1. Question No. 1—Prime MinisterCHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime MinisterORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Prime Minister1. CHRISTOPHER LUXON (Leader of the Opposition) to the Prime Minister: Does she stand by all of her Government's statements and actions?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): Yes insults and apologies but I also stand by particularly the Families Package implemented on this day five years ago. In the first year around 330000 families—more than half of all families with children in New Zealand—were on average $55 per week better off as a result. By 2021 regular Best Start payments were reaching 78000 parents and caregivers with children under three years of age. On top of this 1.2 million New Zealand adults are helped with their heating with the winter energy payment. When we came into Government we made reducing child poverty a priority and with that in mind I'm proud to inform the House that weekly incomes after housing costs are now on average 43 percent higher in real terms than in 2018 for people supported by a main benefit. We are committed to helping New Zealanders and their families through the global cost of living crisis and the research shows that we have delivered. There is more to do and the next stage of this work will kick in from 1 April with increases to the family tax credit super and main benefits. I end this year proud of our record.Christopher Luxon: Why does she think merging TVNZ and Radio New Zealand is such a good use of taxpayer money?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: As members on his side of the House who may have been exposed to some of the detail of the business case will know TVNZ has projections they will lose $100 million a year within five years from commercial revenue. If there isn't some form of intervention this will continue to increasingly cost taxpayers money and that is just one of the reasons for this intervention.Christopher Luxon: What exactly are the benefits of this merger that she is so deeply and personally committed to?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: Revenue is declining. There is an expectation that taxpayers if they wish to still have public broadcasting will need to invest in both Radio New Zealand—as we already do—but increasingly TVNZ. They need the flexibility to ensure that they are able to reach audiences and grow their revenue in the case of TVNZ. That is what the merger is focused on.Christopher Luxon: Isn't it the case that she's already decided to cancel the merger and if so why won't she just front up and say so?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I stand by exactly what I've said which is that over the summer period I've asked my colleagues to make sure that as we go into 2023 we have an agenda that is clearly focused as it has been in 2022 on supporting New Zealanders through the economically volatile situation we're in. That won't change the fact that public broadcasting is facing significant challenges and solutions will be required.Christopher Luxon: Has she told Willie Jackson that she's decided to cancel the merger yet?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I've already answered that question in my previous answer. I have asked all members of the Cabinet to go away and ensure that we are focused on key priorities for 2023. I've made no further statements on any decisions that have been taken because I've done just that—given colleagues the summer.Christopher Luxon: How many times in the last five years has Grant Robertson kept to one of his Budget spending promises?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I would be happy to review this Government's record when compared to the last economic crisis that we faced. GDP: relative to the global financial crisis (GFC) two years later we are at 5.2 percent. Unemployment: some of the lowest on record—half of post the GFC. Benefit rates: we are lower in terms of New Zealanders as a proportion of the population claiming benefits despite the crisis that we're in. Māori unemployment: half what it was in the GFC. Pacific: half what it was after the GFC. Female unemployment: 3.3 percent. Wages up. I stand by every Budget decision this Minister has made including in the COVID response because that is why we have such a sound economic footing going into the next year.Hon Grant Robertson: Can the Prime Minister confirm that the extremely modest Minister of Finance has managed before COVID to lower debt run surpluses and is forecast today in the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update to see the Government's books come back into surplus in the 2024-25 year five years after COVID began compared to the six years that it took the National Party?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I can indeed. That one the answer therefore is for me—I can confirm that. I can also confirm that wages are up 17 percent since 2019. It took nearly six years after the GFC for median weekly earnings to hit that similar level. Despite a crisis the likes of which this generation has not seen the fundamentals despite being so tested have remained strong and I put it down to the sound economic management of the Minister of Finance.Christopher Luxon: Why should New Zealanders believe his latest Budget spending promise when he's failed to keep to a single one in the last five years?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I again return to the things that New Zealanders will judge us by: low unemployment low debt returning to surplus a year earlier than the National Government managed after the GFC despite a significant economic crisis. The fundamentals of our economy are the thing that will make our foundations in 2023 stronger. It will help us weather the storms of what is a very difficult international environment.Christopher Luxon: Why did she wait five years to ask her Ministers to look for savings and to prioritise spending?Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: The member is totally incorrect. As I have already said in this House despite again a significant economic shock we have seen Government spending reduce down from roughly 34 35 percent down to closer to 31 percent. That is significant and it is because we have consistently gone through that exercise.