Tisch Lindsay: Supplementary Estimates — Imprest Supply Debate 
Tisch Lindsay: Supplementary Estimates — Imprest Supply Debate 
[Volume:648;Page:16858] 
LINDSAY TISCH (National—Piako) 
: 
 Was that not a brave face from a lost soul over there? He said he is proud to be in a Government that is going down the tubes has lost the confidence of New Zealanders and has squandered its opportunities. This Government has no idea about what makes the world go round. It has no idea about innovation about entrepreneurship or about growing the cake so that some of it can be redistributed. It wants to do its redistribution after it has taken taxes from people. 
I want to refer to an organisation set up by this Government some years ago—namely the Small Business Advisory Group or “SBAG” as it is called. On 26 March I asked the Minister when the Small Business Advisory Group would present its 2007 annual report. His reply was: “I am advised that the Small Business Advisory Group does not produce an annual report.” Technically that may be right but on 7 April the Small Business Advisory Group put out its 2007 report. It is a very very comprehensive document. It contains 16 recommendations which it put before this Government for its consideration. It came out before the Budget not since. And guess what—not one of those 16 recommendations are included in the Government’s Budget. 
The previous year the group had 19 recommendations. But guess what—not one was implemented by this Government. Last year when the group decided it would critique the performance of this Government it gave it 4.5 out of 10. [ 
Interruption 
] We are just waiting to see what the group’s critique on the Government will be this time around because now that the Budget is out and now that we have the group’s report I can say having spoken to many of those who are part of the Small Business Advisory Group that they are not impressed one little bit with this Government. So why set up an organisation whose purpose is to advise on matters pertaining to small business? 
We are a nation of small businesses. We have close to 450000 small businesses. That is a big segment of our community. We have a Government organisation made up of people who are in business who know what it is to invest and who know how to take the hard knocks. They want to make an impression on and a commitment to their communities and they want to employ staff yet this Government just kicks them in the teeth. The Small Business Advisory Group made 16 recommendations and not one of them has been implemented. 
Here I have an article from  
NZBusiness 
 which states: “It’s time for action.” It gives some of the recommendations that were articulated at the time. But I think it is very salutary to note the last comment in this document. It says that the Small Business Advisory Group provides a useful voice for small to medium sized enterprises and that it is however limited in scope and influence. It goes on to say that it is better than no voice at all since New Zealand politicians rarely talk openly about the importance of small to medium sized enterprises to the country whereas in Australia and the United States for example senior politicians discuss the importance of them often. It also says that the lack of open support for small to medium sized enterprises is a sad indictment on our politicians and shows up the woeful level of business knowledge and experience in their ranks. Well—that article sums up where this Government is. It does not understand— 
Chris Tremain 
: Minus four. 
LINDSAY TISCH 
: Yes it will get a score in the minuses. 
I have here an article dated 22 May which states: “Small business calls on Government to do more”. The cries are coming out for this Government to take notice of this very important part of our community. If we want to grow the cake and have wealth so that everyone does better and if we want to lift New Zealand’s living standards instead of dropping from number 20 in the OECD to number 22 then we have to be enterprising in what we do. That did not come out in the Budget. 
The previous speaker talked about reducing the business tax rate to 30 percent. Well most of those 450000 small businesses are not companies. Sure the company tax rate came down from 33 to 30 percent but most small businesses are sole traders or partnerships. What happened to them? Their tax rate stayed the same. It stayed at 33 percent or 39 percent. So when the previous speaker tells people to write out a cheque because they are in business I can tell him that maybe companies might do OK with a reduction to 30 percent—that is what Australia has. But we have to remember that as a nation of small businesses most of our small business entrepreneurs are actually sole traders or partnerships. 
So here we are trying to lift New Zealand’s living standards and our performance has to be smarter than in the past. Australia and Ireland have moved their living standards up. Dr Cullen said in the Budget debate that we needed 4 percent growth. Then he acknowledged that we will get only 2.5 percent over the next 4 years. How can we have growth of 4 percent when he acknowledges that will be only 2.5 percent? 
Chris Auchinvole 
: It’s a failure. 
LINDSAY TISCH 
: It is a failure. That is evidenced today by so many who are deciding to make their fortunes offshore. Every week 800 Kiwis are deciding to go to Australia.  
Chris Auchinvole 
: I wonder why. 
LINDSAY TISCH 
: We know why. The reason is that this underperforming Government does not take notice of or recognise the contribution these people can make. Another 40000-odd have decided to go elsewhere. There will be many in this Chamber who know of folk and young people who have decided to go offshore. Both my children live and work in London. They are not just on an OE; they have decided that that is where they will make their home. I want them back here. I want them to contribute. They are part of the brain drain. You see of the 80000-odd who have decided to go offshore 80 percent are under 40 years of age. They are the ones we should be retaining. They are the great contributors to any economy. They are the ones who have decided to go offshore. Out of that 80 percent who are under 40 years of age 40 percent have tertiary qualifications. They are the ones the taxpayers of the country have put through our tertiary institutions. We have become the nursery for the world. We are the ones who are providing the people with the wherewithal and they are going to make their contribution elsewhere. 
National believes that these people are important. We want them back. Our policies will be around making our environment globally competitive. That is what we want. We want an economy that will prosper and grow the cake. That is what we want. We want to have a tax system that is fair and equitable. We want a tax system that caters for people across the board not just for a few. We want higher standards in education. If we are to grow and prosper then we must have higher standards in education. We want to build opportunities for everybody. That is what we want. We want that fairness and equity. 
I am ambitious for New Zealand. National is ambitious for New Zealand. We have a great future ahead of us. We have lost the opportunities of the last 9 years. This Government is down the road. People are looking for some new ideas for some energy and commitment and that is what they will get from a National Government in a few months’ time.