Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
Cunliffe David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers Questions to Members 
[Volume:676;Page:21714] 
4. 
Hon DAVID CUNLIFFE (Labour—New Lynn) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: What are the latest official forecasts for the current account balance and the net international investment position over the next four years under his Government’s policies? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 Probably the most recent official forecasts are the Reserve Bank forecasts released 3 weeks ago which show the current account deficit for the next 3 years as minus 3.5 minus 4.6 and minus 5.4 percent which means an average of about minus 4 percent over the next 3 years—less than half of the average between 2005 and 2008. The bank did not include projections of the net international investment position. However that has improved from being 85 percent of GDP down to 70 percent of GDP over the past 2 years. It may move out again beyond 70 percent but— 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This was a perfectly straight question on notice. It was clearly about the next 4 years. The data is set out in the Government’s Budget and economic and financial update and the Minister is not addressing the forward-looking question. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I think the questioner needs to be reasonable. I must confess that I was reasonably impressed with the amount of detail the Minister was seeking to give because the question asked for the latest official forecasts and the Minister of Finance was referring to some forecasts more recent—in other words later—than the Budget data. That is what the question asked for and it seems to me that the Minister of Finance was being pretty good in answering the question. I think he probably got out all the information he had. Does the member have a supplementary question? 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Is the Minister aware that the Government’s net international debt has tripled under his watch and how does he relate that to Standard and Poor’s statement that it downgraded the Government’s rating because of “the nation’s weakening fiscal and external positions”? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Well the Government inherited forecasts given to this Government in I think November or December 2008 that showed ever-rising deficits—or 10 years of deficits a decade of deficits as outlined in the 2008 pre-election update—and ever-rising debt reaching 60 percent of GDP and continuing to rise. We have managed in the circumstances of a global recession and the earthquakes to put a plan in place whereby Government debt peaks at 30 percent of GDP because we will reach a surplus by 2014-15. So the outlook now is significantly better than it was back in 2008 despite the challenges we have had to face in between. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: In respect of his continual excuse about the international situation is the Minister aware that less than one quarter of OECD countries have been downgraded in the last 3 years and that New Zealand is in the company now of Greece Ireland Iceland Spain Portugal Italy and the United States; if so why does he continue to try to blame international factors for the double downgrade? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: I know there is a funny little world where Labour should still be in Government and the global recession never happened. But in the real world it is different—fortunately. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Given that the question asked how he could reconcile his continual— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I want to spare the House the pain. I ask the member to please sit down. The member should go back and read his supplementary question. If he wants to get simple straight answers he should not ask questions like that. Does the member have a further supplementary question? 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: When a— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Is this a point of order? 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Absolutely. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: I have ruled on the matter and there is nothing further. The member asked if I remember correctly as to when the Minister will stop using excuses about something. That is an opinion being inserted into a question. It is actually out of order but I will not interfere all the time. If the member wants to raise points of order about Ministers’ answers for goodness’ sake ask straight questions. Then I will help him. When he asks that sort of question which is actually technically out of order I cannot help him. 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: When the straight— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Is this a new point of order? 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: Yes. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Because I have dealt with that one. OK? 
Hon David Cunliffe 
: I seek your guidance. When a straight question is asked about forward-looking data the Minister quotes history and makes excuses. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The member will resume his seat straight away. If he is referring back to the primary question I pointed out to him that he asked in his question for the latest official forecasts. The Reserve Bank is an official forecasting body of the Crown. So the Minister referred to the latest forecasts he had. I thought that was a pretty decent answer to the question. But the member has to curb his desire to inject political comment into his questions if I am to help him with answers. 
Amy Adams 
: What have been the trends in New Zealand’s net international investment position over the past decade? 
Hon BILL ENGLISH 
: Between 2001 and 2008 in dollar terms our net international investment position almost doubled—that is the amount of dollars we owed to the rest of the world went from $79 billion to $153 billion and relative to GDP from 64 percent to 85 percent. Since then we have been working hard on the difficult job I must say of trying to influence household behaviour and change Government behaviour so that those international liabilities will stop rising. Actually we have had some success. Having peaked at 85 percent of GDP our net international liabilities have now reduced to 70 percent of GDP which is still far too high by global standards but at least we are headed in the right direction.