Foss Craig: Budget Debate 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Foss Craig: Budget Debate 
[Sitting date: 30 May 2012. Volume:680;Page:2679. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon CRAIG FOSS (National—Tukituki) 
: 
 I am just not sure whether I heard the last bit of the previous speech from Jacinda Ardern right. It was: “The Budget was impact and made the GFC.” or something I think. That was an appalling description of—I do not know what really.  
We started off maybe quite well. The member previously said a measure of a Government is for it to leave the country better off than it found it. Well actually I have higher aspirations than that but I take that as an apology for the previous 9 lost years of a Labour Government because Labour most certainly did not leave the country in a better state than it found it in in 1999. This Government is well on track to leave this country in a better state than the one we inherited as we go through our various terms. For example household incomes and after-tax incomes are up under this Government. It is giving families New Zealanders more choice in what they do with their spend be it pay their mortgage off look after their family or do whatever else rather than having the Crown the Government the State coming in and overtaxing them. We must recall when mentioning tax that half of New Zealanders fell in to and were fiscally dragged up to the highest tax bracket under the previous administration.  
When the previous Government left office crime was rising. Crime was higher than it was when that Government arrived. Crime is declining. The most violent crime is declining under the hard watch of this Government and under the hard choices this Government is making. It is easy to talk as that member talked endlessly but actions are where it counts. Crime in this country is declining to the point where we are saving about $1 billion because we do not have to build one additional prison as a result of some of the decisions that this Government has made. We must remind ourselves that the policy of the previous regime for some time was to save on prison beds. I do recall that it was known as “catch and release” to try to free up beds as opposed to building the “Milton Hilton” down south.  
If a Government is to leave New Zealand better off than it found it well I would take that as a measure of pouring resources and focusing them into the front end to where it counts: in health operations; in education educational outcomes; in crime more police. I could go on and on. In health waiting lists. There is more elective surgery happening quicker than ever before rather than the “secret squirrel” silly games of waiting lists and there is upfront declaration where the public can hold their district health boards to account. That is what we are doing to continue to leave New Zealand in a better place than when we inherited it.  
I come to the Warm Up New Zealand campaign. The member started to go on about respiratory issues. Well actually in conjunction with the Green Party over there the Warm Up New Zealand campaign has put in insulation and made many New Zealand families safer and healthier. Their homes are in a better state than the economy that we inherited.  
I take great offence because any child in this country should and could dream about being the Prime Minister regardless of their background. The difference between this Government and the previous Government of the members over there is what we believe the potential of our people can be rather than having them dependent upon an ever-growing State for ever after in that poor child’s life which is exactly what we saw in the previous regime.  
Budget 2012 continues the prudent sensible management of the economy that we inherited. I would say the Budget is courageous. It is just as courageous as the zero Budget or the flat new spending Budget we had in election year last year for the first time ever. I congratulate the Hon Bill English on once again delivering prudence delivering savings and yes making some tough choices. But in this world tough choices are demanded. It takes courage and leadership to make those choices.  
Europe is casting a shadow across the globe. Debtor nations such as New Zealand must keep their books in order. New Zealand owes the world $180 billion. The world is competing for capital. Capital is being written off in Europe. New Zealanders see what is going on in Greece on their TV screens every night and New Zealanders are in tune as this Government is in tune with what they are doing in their households every single day: managing the money as tight as we can pulling the discretionary spend down paying off debt being prudent and reprioritising. We cannot live the lie that we are a creditor nation. This is not Switzerland as some members opposite constantly seem to believe.  
Mr Parker in his various speeches said that he is getting sick of hearing about the earthquake. As other members have noted as to that point about Christchurch that is somewhat of an insult. But the Budget is actually an economic document so I will talk about economics. Mr Parker is sick and tired of hearing that the impact of the Christchurch earthquake is 9 to 11 percent of our GDP. It is 9 to 11 percent of a $200 billion - odd economy and he is sick and tired of hearing about it. Well that speaks volumes about that member’s thinking about where everything is and perhaps that is why Mr Cunliffe is constantly giving out finance spokesman - type press releases to the general public.  
 Europe is casting a shadow across the world and yet members opposite are still going on about fixed exchange rates for goodness’ sake! We are seeing what that means to a country such as Greece which is unable to let go a steam valve for the various pressures it is under. Yet members opposite rave on about monetary policy fixed exchange rates etc. and about what happened 30 or 40 years ago. They are in constant denial.  
I understand that the Labour Opposition at least and maybe one or two of its partners is voting against the Budget and the Budget speech as outlined by Mr English. Well I would just like to remind the House of a couple of things that those parties are therefore voting against by doing that. They are voting against the Future Investment Fund. They are voting against $1 billion of investment in 21st century schools. They have the audacity to stand up and make complaints about our education system yet they are I believe going to vote against $1 billion of investment in New Zealand’s 21st century schools. How on earth can they look their kids in the eye—excuse me members; I did not mean to bring personal issues into it. How on earth can they look kids at school in the eye as they go around and discuss what is needed in education?  
I am proud of what we are trying to achieve in education. Minister Parata has her finger right on the pulse. Yes we have the most awesome education system in the world but it is failing 20 percent of our populace. Our education system is failing 20 percent of our kids. If members opposite have a problem with that fact I would like to point out that the same kids who are coming to the end of their secondary education were at school when some of the members opposite were in charge of that portfolio and those same kids are unable to read and write. They are unable to pass level 2 National Certificate of Educational Achievement. They are our most vulnerable: our Maori and our Pacific Islanders. Members on the other side have the audacity to get up and say something in Samoan Language Week and yet they do not really applaud and celebrate what we are trying to do to fix that cohort and to have better and brighter teachers so that every single one of those kids may one day aspire to be the Prime Minister of New Zealand. 
 We announced some KiwiSaver changes in the Budget. I believe that members opposite will also be voting against them. There are options for people to compare KiwiSaver accounts and performance. The public should know that the Labour Party is going to vote against the ability of New Zealanders to compare the performance of their KiwiSaver funds. That is what Labour is going to do.  
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: That’s not in the Budget. 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: That is what they are doing. It is announced in the Budget. You must read it. At least Jacinda Ardern said she had read it. That is what Labour is voting against.  
Grant Robertson 
: That’s not in the Budget. 
Hon CRAIG FOSS 
: Labour is voting against it. Those members could at least get up and say perhaps that that policy is not a bad thing but that they disagree with some other policies. That would be more respectful. I suggest that that would be somewhat more in tune with New Zealand unlike the policies we are hearing now from Labour. By the way most of them were put before the electorate last 26 November. We are hearing the same policies from the same members although there are fewer of those members now yet they are still in denial. They forget that in many of their own electorates National won the party vote on the exact policies that we are implementing right now.