortgage interest rates will be increasing. Those are set independently by the Reserve Bank. On this side of the House we're focused on what we can do to make sure that we support New Zealanders. All of the things that we have to done to make sure that we support New Zealanders through this have been opposed by the National Party. Hon Michael Wood: Does the Prime Minister stand behind the release of the emissions reduction plan and the policies within it to tackle climate change?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Absolutely I do. If we're going to provide New Zealanders economic security now and into the future we need to invest in making sure that that future is a low-carbon low-emission one. Once again the Opposition have chosen the path of saying they want to do something but they don't want to take any action to actually do it. Christopher Luxon: Does she think Kiwi families struggling with the cost of living crisis can afford to pay an extra $300 a week for their mortgage and does she accept any responsibility for making the cost of living crisis worse for Kiwi homeowners?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I accept responsibility for is being the Government that has consistently looked after New Zealanders through the COVID-19 period and now through the 1 April package where we significantly lifted the incomes of those on the lowest incomes and now with the cost of living payment. We've also extended the fuel excise duty cut and the half-price public transport. These are all things the Government takes responsibility for in supporting New Zealanders through this and they're all things the National Party have opposed.Christopher Luxon: What does she say to the thousands of first-home buyers who have had to take out huge mortgages over the last few years due to soaring house prices who the Reserve Bank says will now find it difficult to pay their mortgages if interest rates continue to rise?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: What I say to those people is that the National party's policy is to put a billion dollars back in the pockets of speculators by removing the interest deductibility policy which meant that more New Zealanders have been able to get into their first homes. Christopher Luxon: Isn't it the case that her Government's failure on housing and failure to rein in spending means the cost of living crisis is set to get worse for tens of thousands of Kiwi families facing soaring mortgage costs on top of everything else they have to deal with right now? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No. What is the case is that many New Zealand households and businesses are doing it tough in the face of—off the back of COVID—cost of living increases and pressures that they're seeing. What they also know is that they've got a Government that's backed them by cutting those costs of living by making sure we're actually doing something about reining in our supermarkets and by making sure we fund public services properly. All of those things are things the National Party won't fund won't support and they will not be supporting New Zealanders through a cost of living crisis."