McClay Todd: Third Readings — 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
McClay Todd: Third Readings — 
[Sitting date: 20 May 2010. Volume:663;Page:11198. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
TODD McCLAY (National—Rotorua) 
: 
 Before coming to the House I asked my colleague Dr Cam Calder whether if I listened to Brendon Burns in the House I would live longer. He said I would not but it will certainly feel like that was the case. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Well— 
TODD McCLAY 
: I say to Mr Mallard that it might be cold outside but it is definitely barbecue season. After the horrible speech made by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday it is certainly barbecue time. 
I have a piece of paper in front of me. Members opposite have spoken about GST going up and the effects that that will have. This piece of paper comes from the BBQ Factory. In fact that store has a special at the moment. It is a small red barbecue that few people would ever use with an adjustable cooking grid. It has a shield to protect the flame from the wind in winter and it is priced at $49.99. I guarantee that when GST goes up on 1 October there is a reasonable chance that that barbecue will still cost $49.99. Some members already know about this special because they have been out today looking for the closest BBQ Factory and they have bought one. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: Sit down. 
TODD McCLAY 
: I say to the member opposite whom many have respect for that he is right: it is often better to be silent and be thought to be a fool than it is to speak and remove all doubt about that. I might have offered the member that advice earlier most certainly. 
What has this Budget done for New Zealanders? It is the biggest reform of our taxation system in 25 years: 73 percent of New Zealanders will now pay a tax rate of 17.5 percent. Is that not wonderful? What about some of the people out in the public who do not spend as much time here as we do? I received some messages overnight from people in Rotorua. Joe from Rotorua said: “Thank you Todd. I remember asking what you were going to do for me before the election. Thank you all. Finally something for those of us who work hard do overtime and want to get ahead.” Then we have John who is also from Rotorua. He said: “Great Budget Todd. Watching the debate now with Goff and Cosgrove etc. spitting tacks.” He corrected himself; he actually said they were spitting “tax”. He went on to say “It shows you guys have done well.” There is a final message that I will read out: “J K said yesterday middle-income earners have received nothing from Labour. In fact we have been shafted—in other words received nothing. Our kids three of them have all left home. We have two incomes and finally have a chance to keep a little more of what we earn.” 
Those people are real everyday New Zealanders not the people who write on Labour members’ blogs. 
Hon Steve Chadwick 
: What about the 70 percent of Rotorua citizens? Ask them in one year Todd. 
TODD McCLAY 
: Mrs Chadwick has just asked whether this Budget will be good for Rotorua. It would be pretty hard to know what is good for Rotorua when one sits in an office in Tauranga. But that is a debate to be had on another day; we will do that next year. 
The only thing that stands between the people of Rotorua and these tax cuts is the rest of my speech. This was to be a 10-minute speech. I say to members that those people have waited 10 long years for a tax cut. For the good of the people of Rotorua I will happily give up the rest of my time so that we can vote after this speech and give the people of New Zealand the tax cuts that they have wanted for a long time. I support this legislation. Thank you.