2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Acting Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Acting Prime Minister: Does he stand by all of his Government's statements and actions?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Prime Minister): Yes particularly the Minister of Finance's statement that despite these globally turbulent times with war supply chain disruption energy shocks and inflation spikes New Zealand has cause for optimism." Quarterly GDP growth of 1.7 percent meant New Zealand outperformed other countries we compare ourselves with and when combined with our reopening we are gaining momentum. Just briefly that's shown by international traveller numbers crossing 100000 for the first time since the pandemic; the ski season in Queenstown hitting 80 percent of pre-COVID times; and international student enrolments just shortly after they have reopened are now nearly at 50 percent of pre-COVID times. The resilience of the economy means New Zealand is in a strong position to respond to an increasingly difficult global environment while continuing to support New Zealand families and businesses to take advantages available because of our strong pandemic response.Christopher Luxon: When the finance Minister said the Government is going to start targeting spending to where it can "get the most bang for buck for New Zealand" does he think adding 14000 bureaucrats to the public sector at a cost of $1.7 billion a year in salaries is an example of good "bang for buck" spending?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: It always fascinates me that the Opposition looks at the kinds of people who helped New Zealanders get through COVID and decides to call them bureaucrats. These are the hard-working public servants who got up every day during the pandemic to make sure that New Zealanders got through as well as any other country in the world. Hon Chris Hipkins: Was he urged to extend the most untargeted financial support offered over the last 2½ years to a greater number of businesses for a longer period of time and if so what was his response to that? Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Yes indeed. Time and time again members opposite called on us to give further support to the business community. We did give significant support over $20 billion but the National Party prefers an approach of untargeted support through tax cuts for the wealthiest New Zealanders. That's not our policy.Christopher Luxon: Why should taxpayers believe the finance Minister when he claims the Government is going to start being targeted when spending taxpayer money when over the last five years he's overspent every single Budget spending target he set himself?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Because New Zealand continues to have one of the lowest levels of public debt in the world—lower than the level inherited from the previous Government; because we have unemployment at 3.3 percent; and because the economy has grown 4.8 percent since before COVID. The record of this Government in making sure that New Zealanders got through COVID has been recognised by the likes of Standard & Poor's as one of the best responses in the world.Christopher Luxon: Is he embarrassed that the Government's cost of living payment was so badly targeted that tax officials had to remove over 100000 people from the list of eligible recipients after the first payment was made at the cost of millions of taxpayers' dollars?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The cost of living payment was designed to make sure that those earning less than $70000 who had not benefited from other changes that the Government made got some relief from the increasing cost of living. Members opposite were calling on us to do something. We did it and they don't like it. They prefer untargeted tax cuts for the wealthiest New Zealanders.Christopher Luxon: If the Government is finally planning to start being targeted when spending taxpayer money why did they try to push through a $225 million a year tax increase on KiwiSaver funds?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The cost of living payment represents a move from the broad-based initiatives we had through COVID such as the wage subsidy scheme. Those were initiatives that the member and his party supported. We're now targeting that support for—the member's option is to make sure that people in this House get thousands of dollars of tax cuts a year while those on the minimum wage get two bucks a week. That is not targeted spending. Hon Chris Hipkins: Is the Minister of Finance aware of any instances where taxes on KiwiSaver savings were actually increased?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Yes. The previous National Government did exactly that when it increased the employer tax obligations and also when it took away the thousand-dollar kick-start. I also recall the National Party actually opposing KiwiSaver when it was first introduced. The Labour Party continues to be proud of KiwiSaver.Christopher Luxon: Does he think taxpayers are getting good bang for their buck when despite labour shortages in almost every sector there are still 50000 more people receiving unemployment benefits than when his Government took office?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I am proud of the fact that we have unemployment at 3.3 percent. I'm also proud of the fact that we work with those who are in receipt of income support to be able to support them back into work and the programmes that we have put in place there are starting to bear fruit.Christopher Luxon: Does he accept that with school attendance and achievement so shamefully low taxpayers are not getting good bang for buck from this Government's spending in education?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I believe taxpayers are getting excellent bang for buck from what we do in the education sector. Every single day in schools across New Zealand we are seeing students achieving and achieving well. We will always continue to work as we have been on attendance and attendance strategy. But I would bear in mind when it comes to what's happened in attendance—[Interruption] When it comes to what's happened in attendance Mr Luxon he needs to look at the previous National Government to see where that trend started.Christopher Luxon: Is the finance Minister's claim that the Government is going to pivot to being targeted when spending taxpayer money an admission that the last five years have been a spending free-for-all and does he accept this approach has contributed to the cost of living crisis that is sending Kiwi families backwards?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Our approach over the course of the last five years has meant that New Zealand has an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent. It means that we have one of the lowest levels of public debt in the world. It means that our economy has grown 4.8 percent from pre-COVID times. We've invested to support New Zealanders through COVID. Standard & Poor's and others around the world are telling us that that is one of the best responses to the pandemic from an economic point of view from a health point of view and from a social point of view. I'm proud of this Government's response to COVID-19.David Seymour: Why does the Government continue to insist on New Zealanders filling out a New Zealand traveller declaration form to enter their own country when contact tracing vaccine requirements and post-arrival testing are no longer required?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: As has been stated a number of times including by me yesterday we are moving towards a system where that New Zealand travel declaration will be the document that is required to enter New Zealand. We will move away from the paper-based arrival card. Rather than stop the declaration and then restart it again we're continuing it so it will become the single document you need to enter the country.David Seymour: Can the Prime Minister confirm that 10000 people entering yesterday had to fill out the form for no reason other than the Government is in a holding pattern?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No it still provides important information for New Zealanders and it will become the document that everybody will use to enter New Zealand in the future.David Seymour: What does this Government say to a shopkeeper in Christchurch who's worked 156 days straight to keep the door open; when will the Government fix immigration so business owners facing severe worker shortages up and down the country can take a break?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The immigration rebalance and reset is already under way. That's seen around 10000 employers become accredited employers. It's seeing the job-check process largely meet its targets and it's seeing visas granted. What I say to that shopkeeper is like all New Zealanders they've worked hard to get through COVID. In that time they've been supported by the Government through things like the wage subsidy things things like the resurgence support payment the Small Business Cashflow Scheme. We continue to stand alongside those small businesses.David Seymour: Does the Government stand by its announcement to amend consumer lending regulations under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) next March and if so why not fix them now so that struggling small businesses battered by the past two years of COVID restrictions can consolidate their debt without additional rigmarole?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Those changes have been welcomed by those both in the banking sector and those who borrow. You'll need to direct the question to Dr Clark exactly on the timing but from our perspective here those things should not be preventing the business person the member refers to from getting access to the consolidated credit they need.David Seymour: Well if the regulations under the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act are not stopping people from getting access to the credit they need why does it need to be amended at all and if the regulations are stopping people getting credit why is it acceptable that a problem first pointed out last December won't be fixed by David Clark until next March?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: There are a variety of concerns that were raised about the CCCFA. Some of those were of the nature of guidelines that didn't require regulatory change so those changes are being made; some are the results of regulatory change which will go through the system. I know from the conversations I've had with retail banks that they are satisfied that the changes that we've already made are making a difference."