Robertson Grant: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRobertson Grant: General Debate[Sitting date: 14 May 2014. Volume:698;Page:17838. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central): The Prime Minister stood up in the House today and as he often does told us of the terrible things he inherited from the Labour Government. They were terrible things like the lowest unemployment rate in the OECD and zero net debt—shocking things that cause so much difficulty for the National Government. The Prime Minister is fond of talking about people’s horses. Well John Key’s horse of hypocrisy is tied up at “Debt Mountain” where he has borrowed $57.7 billion since he came into Government. That is nearly $60 billion borrowed by this Government.We on this side of the House will not take being lectured by that side of the House about who is a good fiscal manager about who is delivering on the economy. The Labour Party is proud that on average for 5 years we held unemployment under 4 percent and we will do it again. We will be a Government that puts people at the centre of the economy. Not speculators not big interests not the wealthy few not the mates of Ministers but ordinary everyday New Zealanders will be given a chance and an opportunity.Tomorrow the Government has the opportunity to deliver to New Zealanders. It has the opportunity to deliver to 147000 New Zealanders who are out of work and want a job. It has got the opportunity to deliver to the 46 percent of salary and wage earners who did not get a pay rise last year while the bosses at the top end did. It has got an opportunity to deliver to the 285000 children who live in poverty in New Zealand. That is a figure that the Prime Minister tried to deny today. He tried to not take responsibility for it. He could deliver for them tomorrow. He could deliver for the 40000 children hospitalised with skin infections and respiratory illnesses caused by the cold damp homes they live in. He could deliver for them tomorrow. He could deliver for the thousands of first-home buyers who have missed out on getting on to the property ladder under his Government—but he will not.He will not deliver for them because tomorrow will be Bill English’s sixth big let-down. It will be the sixth time that the wealthy few get prioritised over the ordinary people of New Zealand. It will be the sixth time that Bill English will come to a Budget magically find money for private schools and magically find money for tax cuts for the rich but not find money to deliver to New Zealanders so that everyone gets a good start in life.On this side of the House we have set the policy agenda. We have come out with KiwiBuild. We have come out with NZ Power. They will help get people into homes and improve the cost of living. We have come up with the Best Start policy which will genuinely give all New Zealanders a best start. Sue Moroney has her bill for 26 weeks’ paid parental leave. Labour has led the policy agenda and National has lagged behind. Tomorrow National might try to come up with something to mimic Labour’s policies but it will not go far enough. It will not deliver opportunity for all New Zealanders.What I can promise New Zealanders today is that the first Budget of the Labour Government next year will put people first. We will ensure that all New Zealanders get a fair go by reforming monetary policy and by ensuring that everybody pays their fair share with a tax policy where higher-income earners actually pay their tax and actually pay their fair share and where we have a capital gains tax that takes the speculators out and gives first-home buyers a chance. That will be an economy where people come first not the wealthy few and the speculators over there. Tomorrow is an opportunity for this Government but it will be one more big Bill English fail.