Ross Jami-Lee: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — Recommittal Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRoss Jami-Lee: Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill — Recommittal Third Reading[Sitting date: 25 February 2015. Volume:703;Page:1937. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAMI-LEE ROSS (National—Botany):There is a bit of a theme developing right now on the Opposition benches. The theme from the Labour Party seems to be that National is so mean that it will not let the Labour Party pull out the credit card to spend up large. That is effectively what the Labour Party is saying.We have to be clear when we talk about paid parental leave that there is one party sitting in the House right now that is extending paid parental leave and that is National. I do not know whether the Labour Party was listening during the Budget last year but the National Government has announced and has enacted changes to extend paid parental leave in New Zealand. The National-led Government has implemented a package worth $500 million to support families. Included in that package are two extensions of paid parental leave which will eventually take paid parental leave out to 18 weeks. I have heard the Labour Party today say that extending paid parental leave to 26 weeks is affordable. I am sure it would also try to find an argument that extending it to 52 weeks would be affordable and then it will go to 2 years 3 years and 4 years.The problem with the Labour Party—and we found this during the election—is that it thinks everything is affordable. During the last election campaign the spending promises from that side of the House amounted to $30 billion. Those members think everything is affordable. This side of the House instead does things in a measured way. We support families we support New Zealanders but we have to recognise that every time the Government spends money to support New Zealanders it also comes out of the pockets of New Zealanders. I think the last thing that New Zealanders would want is for any Government to put New Zealanders into more debt which the other side wanted to do and to have to raise taxes which the other side wanted to do when there is a more affordable and measured way to do it.We are supporting families. Families in New Zealand are getting paid parental leave extensions. As part of our $500 million package as well families in New Zealand are going to have the ability to send their children to the doctor for free up to the age of 13. Families in New Zealand because of the National Government’s changes that we have enacted will see parental tax credits extended. Families in New Zealand because of the changes the National-led Government has enacted are seeing more funding going into early childhood education and more funding going into welfare changes to support families in this country. We have the track record to do it.I feel a little sorry for Sue Moroney. I feel that she has been hung out to dry by her party. The Labour Party has found in the last election that its promise is unaffordable; that its promise is not one that the Labour Party was able to sell to New Zealanders and she has been left to hold out this bill—which actually says nothing at the moment. It has a title it has a commencement date and it has a clause that outlines the principal Act that she wished to change but it has nothing else in it. If she had some honour she would have asked the Business Committee to drop the bill but she was hung out to dry by her party.We are extending paid parental leave. We are enacting changes for New Zealanders.Sue Moroney: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I am offended by that misrepresentation by that member and I would like him to withdraw and apologise.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Well I am not quite sure what the point of contention is. There has been quite a robust exchange across the benches. What specifically are you objecting to?Sue Moroney: I am objecting to the member saying that I was hung out to dry by my party when in fact it was his party that filibustered the bill—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): No no. [Interruption] No that is not a point of order.Tracey Martin: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Is this a new point of order?Tracey Martin: It is a new point of order. Can I seek your clarification? During Mr Ross’ last contribution he said that if Ms Moroney had any honour she would have asked for the bill to be withdrawn. Is that parliamentary language?The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): That is certainly parliamentary language.JAMI-LEE ROSS: Sometimes the truth is hard to believe. I was interrupted in my flow but I was outlining the fact that the National Government has been supporting families. When members on this side of the House go out and knock on doors stand in the main streets of their cities and talk to New Zealanders about what they want they want a country that is affordable for their children to live in. They want a country that supports their children in their time of need but does not tax them and rack up debt to pay for it. They want a Government that lives within its means. They want a Government that provides proper housing for New Zealanders—we are doing that. They want a Government that provides good-quality education services for their families—we are doing that. They want a country that provides health services for their families—we are doing that.Families in New Zealand are far better off because of the changes implemented in the past 6 years. The Labour Party may wish to go out and say that the National Government is not doing enough for families but our track record speaks for itself. We are extending paid parental leave. We are doing so in a measured way. That is what this country deserves and asked for. It passed its judgment in September last year.