2. Inequality Economic and Social—Government Measures to AddressMETIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime MinisterInequality Economic and Social—Government Measures to Address2. METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Ka tū a ia i runga i te mana o tana korero I will lead a Government that will govern for all New Zealanders"?[Does he stand by his statement "I will lead a Government that will govern for all New Zealanders"?]Rt Hon JOHN KEY (Prime Minister): Yes and we are doing that.Metiria Turei: Does the Prime Minister think he has been successful in governing for all New Zealanders when the top 10 percent of households now control more than 50 percent of the country's wealth and while 40 percent—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Bring the question to a conclusion.Metiria Turei: —of families share just 3 percent between them?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: In answer to the first part of the question yes that statistic has not changed—that around 50 percent of net worth is held by about 10 percent of households is the same as was reported in 2003-04. But also as the report itself says—the member needs to look at a number of different reports including income inequality which has been quite static over the last decade.Metiria Turei: Does the Prime Minister regret giving tax cuts to the wealthiest cutting KiwiSaver for everybody else and not building homes after the global financial crisis given the effect has been a broken economy where 40 percent of families—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Bring it to a conclusion.Metiria Turei: —now have to share 3 percent of the country's wealth between them?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I utterly reject the proposition in the member's question. But also if one looks at the tax switch interestingly enough of course it raised GST which is paid in large part by those who consume the most and that is obviously high-income earners. It took away the impacts that were enjoyed by some of those who own properties which by definition tend to be rental properties owned by higher-income New Zealanders and generated I think nearly a billion dollars annually for the Crown. And of course it was distributionally neutral across all different income cohorts.Rt Hon Winston Peters: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My concern that I am raising with you is the length of the Prime Minister's answers. Twice you have asked the questioner to truncate her question and then let him ramble on with a tissue of lies and think it is adequate.Mr SPEAKER: Order! If the member continues to raise points of order like that I will be asking him to leave the Chamber. [Interruption] Order! I am on my feet Mr Brownlee in case you had not observed. The problem is with these long supplementary questions which are becoming in themselves statements. Upon receiving a very long and lengthy supplementary question it obviously then gives whichever Minister is answering it the opportunity to give a longer answer. But as I have told Mr Peters on many occasions I will be the sole determiner of when I think an answer has gone on for too long.Metiria Turei: Does the Prime Minister understand that to most New Zealand families the fact that some people who own a lot of homes are doing well out of the housing crisis while everyone else is finding it harder to get a decent home to live in is just not fair?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: Firstly as I say those numbers have not changed dramatically. Secondly what I would say is that is why the Government is trying to support New Zealanders to move into their own homes through things like KiwiSaver HomeStart.David Seymour: Has the Prime Minister seen any other recent reports that 3 percent of income tax payers pay a quarter of all income tax?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I have seen that report. I have also seen one that says that 11 percent of taxpayers pay 50 percent of all tax in New Zealand.Metiria Turei: Does the Prime Minister understand that it is not just about data and graphs but about the kids who are growing up without a warm dry safe home to live in parents who have to choose between paying the rent and putting food on the table and elderly people who are shivering through this winter because they cannot afford to turn the heater on?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: The member then would be well versed to understand the changes to New Zealand superannuation. Under a National-led Government it has gone up I think it is $124 a fortnight for a married couple. The member would also then be well versed to explain to New Zealanders why she congratulates this Government on insulating 300000 homes and why the Government is spending $10.4 billion annually supporting the most vulnerable New Zealanders.Metiria Turei: Does the Prime Minister understand that this increasing gap between the haves and have-nots is also about people's inability to build up wealth over time to save for a rainy day for young people to be able to save to buy a house and for middle-aged people to save for their retirement—all of which have gotten harder under his Government?Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I think the member is wrong in the assertions she makes but that is one of the reasons why the Government has been so focused on growing the economy. It is why we are proud of the fact that the economy generated 200000 extra jobs over the last 3 years and why we are confident that the economy will generate about another 170000 jobs by 2020.Metiria Turei: Will the Prime Minister take responsibility for the fact that 40 percent of New Zealand families are struggling with a tiny percentage of the country's resources and that that gap is what is driving families to have to live in garages and cars and their kids to be getting sick in hospital and at risk of dying? Take responsibility.Mr SPEAKER: That is two supplementary questions. The Prime Minister can address one.Rt Hon JOHN KEY: I certainly do take responsibility for the fact that we spend $10.4 billion supporting the most vulnerable New Zealanders. I take responsibility for the fact that we were the first Government in 43 years to raise benefits. I take responsibility for the fact that we have provided free doctors visits for under-13s. I take responsibility for the fact that we have run a breakfast in schools programme and that we have maintained Working for Families."