Cunliffe David: Taxation (Annual Rates GST Trans-Tasman Imputation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
Cunliffe David: Taxation (Annual Rates GST Trans-Tasman Imputation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill — Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee 
[Volume:613;Page:10103] 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Associate Minister of Revenue) 
: 
 I take a very brief call to attempt to insert a few facts into this increasingly rhetorical discussion. Both Ms Wong and Mr Key—deputy deputyDawg—have argued about the level of the surpluses. Let us strip it down. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: The member cannot use that term. He will withdraw and apologise. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: I withdraw and apologise. The operating balance excluding revaluations and accounting changes is $5.6 billion. From that we must subtract $800 million for retained earnings after dividends of trading activities. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. This debate is actually on part of this bill. I ask the Chair to reflect on what the hell the definition of the operating balance excluding revaluations and accounting changes etc. etc. has to do with this bill. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: I remind the member that clause 3 is about rates of income tax. I ask the Minister to keep to the rates of income tax as I have reminded others. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Very briefly other members have referred to the level of surpluses that have been generated by those rates and I am simply trying to explain the composition of those surpluses. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. That was a direct challenge by the Minister to the Chair after you had ruled. 
Jill Pettis 
: Oh sit down. 
Rodney Hide 
: Now I have the fishwife complaining and interjecting while I am on my feet on a point of order and the Chair does not seem to mind. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: That is not a point of order. Please be seated. The member will continue and stick to the rates of income tax. 
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: I have ruled on the point of order Mr Hide. 
Rodney Hide 
: This is a new one. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Madam Chair I fully accept your ruling. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Mr Hide has another point of order. 
Rodney Hide 
: Speakers have instantly thrown members out of this Chamber for interjecting on a point of order—I think I myself may have suffered that indignity—but I notice that when the member opposite interjected you clearly heard her. You refused to comment and discipline that member. She should be gone. She is the whip—she should know better. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Several members have interrupted this afternoon. I have not given a warning but I will certainly give a warning now. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Very briefly to conclude the point at issue— 
Hon Judith Tizard 
: I raise a point of order Madam Chairperson. In that exchange an extremely unparliamentary term was used about a respected colleague. All members are honourable members and I ask that the offending member withdraw and apologise for that expression. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: I am sorry I did not catch that. Did the member— 
Rodney Hide 
: I wasn’t offended. 
Hon Judith Tizard 
: In his purported points of order Rodney Hide used an expression about the Government whip that is extremely unparliamentary. All members are honourable members and I find that term deeply offensive. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: The member used an unparliamentary description of a member. He will withdraw and apologise. 
Rodney Hide 
: I withdraw and apologise. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE 
: Very briefly to conclude the point—and I fully accept your ruling—the implication of the rates as they currently stand with the economy growing as strongly as it is is that a cash surplus of some $5.6 billion translates to an available surplus after adjustments of around $1 billion which must be apportioned between debt repayment and new spending. The Opposition has called for tax cuts. That must be seen in the context of the available surplus of the day.