Bennett David: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Bennett David: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:671;Page:17456] 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
: 
 The debate in the Committee stage of the Appropriation (2009/10 Financial Review) Bill is shaping up to be a classic debate between Labour and National. Labour does not have a plan it has no direction and its members come to this Chamber and try to use fear tactics on ordinary New Zealanders; that is what they do. They go out there and prey on the most vulnerable people in society. They try to scare them although they are saying: “We’re here to help.” What does Labour want to do to help ordinary New Zealanders? It wants to tax them more. Labour’s answer to Christchurch would be to tax the good hard-working people of New Zealand; that is Labour’s plan. That is not a plan. That would actually kill the economy. That is not the economic plan we need when the economy needs growth; it needs production and it needs the tradable sector to be effective and to provide a future for New Zealand. That is the difference between National and Labour. Labour is based on fear tactics. It tries to keep people down and says: “You don’t know what can be done. We will redistribute. We will take that money off you.” National on the other hand understands economics and through its coalition partners understands that we need a growing economy. A growing economy means more revenue coming to the Government and more revenue to the Government means we can pay off our debts. More repayment of debt means that we can pay off what Christchurch will need to rebuild and we can build an even stronger economy a stronger country and a strong Canterbury going forward. National provides a vision that will work. Labour provides a vision that is based on fear tactics keeping people under the thumb so that Labour can control their votes at election time. That is the simple rhetoric Labour brings out. 
Let us have a look at the reality of what economics demands. It demands prudent management and it demands that we invest and have savings. Economics demands that we have a plan for the future that leads to growth and a Government that can sustainably use that growth to— 
Hon Annette King 
: What is the plan? 
DAVID BENNETT 
: The plan is that we will get savings and investment and we will not tax ordinary hard-working New Zealanders just to keep in Government as Labour did year on year. National does not believe in taxing people just to stay in power; we believe in giving people the opportunity to make this country stronger and better and therefore able to pay for whatever we need to do as a Government or as in this case to pay for the terrible tragedy that befell the people of Christchurch resulting in the need to rebuild that great city. That is the fundamental difference between the two political parties. 
At the next election that fundamental difference will be shown in the economic field because the people will have a choice. They have a choice of being told that they do not know what they can do that they need fear tactics and that they need a Labour-Green approach where hard-working ordinary New Zealanders are taxed to pay for things. Or they have a choice where they see a future for New Zealand—a future that is long dynamic and successful. Our future the National Government’s future is the right future and it is the future that will be sustainable long term. We need to invest in and grow this economy long term. Growth is not just a short-term requirement to pay for Christchurch. Growth is the long-term answer so that our people stay in this country and so that we can deliver the social services and the standard of living we want. It is the long-term answer; New Zealanders want that. They do not want a Government that will use fear and prey on the tragedy of Christchurch to try to keep itself in Government. New Zealanders want a country that is built on growth that is successful and that provides a future for New Zealanders so they stay here and do not want to go to Australia. That is the future National has and will continue to deliver through the rest of this year and going forward. That is a stark choice for New Zealanders—a choice they understand and very much support because they know what is important long term. New Zealanders know that they need to have that kind of economic growth to enable a country to provide those services. 
Aaron Gilmore 
: Ambition versus scaring. 
DAVID BENNETT 
: It is. As my colleague has said it is ambition versus scare tactics and that is the difference. It is an ambitious plan for a New Zealand that can be a successful country where we can have pride in ourselves and where we can deal with any situation.