Hudson Brett: General DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHudson Brett: General Debate[Sitting date: 04 November 2015. Volume:709;Page:7708. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]BRETT HUDSON (National): I have got some free tinfoil for the member who just took his seat David Cunliffe. He can make himself a quality hat out of it. I would just like to take this opportunity to congratulate the All Blacks on an outstanding performance. The team is back in New Zealand. I am looking forward to seeing them here on Friday morning. They have done a great job. What we see there is a collection of individuals who had a plan who had confidence in each other’s abilities and who focused on the things that matter. They have brought home the cup New Zealand’s cup.For the last 7 years this country has had a National-led Government a team full of bright and capable people who know what they are doing who have a plan and who are focused on the things that matter to Kiwis and their families. Seven years ago almost to the day was a watershed moment. It was the day when Parliament was sworn in after the Kiwi voters had turfed out and had rid themselves of a Labour Government that was out of touch—out of touch with Kiwis’ needs and aspirations—a Labour Government that thought that the real issues of the day were light bulbs and shower heads and that had increased Government spending by about 50 percent for no increase in return and in quality of services or outcomes. To paraphrase Ronald Reagan the Labour Government is like a baby’s elementary canal with a healthy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. That is what New Zealand saw.But what they saw in National at that time was a party with policies that were in step with New Zealanders’ aspirations. They could see that we were relevant to them and they continued to see that in 2011 and a year ago when they re-elected this National-led Government back into office—a Government with a plan that saw New Zealand come out of the worst recession around the globe in decades. New Zealand came out of that recession stronger and sooner than all of our other trading nations and most of the nations in the OECD.It is a Government that has seen about 180000 jobs created over the last 4 years; a Government that has seen a $10000 increase in the average wage since 2008; a Government that is seeing living standards for New Zealanders improve with average wages growing a lot faster than inflation; a Government that understands that in order to help the prospects for its people it needs businesses that are growing and selling more around the world; and a Government that is open to opening markets with free-trade agreements such as the New Zealand - Korea free-trade agreement and the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement successfully negotiated recently by the Hon Tim Groser and his team. It is an agreement that opens up 40 percent of the global market to Kiwi businesses.Hon Member: How much?BRETT HUDSON: Forty percent and 800 million customers. We will see tariffs reduced over almost all of the products and services that New Zealand businesses deliver and will deliver. It is an outstanding result for Kiwis; it is an outstanding future that we have to look forward to under this National-led Government.Outside of the area of trade and the economy what more has the Government done? Well we have given increased doctors’ visits—free doctors’ visits—and free prescriptions up to under-13s. We have got record levels of investment in education particularly in early childhood education to raise participation. We are helping Kiwis get into their first homes through our HomeStart package. We have removed about $1.2 billion worth of ACC levies with a forecast of a further $450 million over the next 2 years. And this National-led Government is the first Government to increase real benefits in 43 years—43 years and two Labour administrations. Labour claims to be there for the working people and those most in need; it certainly did not raise their benefits in real terms—it took a caring National Government to do that.In the area of technology where I come from I would also note with our ultra-fast broadband and rural broadband programmes chugging along that we are going to be delivering faster broadband to New Zealanders. The ultra-fast broadband programme is already 50 percent complete. Over a million Kiwis can now sign up to real broadband speeds either through the Ultra-fast Broadband Initiative or the Rural Broadband Initiative. This is a Government that is focused on the things that really matter. This is a Government that will continue to focus on the things that matter to Kiwis whereas with the Labour Party in the words to paraphrase Mark Twain no man’s life liberty or prosperity is safe when a Labour Government is in office. Thank you.