Shaw JamesHon JAMES SHAW (Green Party): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. I was just wanting to start off on the snappily titled Taxation (Annual Rates for 2018-19 Modernising Tax Administration and Remedial Matters) Bill by responding to some of the comments from the previous speaker the member for the Wairarapa talking about regressive taxes like petrol taxes and so on and so forth. I think I must have missed his speech in the House as a backbench MP in a National-led Government when the National Government put up our goods and services tax by 2.5 percent—which is also a regressive tax—and also put up petrol tax. I completely missed his speeches decrying those tax increases at that time—totally missed it. Maybe I wasn't in the House that day but as it turns out it's good to hear that he's standing up for the little person. The next time that National is in Government I look forward to him making absolutely sure that National does not ever again put up petrol taxes or GST as it did in its last term of office.But I just wanted to turn my attention to three key aspects of this bill the first being the KiwiSaver changes the second being around simplification and the third being around the 2018-19 tax rates. One of the things that I'm most pleased about in this particular bill are the changes to KiwiSaver. There are two ones that I want to draw attention to. The first is scrapping the rule for people over the age of 60 that says that they have to be in the scheme for five years before they can draw down their money. I think getting rid of that rule and saying that once you hit retirement age you're able to start drawing that down increases the value of the scheme and increases reasons for people to be in the scheme.I also think in particular that having the additional 6 and 10 percent contribution rates added in makes the scheme far more flexible and far more attractive and again adds to that value and increases the chances that people will choose to be in the scheme—in addition to the existing 3 4 and 8 percent rates. I know that those are recommendations of the Retirement Commissioner at the time Diane Maxwell and so I think there's a solid evidence base for that. So I think we're continuing to make improvements to KiwiSaver. I do think it has demonstrated its value to New Zealand and I think that these improvements will do the same thing.I also just wanted to finish by saying that the rules around simplification—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): No I apologise to the member. We are having some technical issues with the clocks but I can assure you you've got two minutes and 16 seconds.Hon JAMES SHAW: Yeah I didn't—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): We are taking care of it.Hon JAMES SHAW: Well in that case let me just—[Interruption] Ha ha! I can see that the members opposite are absolutely glued to every word. So around simplification I think the technology that has been made available to us as a result of the New Zealand IRD's Business Transformation programme does wonders for New Zealanders' ability to interact or in fact not have to interact with the system in this case—particularly the ability of small and medium sized businesses to have their affairs simplified. For individual taxpayers there will be 3 million taxpayers whose obligations will be automatically calculated and any differential between what they've paid and what they're obligated to pay will also be automatically managed. I think that that is fantastic because it removes the need for people to have to fill out a personal tax return in order to get a refund. We think that'll benefit about 750000 people which I think is fantastic.I think it will ensure that people have a much more pleasant experience that all of that money that is currently available for refund that's not getting drawn down will then be drawn down and people will actually get the money that they deserve. So I just kind of stand in admiration of the New Zealand tax system for being able to get to this point now with people that they're able to interact in that way.Finally—Madam Assistant Speaker is that—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): Yeah it's correct.Hon JAMES SHAW: OK. I just wanted to finish by saying that the tax rates for the next year remain unchanged and that I think that is a good thing because it means that we can fund the Families Package it means that we can fund the Provincial Growth Fund the Green Investment Fund conservation health education infrastructure transport—all of the things that the previous Government left unfunded and made wild sorts of things saying that they were going to do all that stuff but without funding it. This is a fiscally responsible package that ensures that we've actually got the revenue that we need to deliver—ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Poto Williams): I thank the member. I'm sorry; your time has expired.