Ross Jami-Lee: Taxation (Land Information and Offshore Persons Information) Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoss Jami-Lee: Taxation (Land Information and Offshore Persons Information) Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 25 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4805. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany): If Phil Twyford thinks that a speech like that is going to help him fill the deputy leader’s spot in the Labour Party I would suggest he actually does a Next Magazine NZ photoshoot in black and white polka dots because he would probably have more chance of getting there if he does that.I am happy to stand on behalf of the Government as a National member of Parliament to support this bill because it sits alongside a whole suite of measures that this Government has to try to tackle housing affordability and assist New Zealanders to get into their first home. The Opposition is trying to make big speeches about this bill and say that it will do nothing and that it is not going to help Aucklanders get into homes or help New Zealanders get into homes at all. The fact of the matter is that this is part of a large number of changes. In fact it is not a new tax that the Government is considering. It is in fact an enforcement and a clarification of existing tax rules. This bill allows the Inland Revenue Department and Land Information New Zealand to provide greater clarification and to enforce in a much better way the existing tax rules that are in place. When Opposition members want to stand up and say that this bill will do nothing—one they are false; and two when they do look at this bill they must look at it in the context of all of the housing changes this Government has been making and will continue to make to make housing more affordable for New Zealanders. I have to say that whenever I listen to speeches from the Labour Party about housing I am left wondering what they actually stand for. Does the Labour Party actually ever offer any policy? Does the Labour Party actually ever offer any solutions to those who are looking to buy their first homes or to those who are looking to see housing become more affordable in Auckland?On Tuesday night next week I am going to be very proud to stand alongside Nick Smith in my electorate when he talks to first-home buyers about initiatives this Government has under way to support first-home buyers and help them get into houses. I would like to hear Phil Twyford actually offer solutions. I would like to hear Clayton Cosgrove do something other than his grumpy old man routine and actually talk about solutions for New Zealanders. The only solution we have heard from the Labour Party was to build 100000 houses at a cost of $300000 a house when the cost of buying a section in Auckland is more than the cost of the house it was proposing to sell to people. Labour also likes to attack the Government on our plans to open up Crown land for housing development in Auckland. But if Labour members felt they could identify and build 100000 houses in 10 years how were they expecting to do it? They cannot stand on the one point and say that they oppose the Government opening up Crown land for housing but at the same time say that they were going to offer and build 100000 houses themselves. It simply does not add up.I am glad that the Opposition is supporting this bill. It should support this bill because New Zealanders do want to see greater clarification around the existing tax rules. I have to say though that when Opposition members say that we have done nothing to try and tax speculators they are again wrong because in Budget 2010 the Government allocated $33 million to the enforcement of the existing tax rules around property. That $33 million investment in greater enforcement has actually led to a quarter of a billion dollars in additional tax coming in and off the back of that the Government has also allocated a further $30 million in Budget 2015. So absolutely we believe that those who are property speculators and are not complying with their tax obligations should be targeted. That is exactly what we are doing. Alongside the enforcement measures that we are taking we are also making it easier for New Zealanders to understand the rules and ensure that they are complying with them. The brightline test of 2 years which will enable New Zealanders to know exactly when they are trading property within that 2-year period will help them ensure that they comply with their tax obligations. This bill which provides the ability and also requirements on top for New Zealanders to provide better information is important.I would like to say to Mr Phil Twyford that there is something I do want to stand alongside with Nick Smith and also support and that is the fact that Phil Twyford is actually xenophobic when he goes out into Auckland and whips up the anti-foreign sentiment. He did not like the Minister talking about him and his views as being xenophobic but he should not be ashamed to be called xenophobic because that is what he actually has been doing. Labour members would rather go out into Auckland and go and harass my constituents—harass my constituents—who just want to go about their own business and buy and sell properties. Labour wants to target those people. That member wants to harass anyone who does not look like him and say that they should not be purchasing properties. When he does go out to the media and he does go out and talk to Aucklanders and tries to whip up the anti-foreigner sentiment he forgets that New Zealand and Auckland is such a multicultural place. The reason why he is doing this is that it is cheap politics. He has got nothing else to talk about—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Come back to the bill.JAMI-LEE ROSS: Labour should actually be supporting the initiatives we have got under way.This policy change and this bill will actually help us to ensure that we can enforce our current tax measures and that we can ensure that those who wish to property speculate—there is greater enforcement around it. It stands alongside our special housing area policies which are leading to tens of thousands of houses being built in New Zealand. It stands alongside the HomeStart scheme which is seeing 90000 New Zealanders being able to get and access a deposit to be able to afford their first homes. It stands alongside our scheme such as opening up Crown land to develop on and it stands alongside schemes such as those that we have in Tāmaki to build 7500 houses on properties that currently have 2500 houses.We are a Government that is doing what is necessary to help New Zealanders get into their first homes. House prices doubled under Labour in the time it was in office. Labour members cannot claim to be holier than thou and say they have all the answers when their track record is so poor. New Zealanders know that we are working on this issue and we are tackling it. New Zealanders know that housingwill over time become more affordable for them. We are standing behind first-home buyers. We are working to assist them.