Faafoi Kris: Taxation (Annual Rates and Budget Measures) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Faafoi Kris: Taxation (Annual Rates and Budget Measures) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:672;Page:18979] 
KRIS FAAFOI (Labour—Mana) 
: 
 I thank Mr Chair for the opportunity to speak to Part 2 of the Taxation (Annual Rates and Budget Measures) Bill. This is my first contribution. Part 2 deals directly with the major changes the National Government is making to both Working for Families and KiwiSaver. Yesterday when John Key finished his Budget speech and as the members on the opposite side of the House got up and followed the script and started smiling and clapping—as opposed to smiling and waving—we could tell we could guarantee that a lot of them were doing it through gritted teeth because they were worried. They were worried because they knew people at home were thinking: “Hang on a minute.” The 1.7 million Kiwis who have signed up to KiwiSaver were thinking: “Hang on a minute. That is not what I signed up to. Those are not the terms I signed up to. Hang on a minute. John Key said he wouldn’t touch KiwiSaver. What’s going on here? What is going on here with KiwiSaver? I thought this plan was solid. This was a plan to make sure we can save for our retirement and make sure that people can afford their first homes. But what is going on here? We were told it was safe and wouldn’t be touched. Hang on a minute. What about Working for Families? Hang on a minute. John Key wasn’t going to touch Working for Families. What is going on here?”. 
Those are two pretty major broken promises in Part 2. A lot of lower and middle income Kiwis will be saying that in their homes. We have seen plenty in the  
Dominion Post  
today; I think pages 5 and 6 are dedicated to families who will be no better off from this Budget. We heard on  
Morning Report  
this morning an example as Jacinda Ardern pointed out earlier of a person who said that this was not what they signed up to with KiwiSaver. The last thing the Prime Minister said was that he would see us out on the hustings. I say to the Prime Minister to bring it on—bring it on. If members opposite want to go to the people and say they are cutting Working for Families and cutting KiwiSaver then they can bring it on. I am looking forward to going to Cannons Creek and saying that this Government will cut KiwiSaver and cut Working for Families but it will keep the 40 percent tax cut for the top 10 percent of tax earners. People in Cannons Creek will love it and people in Waitangirua will love it. Do members know who else will love it? People in Papakowhai will love it because they signed up to KiwiSaver. They think it is a great scheme. People in Papakowhai will love it and they will say: “Hang on a minute. Hang on a minute what is happening here? That is a tax credit I thought I would get from this Government.” But no the Government is slashing it in half. 
This is a Government that promised it would take the sharp edges off the recession. The only sharp edge we have is the one the Government is using to make cuts. That is all we have received from this Government. I am looking forward to going to some of the more marginal areas in my electorate and taking votes from National members because of what they are doing in this Budget. They are taking money from hard-working families who are struggling to make ends meet. A lot of my colleagues have been talking about the cost of living and how many families are struggling to make ends meet. With the changes this Government is making to Working for Families I look forward to getting out on the hustings. 
I tell Government members to bring it on because many families in Mana are struggling to make ends meet. Just last week I went to the St Vincent de Paul food bank and for the first time in 9 years Kerry the lovely Australian lady who runs the shop there said they have run out of food. Even the emergency cupboard is bare. For the first time in her 9 years she has been forced to put a sign on the front of the shop saying: “Can we please have food.” because not only has the demand increased but the supply has run out. There is real hurt in this community especially in Mana and this Budget does nothing for people there. I say to members opposite to bring it on. If they want to take this to the people they should bring it on. We are going to make 50 percent of the families who have signed up for Working for Families worse off so bring it on. I am looking forward to getting out there and talking about what you are doing and how you are hurting Kiwi families— 
Craig Foss 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. I do not think you are hurting Kiwi families. Members have been pulled up for bringing you into the discussions quite often during this debate— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I thank the member. Do not bring the Chair into the debate. 
KRIS FAAFOI 
: —I should rephrase that—and how you are adversely affecting Kiwi families and making life harder for them. You are making life a lot harder— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: No I am not. 
KRIS FAAFOI 
: I am sorry. Excuse me Mr Chair. This Government is making life a lot harder for Kiwi families. I was straight on to it this morning. I was waving signs out on State Highway 1 saying “Save KiwiSaver”. There were plenty of beeps so bring on the election campaign because I know that the 1.7 million Kiwis who have signed up to KiwiSaver will not be happy with what the Government has done. We have had speeches from many members on the opposite side of the Chamber saying that this is a visionary Budget. I think they should go and get their eyes checked.