Mapp Wayne: Taxation (Personal Tax Cuts Annual Rates and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Mapp Wayne: Taxation (Personal Tax Cuts Annual Rates and Remedial Matters) Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:647;Page:16303] 
Dr WAYNE MAPP (National—North Shore) 
: 
 Well I guess it was very disappointing for Dr Cullen to find out last night that National is actually voting for this tax cut. That is the truth. He said: “Of course National’s going to roll it back.” Why would we do that? I tell Dr Cullen that we are actually voting for it. So Dr Cullen will not be able to run that line out on the hustings any time soon because we have shown that his game is up. It is just a down payment. 
Do members know that Dr Cullen and indeed the Prime Minister went around the last few days saying: “Of course National is going to slash doctors slash nurses and slash teachers.”? They just conveniently forgot to tell the country that the Government will be spending $47 million on Government House. That is the Government’s priority. Dr Cullen should ask the people in Porirua and Glendene how important they think that is as a priority for Government expenditure. Dr Cullen should tell the people how important it is to build a new embassy in Stockholm for heaven’s sake! I can understand that there might be some priorities in foreign affairs but Stockholm? It is simply not that important and shows up this Government’s priorities does it not; Government House Stockholm 10000 extra bureaucrats in Wellington and nothing to do with doctors nothing to do with nurses and nothing to do with teachers. The Government’s preference is the bureaucracy in Wellington and frankly I tell Dr Cullen wasteful Government expenditure. So do not let me hear from any members of the Government that there is no space for an additional tax cut. 
One of the features of Part 1 is that the real tax cut is delayed. People have to wait 3 full years to get a reasonable level of tax reduction—$55 in 2011. That is why the public is saying that it is too little too late. One cannot expect them to wait another 3 years after 9 years of waiting to get a decent tax cut. Of course they will get a tax cut I guess in 2009 just enough to buy a block of cheese but I tell Dr Cullen that that will not cut it. 
I guess it is disappointing for the Government to find out that it will have to wait for National to announce its programme. So what? Why should National wait on the Government’s agenda to meet its needs to announce its package now? The public will know in enough time what National’s programme will be and they will judge it. The truth is and it is completely clear from this Budget that there is space for a better tax cut; one simply has to reprioritise expenditure. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Really? 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Yes. We are not going to spend $620 million extra on foreign affairs. We will make a different choice on that precise issue. We will not open an embassy in Stockholm. We do not see any necessity to spend $47 million on Government House. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: Oh! 
Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Look Dr Cullen is shocked. He is absolutely shocked to see that we are saying no to $47 million being spent on Government House. Sure there might be some repairs needed but $47 million of repairs? Get real! It is simply fatuous for this Government to come along and say there are no choices other than the ones it has made. There are different choices—reasonable choices—that can be made that will deliver a better tax cut for all New Zealanders. 
One of the interesting things I must say is the change from the low-income earner rebate to a scheduler rate. Actually that has some merit and I tell Dr Cullen that National members will be voting for it. We can see some merit in changing from a low-income earner rebate to a scheduler rate. National is the party for tax cuts and that is why we tell the Government we are happy to vote for this bill. We say that this is a first instalment and we say to the public of New Zealand that they can bank on this tax cut but they can also bank on more because National will have different priorities and different expenditure and will not waste $620 million on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Minister’s response to that was: “Oh well you’ll have to get the permission of Winston Peters.” Yeah right! Are we going to say to Mr Peters: “We’ve got to have your money for a tax cut.”? Hardly no.