Gosche Mark: Taxation (Annual Rates of income Tax 2005-06) Bill Taxation (Urgent Measures) Bill Student Loan Scheme Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
Gosche Mark: Taxation (Annual Rates of income Tax 2005-06) Bill Taxation (Urgent Measures) Bill Student Loan Scheme Amendment Bill — Third Readings 
[Volume:628;Page:791] 
Hon MARK GOSCHE (Labour—Maungakiekie) 
: 
 That was an interesting rewrite of history from the Hon Bill English who is now the champion of the working class. Interestingly he did not mention anything from the legislation at all. He did not mention the Working for Families package going to 160000 families. Why not? He is embarrassed to speak against it because he knows that that lost the National Party the last election. Nobody believed that party but they did in great numbers believe the party on this side of the House. Bill English did not mention the write-off of interest on student loans. Why not? Because the National Party had nothing to offer the young people of this country—those who are studying those who are looking to study or those who are still paying off a loan. So I suppose he was wise in that respect to ignore the wonderful features of this legislation. 
I want to congratulate the Hon Dr Michael Cullen. This is wonderful legislation. Early in the term of this Government there is a defining difference between this side of the House and the parties that support us and the opposite side of the House which has no idea what ordinary New Zealanders want from their Government. Bill English talked with crocodile tears coming down his cheeks about the poor workers and how badly they are in need of a tax cut—which would be very little if they are on a low income but which would be about $100 for MPs. He felt sorry for the nurses the teachers and the public servants who did not get a wage rise for 9 years under a National Government and he says we should now give them a little bit by way of a tax cut. 
I remind the Hon Bill English that it was the policies of the Government that he was part of that just about destroyed the public service in this country that put nurses 10 years behind where they should have been in terms of earnings. 
Hon Bill English 
: That’s rubbish! You don’t believe that. 
Hon MARK GOSCHE 
: Bill English says it is a load of rubbish because he would not have given them the pay rise that this Government gave them; he would have kept them earning nothing like National did when it was in power for 9 long years. 
Earlier in the evening I heard a new National MP—I do not even know who the nondescript member was—feeling sorry for plumbers and electricians and saying how badly off they were under this Government. I remind that member—whomever it was—that the Rt Hon Bill Birch decided that we did not need plumbers and electricians in this country. That is why National did away with the Apprenticeship Act; it decided that this nation did not need them anymore. Poor old Bill English with his memory lapse once again forgets that that was the sort of policy his Government was responsible for. 
This Government has brought in Modern Apprenticeships to make sure we have opportunities— 
Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith 
: The biggest con job ever! 
Hon MARK GOSCHE 
: The Hon Lockwood Smith who gets very sensitive about which window or whatever he exits universities from forgets that National destroyed the apprenticeship scheme. It said to the tradespeople of this country: “You don’t matter; we don’t need you anymore. There is a market out there that will determine whether we need plumbers electricians and builders.”—all those people that National members are now shedding crocodile tears for! Oh they feel very sorry for them now. They were not sorry for 9 long years of screwing them down and of saying to public servants: “You are worthless.” 
National members still have not worked out that they threatened the entire public service of this country—the people who are responsible for building our roads for looking after our children for caring for the sick and the elderly. National members said to them: “You do not matter; you are all a waste of space. We do not want to spend our money on you anymore. We want to give the wealthy people of this country a tax cut and all the rest of you can go and scrape together whatever you can.” That is why National lost the election. That is why National members will not speak harshly about these two wonderful measures that look after the families of our electorates and that say to young families who are working hard to survive that this is a Government that cares. The Working for Families package is coming in greater numbers to greater numbers of people. 
Also we will give a really good incentive to all the grandparents parents and other people who want to go and study. Every single member over there said that they should not have it they will misuse it and they will abuse it. National members say that every New Zealander given the chance will abuse the system like them. I am glad to say that very few people think like that. Every member opposite who got an education did so on the taxpayer and those members are going to vote against this bill because they say: “It was good for me but damn it’s no good for you. We do not want you to do it.” 
It is like saying that all the students will go and borrow this money because it is free. There was basically a free education system in this country when I was growing up. One could go to university and it was paid for by the taxpayers who did so willingly. I did not hear all the people saying that they were going to go to university because it was free and that they were going to abuse the system. Did they do it then? No. Will they do it under this system? No. But there is no understanding amongst the National Party of how real New Zealanders think. The National Party thinks they are all going to abuse the system and I am glad to say that it is absolutely wrong on that. 
This is very good legislation. I am proud to be part of this Government which is getting this legislation through tonight. I know that the National Party will whinge and whine and it will show once again to the New Zealand public why it is unfit to govern.