Scott Alastair; Mallard TrevorALASTAIR SCOTT (National—Wairarapa): I find it interesting that we can be talking about the same number across the House but have completely different interpretations of the same number. For example Mr Tabuteau talked about the $1.8 billion surplus as if it were a problem and he tried to change the goalpost by describing it as not a surplus but as some sort of deficit. That is one example. Another example is the fact that Dr Clark continues to talk about the people in the middle—the people who have not had real wage growth over the period of this Government. But the numbers are the same. We are both looking at the same numbers and I will tell you what they are. Wage growth has had real growth of 20 percent since 2008. That is 31 percent nominal with an inflation number of 11. That is real wage growth of 20 percent. The same numbers that I am seeing are the same numbers that the member opposite is. Comparatively in the Clark Government—I will tell you the same numbers—there was a 35 percent nominal number a higher nominal number but inflation was at 29 percent over the year. The real growth was 6 percent. So we are looking at the same numbers—and we can talk about it—but it is interesting that for some reason Dr Clark does not believe that there is wage growth and I have just given you the numbers. Those numbers speak louder than Dr Clark's words. We can also talk about the minimum wage because we are talking about those who are the least well-off. The minimum wage has also outperformed inflation with an increase of 27 percent nominal with an inflation of 11 percent. That is a real increase of 16 percent in the minimum wage which that side continues to talk about and continues to say that it needs to be increased. The facts are that it has increased and it has increased at a rate far outstripping inflation. There has been real growth in superannuation. Again for the elderly who are most in need—that superannuation number has also far outstripped inflation. There has been real growth in superannuation benefits. So we are talking the same numbers but for some reason the people opposite just cannot seem to connect the dots. Again Jenny Salesa was talking about those people not in education employment or training—the neets". In fact as Minister Joyce said this morning the numbers of "neets" of youth 15- to 19-year-olds is the lowest—is the lowest—at 6.5 percent since the records began in 2004. So again we are looking at the same numbers but somehow we seem to interpret them in a different way. Let us talk about targeted social expenditure because we know that this Government is aware and has the data. It looks at the numbers and is aware of what they call the million-dollar kids—and we know statistically where those kids are where they live and what schools they go to. That is why Minister Tolley talked about targeted intervention—spending where it matters so that we can relieve some of these kids and pull them out of the inevitable situation that they would find themselves in. So it is specific; it is not blanket spending as proposed by the Opposition. Blanket spending of benefits willy-nilly does nothing for anyone other than increase deficits and has no consideration of the consequence for the taxpayer's dollar. That is the problem with the ideas from Labour. There is no consideration of the consequence for the taxpayer's dollar. I give you just a couple of quick ideas because we are running out of time. The universal benefit is apparently the solution to all our social ills. By giving everyone $11000 a year that policy from the Labour Party is going to solve the social ills without consideration of whom it is going to be aimed at and who is going to fund it. We talked earlier this morning with Phil Twyford about the 100000 houses. Whose money is going to be spent on that? That is a $50 billion project—a $50 billion construction company managed by Phil Twyford. Imagine the consequences of that. These people do not consider the consequences. They have no concern and have no respect for the taxpayer's dollar. It is blanket spending. It is "Chuck as much as you can and let's just hope somehow the problems will be solved." Thank you.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Trevor Mallard): I call Maureen Pugh."