Wagner Nicky: Budget Debate 
Wagner Nicky: Budget Debate 
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NICKY WAGNER (National) 
: 
 This debate on the Budget has been extremely interesting. It has been absolutely fascinating because it has highlighted the spendthrift nature of the previous Labour Government; its “spend spend spend; we’ll be right” attitude. Labour members just do not seem to get the fact that the world is in recession and that we need to focus on quality spending not quantity. This debate just reinforces the need for the change of Government. Thank goodness the people of New Zealand the smart people of New Zealand as identified by Clayton Cosgrove just a few minutes ago voted National last November. Thank goodness they voted National so decisively because after 9 long years of a Labour Government our Government can now get on with building a new stronger and better New Zealand We had 9 long years of mediocrity 9 long years of lack of aspiration and 9 long years of a downward trend economically. It is absolutely time for change and with this Budget we are on the road to recovery. At last New Zealand is picking itself up dusting itself off and getting on with the job of building a better nation for New Zealanders. 
And what a pity about the global economic conditions. National is coming into Government at a time of the worst international financial crisis in decades—maybe ever—and with the cupboard bare. There was nothing left for a rainy day after Labour had squandered the opportunities of the very best economic times for decades. Once again National has to pick up the pieces after another loose-spending unproductive Labour Government. So many of the things we would like to do to develop and grow our people and our country have to be put on hold while we firefight for all New Zealanders. The problem is that Labour just does not understand wise money management. It never has and it never will and this debate echoes that. 
Bill English’s Budget does all the right things to cushion New Zealanders from the worst depths of the world recession. It does all the right things to support and create jobs. It is absolutely focused on keeping as many people in work as possible and that is exactly what it should be doing. That is the priority. The Budget has provided a multimillion-dollar infrastructure boost. Of course that will increase productivity in the economy but essentially that multimillion-dollar infrastructure boost is to create hundreds maybe thousands of new jobs. The Budget has created a $323 million home insulation and clean heating fund. Of course that is to conserve electricity of course that is to create healthy homes but essentially it is to create hundreds maybe thousands of new jobs. The Budget has funded $50 million for a national cycleway network and even though the Labour Party does not seem to like it of course that cycleway will attract tourists of course it will provide health and recreation benefits but essentially it is to create hundreds maybe even thousands of new jobs because all these things are about keeping New Zealand working. 
This Budget in the face of the world’s worst depression also safeguards all the entitlements that New Zealanders expect and enjoy. It maintains all benefits student support and Working for Families at current levels. It also—and this is the debate of the day—locks in national superannuation at 66 percent of the average wage at age 65. I will say that again; Labour members do not seem to understand it: the Budget locks in national superannuation at 66 percent of the average wage at age 65. Labour in its typical scaremongering fashion is trying to frighten the most vulnerable and the elderly by speculating on the future of superannuation entitlements. There should be no speculation. For the third time I say that the Budget locks in national superannuation at 66 percent of the average wage at age 65. We know that Labour does not understand wise money management. Its members think that because we have deferred payments into the Superannuation Fund the world will fall on Chicken Licken’s head. They want National to put money away for superannuation now when it is not even due until 2030 when we are broke and when our credit rating is at risk. That is not smart. No individuals in their right mind would borrow—would borrow—to play the overseas stock market when the world economy is so depressed. So why oh why would Labour members think that the Government should do that? 
Luckily Bill English has a few more financial smarts than the Opposition. He has focused on reducing debt and we have avoided the credit rating downturn that would have cost New Zealanders $600 million a year—$600 million dollars a year—when right now we need every single cent to grow jobs and to help to cushion New Zealanders from the effects of the recession. None of us wants to be paying extra interest charges for nothing. Interest charges do not create jobs; interest charges do not provide social services. Why does Labour not understand that? The best way to ensure there is funding for superannuation in the future is to stimulate and have a healthy growing and productive economy with new businesses new jobs and a better quality of life for everyone. Thank goodness that the shonky financial management of “Whack-it-on-the-bill-Phil” Goff has gone! 
The Budget also improves public services. It focuses on the things that matter most to New Zealanders. It focuses on health it focuses on education and it focuses on the police. There is a $3 billion boost for health over the next 4 years which is focused on front-line services. The thing that is of most interest to me and that I am particularly pleased to see is the allocation of $103 million extra—that is $103 million on top of the usual funding—for maternity services. This money will allow more young mothers to spend more time in hospital with their babies and it will provide for more continuity of care for mothers and their babies by providing more funding for general practitioners for lead maternity carers and for mothers and babies to work together to keep these children healthy in the long term. There is more funding for the Well Child programme and more funding for the Plunket hotline. 
All of these projects are enormously valuable but I will also look at education. We all know that young people are our future but it is educated young people who are so important for us. What we are doing in education is adding an extra billion dollars of new spending. That money will improve facilities and lift educational achievement. As an ex-teacher myself I am really keen on the focus on literacy and numeracy for young children. There is absolutely no doubt that the building blocks of literacy and numeracy allow children to develop and learn so that they can go on to extra education. Finally I say that Bill English has produced a good Budget. It is a good Budget because it is a balanced Budget and it is a Budget that will put us on the road to recovery.