2. Question No. 2—FinanceHon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of FinanceQuestion No. 2—Finance2. Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH (National) to the Minister of Finance: Does he stand by all of the Government's policies and actions in relation to the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): Yes in the context that they were made. In particular I stand by this Government's careful management of the books which has seen us run $13 billion of surpluses in our first two years in office and forecast around a further $12 billion of surpluses over the next four years. I'm also particularly proud of our $12 billion investment in capital that is forecast to increase the size of the economy significantly over the coming years. There are many other things I am proud of which the Speaker will no doubt give me an opportunity to talk about shortly. Hon Paul Goldsmith: How can he stand by his economic policies which have seen New Zealand transform from strong growth and surpluses into slow growth and deficits in two short years? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I completely refute what underlies that member's question. If he looks around the world he will see that New Zealand continues to grow at a pace faster than Australia Japan Canada the UK and the eurozone. The New Zealand economy is doing well amid global headwinds. It would be nice just one day in the House for the member to stand up back New Zealand businesses and say we're doing well. Hon Paul Goldsmith: What was he talking about yesterday when he said When we came into Government we ranked 34th in the OECD in GDP per capita and we've improved [on] that. We're [now] 32nd and we will keep moving forward"?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I was responding to the member's question about growth and GDP per capita. Hon Paul Goldsmith: Well is it not the case that New Zealand's growth per person in 2017 was 24th in the OECD and now it's 28th? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No. No the OECD told us that we were left in terms of growth and GDP per capita in 34th position in 2017 and this improved to 32nd position. We can have this fascinating argument about OECD stats or we can celebrate the fact that the New Zealand economy is in good shape jobs are growing and wages are growing. The member needs to cheer up. Hon Paul Goldsmith: I seek leave to table a note from the Parliamentary Library which is a compilation of the latest OECD stats on GDP growth per person showing that New Zealand—SPEAKER: Order! That's it. Is there any objection to that document being tabled? There is none. Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Paul Goldsmith: Well why is he peddling fake news in this Chamber? SPEAKER: Order! No that's it—that question's gone. Hon Paul Goldsmith: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. What was wrong with that question? SPEAKER: I will give the member a seminar later if he wants one. He should know by now—he's been round long enough. Hon Paul Goldsmith: Is it also not the case that growth per person in 2017 was 1.7 percent in New Zealand and it is now less than a third of that at 0.5 percent? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The member—his way with numbers is such that I'd like to go away and confirm that. What I do know from memory is that the average per capita growth over the forecast period that we have released last week is ahead of New Zealand's 10-year average. Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the finance Minister if GDP per person is the proper measurement how many examples as precedent has he been able to use from Ministers in this House from 2008 to 2017—by way of precedent? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Oh I try not to use that particular period of time as a precedent for this Government. Hon Paul Goldsmith: So what impact on Kiwi families does a drop in growth to less than a third of what it was two years ago on a per person basis have? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: We all know that New Zealand is continuing to grow. We're continuing to grow as an economy faster than most of the countries we compare us to. If the member wants to pretend that the rest of the world doesn't exist and that we're frozen in time in 2016 or 2017 he can do that. On this side of the House we are governing in real time in a way that's leaving New Zealanders' books in good shape. Hon Paul Goldsmith: Just explain to me how New Zealand's books are in good shape if we're running a deficit only two years after you inherited massive surpluses? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I can do that at great length if the member would like. In our—SPEAKER: No. Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: —first two years in office we ran very strong surpluses. We're going to be running another $12 billion of surpluses. In the face of global headwinds the economy continues to grow above trend unemployment is at the lowest level in a decade and wage growth is at the highest level in a decade. That's why the New Zealand economy is in good shape."