2. Question No. 2—Prime MinisterTODD MULLER (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterQuestion No. 2—Prime Minister2. TODD MULLER (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by the statement from the Speech from the Throne There will be a progressive tax system where everyone pays their fair share according to their means"?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes. I also stand by all of my statements regarding the COVID recovery plan of this Government which remains our top priority at this time.Todd Muller: Is the current tax system as progressive as she would like it to be and does she believe that everyone pays their fair share?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I will note that in the Speech from the Throne I was also quoted as stating "Personal income taxes taxes on the family home and GST will remain at the same rates as they are today." Now the point we were making there was that under a National Government they wouldn't have; they would have given tax cuts to the top 1 percent of New Zealanders. And a progressive tax system is not just about rates but of course tax transfers and we are a Government who increased the family tax credit who brought in the winter energy payment and who added the Best Start payment. All in all that has meant that on average 385 New Zealanders are $75 better off which I think does mean we have a fairer system.Todd Muller: Are the current personal income tax rates and thresholds fair?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Obviously our belief was that it was not going to be any fairer with that Government's proposed changes under National. The National Government's proposed tax changes would have meant that the top 1 percent were better off. We cancelled those. We kept our existing system. We added additional transfers to try and create greater fairness in the system. I'll also add the fact that we did extend the brightline test. We have closed tax loopholes for property speculators. We added the low-value goods tax which I know is something that Judith Collins championed but was not introduced by the last Government. Base erosion and profit sharing has also been introduced and we've continued work on a digital services tax which we've consulted on. All of that would add greater fairness to our system as well.Todd Muller: Does she support policies to make the income tax system more progressive such as the Green Party's policy of taxing higher incomes at higher tax rates of 37 percent and 42 percent?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I have no responsibility for the Green Party's tax policy and I would remind the member that the 2017 election I think was one of integrity and decent debate which all New Zealanders deserve under the leadership of Bill English. I would hope given the misinformation campaign I have seen led by that Opposition that they would revert back to what was a standard of care that all New Zealanders deserve in an election and I hope it is not a sign of the way he chooses to campaign.Todd Muller: Will she rule out increasing personal income tax rates while she is Prime Minister?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I stand by everything I said in the Speech from the Throne. I stand by everything we have done as a Government—Hon Dr Nick Smith: Answer the question.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —and when we release our tax policy—SPEAKER: Order! Which member was that?Hon Dr Nick Smith: I said "Answer the question."SPEAKER: Right the member will stand withdraw and apologise. He's on his formal warning. That's the fourth time he's been warned in the last two weeks for that interjection.Hon Dr Nick Smith: I withdraw and apologise.Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: To complete my answer I am happy to debate fact and our actual policies with the member not the misinformation he is currently spreading.Todd Muller: Will she rule out increasing personal income tax rates while she is Prime Minister?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: In this House I am responsible for every statement and policy we have announced and I am happy to answer questions on that. I am not responsible for other parties' tax policies and neither has Labour released its own. When we have I'm happy to debate it. In the meantime I urge the member not to continue to spread the blatant misinformation to New Zealanders that he has to date.Todd Muller: Does she stand by the other statement from the Speech from the Throne that—and I quote—"Building a truly prosperous country means sharing the wealth generated by our economy with a wider range of New Zealanders."?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Which is why we cut and cancelled that member's unfair tax cuts we increased the transfers through the family tax credit introduced Best Start increased minimum wages and made sure that those on the lowest income do have a higher income. Again I am happy to debate our record happy to stand by my statements in this House. What I'm not happy to stand by is the misinformation from that member.Todd Muller: Does she therefore support the Green Party policy of introducing a wealth tax?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I am happy to clarify for that member again because he seems to have missed this in all the advertisements I've seen the National Party put his name and reputation on: that is not our policy; it is another party's policy. Just in the same way that ACT's flat tax rate I only assume is not the National Party's policy.Todd Muller: Will she rule out a wealth tax while she is Prime Minister?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Again members only need to look at our reputation in this House. We have not introduced any such tax. I am not responsible for any other party's tax and in this House I therefore will not be answerable to another party's tax policy.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Prime Minister as to whether she intends to increase public debt eight times whilst giving tax cuts to her mates?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: A reflection again on the National Party in Government who again—I'm happy to reiterate that we did not believe what they were willing to introduce did equate to a progressive tax system which is why we cancelled their plans.Todd Muller: How fair or progressive is it to increase petrol excise taxes by 12c and an 11.5c regional fuel tax since becoming Prime Minister costing the average household hundreds of dollars extra every year despite getting almost nothing in return?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As fair and progressive as it is to increase it by 17c which is what that member did when they were in Government.SPEAKER: I will remind the Prime Minister of the definition of "Government". That member has never been in Government."