Webb DuncanDr DUNCAN WEBB (Labour—Christchurch Central): Talofa lava. It's great to be here. I don't know what select committee the member who just took his seat Mr Damien Smith sits on because when I was in the Finance and Expenditure Committee—and I'm sure it was him sitting in the same room—we examined the Overseas Investment Act loosening foreign direct investment rules in New Zealand. We heard projections from Treasury their forecasts and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand telling us that we're on track. We've heard that our debt-to-GDP ratio is actually one of the best in the OCED and it won't actually approach 50 percent on current projections because we're doing the right thing.Now the ACT Party has a mantra and the mantra is austerity and we heard the Minister of Finance say Not on my watch. There won't be austerity." We won't be cutting budgets like the ACT Party's alternative budget—at least they had the decency to come up with something—will do. So no this is an economy which is absolutely supporting those people who need it and I certainly won't apologise for that. That's exactly why we're here on this side of the House. So the fact of the matter is that this is a Budget which sees more people in jobs sees our debt manageable and sees our economy growing and I haven't seen anyone on the other side of the House come up with any alternative that comes close.Look only last week I was singing the praises of this Budget in Christchurch and I was very very proud to do so. I must say with the exception of a couple of the usual naysayers there was almost universal acclaim for this Budget whether that be at the YMCA where they're building the hotel of hope on the basis of shovel-ready funding—and that was fantastic. It's a hotel where all of the profits go back into the community. The YMCA are a great organisation down there. That was with Megan Woods of course who is doing a great job. More houses are consented now than there has been for years within a generation. So we are finally under this Government catching up. The huge deficit that the last Government the National Government left us—we are finally catching up because we have made some brave decisions decisions which will in time see the housing difficulties that New Zealanders face alleviated.Waltham rail workshop. You know I've been to the Waltham rail workshop and there's a building there and it says "1940". That was the last piece of significant Government infrastructure that was built down there. I went down there to see some other Government-funded building in one of their workshops but now there is a very large project for all of the repairs and maintenance to be done on all the locomotives and rolling stock there in Christchurch at the Waltham rail yards. Why? Because it creates jobs. Why? Because it's a low-carbon alternative. Why? Because it's good for our economy and also for our national security.You know I must say going with the Prime Minister to Antarctica New Zealand and the Antarctic Centre was a fantastic day and the joy on the faces of those people at the Antarctic Centre when we said "Your future is secure." We see New Zealand's place in the Antarctic as important and it's one that this Government is prepared to fund because Christchurch is a fantastic launching pad for all of that important work that goes on in Antarctica on a whole lot of levels. Importantly a lot of our climate change research is based out of there but also the biodiversity of that fantastic continent is really really important along with our participation in the relevant treaties which ensure that that place stays free from commercial exploitation for ever—the last genuine remote preserve where there will be no mining.There will be no commercial activities there. That is absolutely fantastic and that's not even to mention the many many little things that are going on. You know and do come down any member any side of the House—come down and visit Christchurch. I have an extra bike. We have the most cyclable city in the country. Why? Because the Government has funded those cycleways as part of the low-carbon economy that we are going to transition into. The work that the Climate Change Commission has done is of critical importance and we are going to heed that advice. Walking and cycling has to be seen as the dominant way in which we encourage new transport in this country. This Budget does it this Government does it and I'm proud to be part of it."