Willis NicolaNICOLA WILLIS (Deputy Leader—National): That was an angry speech—an angry speech—from a Minister of Finance who is wagging his finger at New Zealanders telling them they should be grateful for what he's delivered. Well they're not feeling grateful Mr Robertson—they're not feeling grateful—because they are struggling to pay for their groceries each week which have increased in price at such a rapid clip that there are people at the checkout aisle who have panic attacks. They're not grateful Minister Robertson that their rent has gone up $170 a week on average under Labour. They're not grateful that their incomes are not keeping up with the mortgage payments that they're paying higher interest rates than other countries in the world and that that Minister has mismanaged the economy so poorly that we are not only in recession but we have high inflation high high interest rates and New Zealanders from all walks of life are struggling.You know what? I think this is why he's angry: because he's actually realised that the last six years have proven that Labour cannot manage an economy and Labour can't deliver. Because actually under Labour people are struggling more than ever. There are more children in benefit-dependent households. There are four times as many people on the State house waiting list. There are thousands of children growing up in motel rooms. There are thousands of children not attending school regularly. There are so many elderly people on waiting lists wanting hip operations and cataracts replaced that some of them are flying to Australia to pay for those operations themselves. There are people on gurneys in cold hospital corridors because there aren't enough nurses. Grant Robertson has realised that this Labour Party project has failed.What it is New Zealanders say when they see that ridiculous slogan In it for you" is "Who is the 'you?'" Because this is a Government that says they can't afford to reduce New Zealanders' taxes—oh no it's not the right time apparently despite the fact that this is the time when the cost of living is higher than it's ever been when more people are falling behind in their debt payments and when people can't pay for the food for their kids' lunchboxes. Now is not the time for tax cuts apparently.I'll tell you who it is time for because—actually I'll tell you who Labour is in it for; they're in it for BlueScope Steel because there's enough money for a cheque for BlueScope Steel a multi-billion dollar company. There's enough money for them to get $140 million so they can decarbonise because why should they pay for that themselves? Who cares if they're a big profitable company? Actually New Zealand taxpayers should be padding their pockets further.I'll tell you who else they can find money for. They may not be able to find money for a tax cut for someone on the average wage but they can find another $90 million for Fonterra. Poor Fonterra only made $1.2 billion last year so why would you prioritise taxpayers and ordinary working people when you can write them another cheque?I'll tell you who else they can find money for. He can't find the money for tax cuts—apparently it's impossible to find anywhere there's just no cash—but there is $1.8 billion for consultants and contractors to write reports for the Government on policy ideas that they then reject. There was enough money to spend hundreds of hours of officials' time—huge amounts of money—developing new plans to tax New Zealanders but there's not enough money to let New Zealanders keep more of what they earn.There is enough money for the IRD this year—this year when New Zealanders around the country are pulling their belts tighter are looking for cash the IRD has got $30 million to spend on redecorating and refurbishing their offices. What I put to you is that when I hear about a Government that is not prioritising that has failed to rein in the cost of living crisis and then they say they're in it for you the "you" is not New Zealanders any more.It is not enough for Grant Robertson to stand up and say that they tried and they cared and they did it for the right reasons. They have failed. In New Zealand today we have an economy that has failed working people who are slipping further behind. Many of them are chasing the hope that that Minister talks about—on a plane to Australia. That is not a failure that you can stand up and defend when at the same time the services you said you would deliver are under more strain than ever and crime is at record levels. This is a Government of failure. It's time for change. National will deliver it. Don't vote for the same thing if you don't want the same result. No more failure for this great country."