Martin TraceyHon TRACEY MARTIN (Minister for Children): Kia ora Madam Deputy Speaker. Thank you very much. This is my first experience of a Budget and I'm proud to stand on it but I'd like to just start by addressing some of the comments by—it's Mr Penk I think. Is that right?Kieran McAnulty: I think so.Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Mr Penk. What we heard from that contribution was a really interesting statement with regard to how our democracy works and that is around the process of MMP. Now Mr Penk in the first instance acknowledged that the New Zealand public voted—that's nice. He noted that they had the right to vote. He then talked about closed doors. Can I direct Mr Penk to talk to Bill English Gerry Brownlee Paula Bennett Todd McClay and Wayne Eagleson. I'm trying to think of the other people who rushed to that room with the closed doors as the first people that New Zealand First spoke to as they had committed to during the election to the first people that they had a conversation with—Andrew Bayly: Is that the day after you filed papers in the court or the day before? Which day did you file the court proceedings Tracey?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: —when we took over 300 policies. Mr Bayly it is not this Government's fault if your people do not tell you how those negotiations took place. Three hundred policies taken into the room 300 policies discussed with the National Party and 300 policies discussed with the Labour Party—the same policies on the same days over the same period of time.This is MMP at work. There were no closed doors to any political party. It is unfortunate that the National Party cannot understand how MMP works but that led to this Budget. There were no secrets no closed doors; there was open dialogue between that political party that apparently—Stuart Smith: Who paid for the advertisements?Hon TRACEY MARTIN: —now a member of their backbench wishes to deny happened Mr Smith. So perhaps Mr Smith and Mr Bayly might take aside their newer colleague and explain to him how these things work recognising that in 2020 there will be another election and they might like to figure out how it works before then.With regard to this Budget I have in my hand the coalition agreement between the Labour Party and New Zealand First. Mr Penk said that every election promise was broken. That has been the rhetoric of the National Party sitting on the benches. Those are the notes they have had from the few researchers they have at their disposal: work on the broken promises work on the broken promises."If I can just quote: "Together we will work to provide New Zealand with a transformational Government committed to resolving the greatest long-term [changes] for the country including sustainable economic development increased exports and decent jobs paying higher wages a healthy environment a fair society and [a] good government. We will reduce inequality and poverty and improve the well-being of all New Zealanders"—all New Zealanders—"and the environment we live in."Sixteen points inside this coalition agreement have been delivered in the Budget for 2018-2019: a $1 billion per annum Regional Development (Provincial Growth) Fund; re-establishing the New Zealand forestry service located in the regions—Rotorua; $15 million—an increase in the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)—Alastair Scott: Waste of money.Hon TRACEY MARTIN: Beg your pardon Mr Scott? A waste of money? "A waste of money" Mr Scott says. Mr Scott from the Wairarapa says that it's a waste of money to open a forestry service in Rotorua. I will tell the people of Rotorua that the next time Mr Bridges is on a regional tour. No problem there Mr Scott; I'll pass that on.An increase in MPI's biosecurity resourcing: $9.3 million. Honour existing Crown Irrigation Investments commitments: done. Examination of agricultural debt mediation: done. Review the Reserve Bank of New Zealand Act: under way. Progressively increase the minimum wage to $20 per hour by 2020: we are on track and nobody lost their job so far Mr Scott. Work to increase the research and development spending to 2 percent of GDP over 10 years: on track. Strengthening the Overseas Investment Act: on track. Free doctors visits for all under-14-year-olds: done—and remember it was 2005 to 2008 where Labour and New Zealand First introduced free doctors visits for under-six-year-olds. Develop a 30-year strategic plan for New Zealand education—my goodness haven't they been popular? Strive towards adding 1800 new police officers and commit to a serious focus on combatting organised crime and drugs unlike the previous administration who thought "We'll just let them work it out on their own." Increased funding for family violence networks including women's refuge and Shakti: $76.2 million over four years. Provide 800 extra places for Limited Service Volunteers scheme: $26 million. Introduce a programme for long-term unemployed to improve work readiness such as Ready for Work. Specifically increase funding for the Department of Conservation: $181 million over four years. Support New Zealand First's racing policy: $4.8 million over four years plus $10 million for a covered—and so on.Mr Penk does not understand how Government works. Mr Penk needs to sit down and be quiet and listen. Breathe through your nose for longer Mr Penk. This is a three-term Government. Sixteen points out of the coalition agreement are already delivered. Two more years to go and years and years and years beyond that if that is the level of Opposition we are going to get; an Opposition that goes to the press and says that the Department of Internal Affairs is cutting—is cutting—areas that will protect our children from pornography which is blatantly untrue and the department itself comes out and says so. What has happened to the front bench of the National Party that they will work on gossip rather than make sure that they know what they are talking about particularly when we start to actually frighten the people of New Zealand by making such strange allegations?Not only is the Department of Internal Affairs not cutting any such thing; they are increasing that department to 27.5 employees. Who was the Government that decided that we would actually invest in more money for those of our children with intensive needs around disability and learning support? It was this Government. Which was the Government that said to their members on the Education and Science Committee "You can make as many changes as you like but do not spend more money."? It was the previous Government. These are the things that this Government is doing.New Zealand First entered into this coalition Government because we need to change the direction of this nation. Trickle-down doesn't work Mr Bridges. Trickle-down doesn't work Mr Smith. It is fine for somebody at the top of the tree to decide that eventually their largesse will trickle down. The people of New Zealand have waited too long for that to happen. This Government will take action. This is the start of a three-year pathway and probably a six- a nine- and a 12-year pathway by the time we're ended. We will change the direction of this boat. We will not leave New Zealanders in cars and in garages. We will not ignore our children. And the next step—and then we will build on and build on with the child poverty action plan with the child well-being strategy. We will make sure that we put a line in the sand that we will not let our citizens fall below.This Budget is the start of it. I commend every Minister that worked on it. There was a lot of dialogue and a lot of collegiality around this where we had to make sure that we put in the priorities we could while also being responsible. It is fascinating that those on the other side of the House on one hand complain that this is a spend-and-borrow Government and on the other hand complain we haven't spent enough. Please for goodness' sake make up your mind. Make up your mind and educate your members into how this democracy actually works so they don't embarrass—Alastair Scott: Priorities.Hon TRACEY MARTIN: —themselves when they stand on their feet. Make sure when you're out around the regions Mr Scott that you let them know that you don't think that we should be putting Government departments out in the regions. Just make sure that you let the people of the Wairarapa know in all the adverts that you're putting out there with their taxpayer dollars that it is not your opinion that we should put anything out into the regions. So in those adverts just make sure sir while you're spending their taxpayer dollars promoting yourself that you let them know that is a point of view—a point of view—that you particularly hold. Kia ora Madam Deputy Speaker."