Robertson Grant: KiwiSaver Budget Measures Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRobertson Grant: KiwiSaver Budget Measures Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee Third Reading[Sitting date: 21 May 2015. Volume:705;Page:3857. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central):What an interesting contribution from Nick Smith. It is timely that the Minister mentioned who on that side of the Chamber agrees with John Key. I wonder whether members on that side of the Chamber would agree with John Key when he said the following: “The second issue that I raise is that if Michael Cullen thinks that 25 percent of New Zealanders will have a serious KiwiSaver account in 5 years’ time he is deluded” That was in 2006—in 2006. So hands up how many members on the National side of the Chamber agree with John Key. Come on. There are no hands up. They do not agree with John Key one bit.I have got another option for them. I have got another option. Members on that side of the Chamber either think that Michael Cullen was deluded that there would be 25 percent in KiwiSaver or agree with John Key when he said that Michael Cullen was dreaming about 25 percent. They are the two options. No one is putting their hand up. On that side of the Chamber the guilt and the shame is that by the time the KiwiSaver Act passed in 2006 there was one party left in this House opposing KiwiSaver—one party. Can you guess which one it was? Do you think it was the ACT Party? Was it the ACT Party?Hon Members: No.GRANT ROBERTSON: No. Was it the Māori Party?Hon Members: No.GRANT ROBERTSON: Was it New Zealand First?Hon Members: No.GRANT ROBERTSON: Was it the Greens?Hon Members: No.GRANT ROBERTSON: It was National. The only party left that was opposing KiwiSaver in 2006 was the National Party.That is what this is all about—that is what this is all about. The National Party has never liked this scheme which allows ordinary hard-working New Zealanders to get some extra dignity in retirement. It wanted to keep that only for its mates who could already afford it not a scheme that actually gives all hard-working New Zealanders the chance for that little bit extra in retirement. National asks: why not take away the incentive? Why should we not take away the incentive? I say: because the very people for whom that will make the biggest difference are those low-income New Zealanders those young New Zealanders who find it hard to begin saving.We can come back to John Key because he had an awful lot to say about the KiwiSaver Act 2006. I will also ask Government members whether they agree with the following statement John Key made about Michael Cullen in 2006 and the KiwiSaver Act: “If the Minister of Finance had not been so lazy he could have gone and had a look at what President Bush did.” That is always a good idea is it not? Go and have a look at what President Bush did. That went well! There are no hands up on the National Party side of the House. They do not support John Key on that one either.Here is another one. Here is another from John Key. He said: “Michael Cullen knows full well that when there is mortgage diversion”—Hon Dr Nick Smith: What year?GRANT ROBERTSON: 2006. Keep up Dr Smith. 2006. I am sorry Dr Smith does not remember that because at that exact moment John Key was trying to take over the leadership of the National Party and Dr Smith was doing Bill English’s numbers. That is why he does not remember. He was too busy doing Bill English’s numbers. Here is what John Key said: “Michael Cullen knows full well that when there is mortgage diversion”—Hon Dr Nick Smith: What year?GRANT ROBERTSON: —2006. Keep up Dr Smith.Hon Dr Nick Smith: Oh you can’t agree with what your leaders did yesterday.GRANT ROBERTSON: I am sorry that Dr Smith will not remember that because at that exact moment John Key was trying to take over the leadership of the National Party and he was doing Bill English’s numbers. That is why he does not remember. He was too busy doing Bill English’s numbers. So here is what John Key said: “Michael Cullen knows full well that when there is mortgage diversion a savings account is turned into a chequing account.” Rubbish! National members are not here today saying “Let’s get rid of that.” They are not here today saying “Let’s not have people borrow for their first home.” What they are doing is what they think they can get away with which is undermining the incentives to be in the scheme.The reason we are here under urgency the reason the National Government put this bill in as retrospective legislation is that this incentive works.That is why because it knows if it waited and the bill went through the normal process and there was a proper select committee process thousands of New Zealanders would sign up.Chris Bishop: Past tense—it worked.GRANT ROBERTSON: And just how bad would that be Chris Bishop if thousands of New Zealanders got to enjoy being part of a savings culture? He would rather cut them off at the knees. The National Party has always hated KiwiSaver and this is just another example.