Joyce StevenSUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATESIMPREST SUPPLY DEBATEHon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Finance): I move That the Appropriation (2016/17 Supplementary Estimates) Bill and the Imprest Supply (First for 2017/18) Bill be now read a second time. The Appropriation (2016/17 Supplementary Estimates) Bill seeks the House's agreement to changes to existing appropriations and to new appropriations proposed since the Estimates of 2016-17 were finalised. The supplementary estimates also show proposed changes to capital injections to departments and offices of Parliament.The Imprest Supply (First for 2017/18) Bill provides authority for Government expenditure from 1 July 2017 until the Appropriation (2017/18 Estimates) Bill is passed. Under the Standing Orders a 3-month period is allowed between the introduction and passing of the Appropriation (2017/18 Estimates) Bill. Imprest supply is therefore likely to be required for up to 2 months after the start of this 2017-18 financial year.Imprest supply provides for the start of the Government's Budget 2017—the beginnings of the first year the 2017-18 financial year. That Budget is all about delivering for New Zealanders. This Government has gone forward. It has used the opportunity of a strong economy that is delivering rising surpluses for New Zealand to make some significant investments in the New Zealand economy and in public services. In fact the Government is increasing its investment in public services it is increasing its investment in public infrastructure and it is increasing its investment in families through the Family Incomes Package.The public services investment is very very significant indeed—$7 billion over 4 years with a real focus on meeting the demands of a growing country. For example in education there is $1.1 billion over 4 years to increase operational grants funding to provide for roll growth in schools and roll growth in our early childhood centres. The Budget also includes the justice sector—$1.2 billion for 10 percent more police staff of course for burglary prevention reducing youth offending and supporting at-risk prisoners plus the flow-on effects to the justice sector the courts and rehabilitation.An important part of the appropriations is the Ministry for Vulnerable Children. It is a very significant investment to improve the lives of our most vulnerable young children. There is the social housing investment which has been discussed earlier in the House today with the Government making a big investment in the emergency housing sector in particular but also in social housing more generally. And of course the big one in terms of public services is the very large investment in the health sector—in fact $3.9 billion over the next 4 years. It includes big investments in the district health boards for their services; in Disability Support Services; in new pharmaceuticals with Pharmac; the ambulance services—the double-crewing is a very good and positive initiative; and of course the bowel-screening programme roll-out as well which is a strong initiative of this Government for the prevention of bowel cancer. The amount of $3.9 billion over 4 years is the biggest health investment in around 11 years and takes the total investment in health from when we first arrived in office at something around $11 billion to nearly $16.8 billion now. There are some in this House who characterise that as being somehow a reduction. I think that is quite a stretch. It is definitely an increase no matter which way you cut it.The other part of the public services investment is our social investment work. That is a significant sum of money to improve the lives of New Zealand's most vulnerable citizens. There is $321 million in new initiatives over the next 4 years in the social investment space including initiatives to help our young kids have a better start in life to reduce reoffending of criminals to reduce barriers to employment and independence and most importantly a very significant investment in mental health services. There is $116 million in new social investment initiatives for new approaches to the challenges of mental health needs. Actually across the Government we are investing $224 million in new spend on mental health services which is a significant additional investment. So no matter which way you talk about it this Government's investment is very significant.Grant Robertson: He's reading out the PowerPoint. Why don't you just table the PowerPoint?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: Well the member is raising why I do not just table the speech and the reason for that is that he has not listened to the Budget yet. He has not read the Budget. [Interruption] Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order!Hon STEVEN JOYCE: He has not actually looked at the Budget and that is why his talking points are so removed from reality.The Government's infrastructure investment is also very significant. There is $4 billion in additional new spending in this Budget but the total capital investment in this Budget is $32.5 billion over the next 4 years in capital expenditure—$32.5 billion which is 40 percent more than the last 4 years—Jami-Lee Ross: How much?Hon STEVEN JOYCE: It is 40 percent more than the last 4 years—40 percent more—and double what it was a decade ago. That is why this Government is called New Zealand's infrastructure Government because of the massive investment we are making in New Zealand's infrastructure.Then there is the Family Incomes Package. This is probably really important for the Labour Party members to listen to because they have not heard the public on this one yet and there is still time to change their minds. This is the $2 billion a year Family Incomes Package which is delivering for low and middle income families very big increases in their incomes. Firstly we have the tax threshold adjustments which will apply from 1 April next year then we have the Working for Families adjustments which will see parents with young children get between $9 a week for the first child and $18 to $27 a week for subsequent children. Then there are the big increases to the accommodation supplement including not just increasing the maximum payable within areas but seeing significant areas of the country moving up the geographical area ratings so they get even more again. This package is very significant. It delivers 1.34 million New Zealand families an average of $26 a week. Most of the House has voted in favour of it but actually there were still the Labour Party members who somehow managed to find a way in their tortured logic to vote against the Family Incomes Package.Of course the Family Incomes Package also flows on to superannuitants. Superannuitants next year on 1 April will get an additional $13 a week per couple above and beyond what they would have got anyway as a result of the linkage between after-tax wages and superannuitant incomes. That is due to happen on 1 April next year. We have the public services investment we have the infrastructure investment and we have the Family Incomes Package which are all enabled by this Budget and by this first imprest supply bill. But of course none of it would be possible without a strong economic plan that is delivering strong growth in the New Zealand economy. I have spoken around the country over the last 4 weeks spoken to something like 32 33 different groups including business groups as far afield as in the Bay of Islands as in parts of the Wairarapa as in down south as well and all of those groups are saying the New Zealand economy is doing well and they want to see it continue to do well. They all say to me the most important thing is for this Government to continue past 23 September so we can deliver more growth more jobs and also more income so that the Government can actually deliver more public services more infrastructure and more for family incomes.So I invite the Opposition members to once again stand up and oppose this Budget today and I hope they keep opposing it. I hope they keep opposing the Family Incomes Package all the way to 23 September. That would be the best thing that could happen for this Government and the best thing that could happen for this country because this Government would then be re-elected to be able to keep growing the economy and keep providing for the public of New Zealand. Thank you.