Hudson Brett: Budget DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHudson Brett: Budget Debate[Sitting date: 02 June 2016. Volume:714;Page:11653. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]BRETT HUDSON (National): New Zealand is in great shape and Bill English delivered another great Budget—his eighth. Look at New Zealanders; New Zealanders are achievers. They go out they greet the world they compete with the world and they win. And back home they know that they have got a Government a National-led Government that backs them all the way that supports their aspirations and that puts the frameworks in place that mean they can go and compete offshore—I know Mr Goff supports that; it is a shame that none of the rest of his caucus does—and supports them competing in the world. This is a National Government that backs Kiwis and Kiwi kids to be successful that puts an education system around them and is about each one of them achieving their potential. This is another great Budget from Bill English.What is this Budget telling us that New Zealand’s future is? New Zealand’s future is bright—with 2.8 percent growth over the next 4 years on average. That is going to be right up there with the very best countries in the OECD. A further 170000 jobs and average wages climbing to $63000 are great results—a great set of figures by any comparison with the developed world. Kiwis embrace these figures—they like the way New Zealand is travelling. It did not actually come as too much of a surprise to hear that in the Budget though. Why? This is because they look at the record of this National Government and what have they seen? Well 200000 jobs over the past 3 years and an $11000 increase in the average wage since the National Government has been in office. This is a Government that understands what is important for Kiwis and it is a Government that continues to focus on delivering those things.Let us just look back and remind ourselves what the things that matter for Kiwis and their families are: it is a growing economy and one that is delivering more jobs and higher incomes; it is a Government that is focused on delivering good education so that your children are going to be ready for the future that awaits them; and it is a country where you feel safer in your communities and one where you know that should you get sick you have got a great health care system that is going to help you to return to health as soon as possible. Kiwis know that that is what this National Government is delivering for them.I came to this Parliament from a 20-year career in the ICT industry and I am delighted—delighted—to see a continued investment in innovation from this Government. In this Budget there is $761 million—$761 million—for helping to continue to diversify our economy not only to focus on adding value to our traditional core strengths in the primary sector but also to support burgeoning industries including the ICT industry and also our creative industries that are very strong and growing here in Wellington our capital.When we do this when we look to support innovation—unlike some who would choose winners—we know that New Zealanders can be successful across sectors. We invest money for instance in research—$63 million into strategic science research; research for instance that will look into the likes of freshwater management and research. This will help us to deliver our primary sector strength with a smaller environmental footprint. But if we look at what the Opposition says in these areas all it wants to do is shrink what we do—to cull the dairy herd and do less of what we do so well.This is a Government that is very balanced in its approach. It is a Government that supports our traditional sectors while also adding support to the newer ones. I look at Ōhāriu the electorate that I am based in and I see for instance Taylor Preston meatworks. It exports everything it produces—$250 million worth of export receipts into the Wellington economy every year. At the height of the season it employs 700 people. It is a very very important business in Wellington creating value locally from a traditional core strength of New Zealand. On the other side—in fact almost across the road; just down the road—you have a company like 4RF which works in telecommunications. It is a company that does research and innovation—a company that creates new technologies—and it also exports them around the world. It is a company that for instance has made use of our research and development growth grant programmes through Callaghan Innovation.There we have a great example even in Ōhāriu of a Government that is balanced in its approach that supports what Kiwis do so well and supports growth in new and more value-added intellectual property - based areas which are a big part of our future. It is that sort of balanced and pragmatic approach that has the New Zealand public continuing to support John Key and continuing to support this National-led Government. It was a great Budget and I look forward to more.