Benson-Pope David: Taxation (Annual Rates and Urgent Measures) Bill — First Reading Instruction to Finance and Expenditure Committee 
Benson-Pope David: Taxation (Annual Rates and Urgent Measures) Bill — First Reading Instruction to Finance and Expenditure Committee 
[Volume:628;Page:220] 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
: 
 It is great to have the opportunity to speak in this debate and it is great to be part of a Government that is delivering on its promises. We gave these undertakings to the electorate just a few weeks ago and already we have in the House legislation to deliver on those undertakings and commitments to our community. 
This bill represents the biggest investment in families made by any Government in decades and it will have a dramatic effect on child poverty in this country. The widening of the scheme was promised as part of our election campaign and means that almost all families earning up to $70000 will qualify for extra support. We are committed to the belief that the top priority for tax relief right now is for our hard-working families. They face the extra costs associated with raising children and the well-being of the next generation should be of vital concern to all in this country. 
As the people of New Zealand have known for the past 6 years they can trust Labour to deliver on its campaign commitments—and deliver fast. Members can compare that with National which rolled over on every single campaign pledge it made as it tried desperately and fruitlessly to form a Government. Dr Brash turned out to be just another used car salesman in a cheap suit. Orewa was gone the Maori seats were fine and the hypocrisy that that party and its policy displayed continued. As the Prime Minister noted yesterday what distinguishes centre-left Governments from those of the right is a determination to see the benefits of our growing economy reach households and families across the land. 
The extension of the Working for Families scheme will see an extra 60000 families eligible for relief increasing the number of families helped by the Working for Families package to 350000. We are putting more money in the pockets of New Zealand’s low and middle income families with children and making work pay for parents who move off benefits and into work. Significantly the extension of Working for Families sees substantial income gains for middle-income families and greater income support for working families. Combined with the existing package it will reach a total of 348000 families from 1 April. 
Hon Ruth Dyson 
: How many? 
Hon DAVID BENSON-POPE 
: It will reach 348000 families from 1 April 2006. This represents over three-quarters of all families in this country receiving an average of $64 extra a week. The impact of changes like this will be substantial and widespread. I give as an example a married couple in Waitakere City with three children who currently earn $52000 and have a mortgage. To date they have been $100 a week better off thanks to the Working for Families package. From 1 April 2006 they will be better off by an additional $76 per week—in addition to the $40 they were expecting to receive on 1 April 2006. They will get a further $30 more family support from 1 April 2007. In total by 2007 Working for Families will leave them better off by $246 per week. That is $12792 a year for that typical New Zealand family. Those gains are available to thousands of New Zealand families. We expect to see child poverty reduce by around 70 percent. 
National’s tax cuts policy would have cost a whopping $9.95 billion over 4 years. That would have delivered savage cuts to health education and the other public services New Zealanders value so much. It would have required more borrowing. And what would it have delivered? It would have delivered a stingy $10 a week to two-thirds of taxpayers. But let us not forget that it would have delivered $92 a week to someone like Dr Brash or to millionaire Mr Clarkson or to Dr the Hon Lockwood Smith or to the rest of us in here—or to other sewer-dwellers like Mr Hide. It is no wonder the voters rejected the National Party. What is the old sports adage? [ 
Interruption 
] It is I say to Mr Henare that second place is the first of the losers. 
This Government is making sure that every New Zealander has a fair go opportunity and security. As this country grows and develops every one of us will be able to share that progress.