Pillay Lynne: Budget Debate 
Pillay Lynne: Budget Debate 
[Volume:639;Page:9608] 
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
: 
 I want to acknowledge the two previous speakers from New Zealand First. They made great speeches. I also want to say that for us in Waitakere the contribution of the Maori wardens is second to none and I think it is really significant that they have been acknowledged in this House today as have many of the good works of the voluntary organisations that work so hard in our communities. 
I want to start by asking Opposition members a question. I want you to tell me because I am confused. I just do not know the answer. Are you going to keep the KiwiSaver— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Order! 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Is the National Party going to keep the KiwiSaver scheme as announced in the Budget? 
Hon Member 
: There’s the question! 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: That is the question. 
Hon Member 
: Ask it again! Ask it again! 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Is the National Party going to keep the KiwiSaver scheme as announced in the Budget? 
Hon Member 
: What’s their answer? 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: There is no answer. I think that those people have taken the lead from their leader and from Gerry Brownlee. They have been poring over  
The Hollow Men 
 and looking at their instructions as to how to handle those curly questions. 
Simon Power 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The member will be well aware that it is contrary to the Standing Orders and Speakers’ rulings to indicate that any member takes instructions from anybody and particularly from those outside this House whether it be in written or any other form. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I just advise the member that under Speakers’ rulings 48/3 and 48/4 it is not in order to say that people are dictated to or that they receive instructions or directions. I ask the member to continue her speech and to be careful about what she says. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Thank you Mr Speaker and I thank Mr Power. There is a little bit of sensitivity there. 
I think then that they certainly research how to handle those curly issues. I think one of their clear approaches which we certainly have seen through research written in certain publications is to not give a straight answer—to avoid giving the answer. 
Hon Paul Swain 
: That was in  
The Hollow Men 
. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: That is right. It is in  
The Hollow Men 
. The member is right. But that approach was certainly not from the author. It was from emails from the former leader of the National Party and I think that sort of mantra has been very much followed through. I listened very carefully to  
Morning Report 
 today when I heard John Key on the programme. I was really keen— 
Simon Power 
: You and 18 other people. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Simon Power says it was me and 18 others. I do not think that is the case given the number of people who have commented to me about Mr Key’s performance on  
Morning Report 
 this morning. But anyway he was asked very clearly what the National Party’s position is on KiwiSaver and he could not answer. He did not give an answer at any time. What he proceeded to do was to bang on again about public spending and how much money the Labour Government spent on public spending. We know that public spending is on health primary health organisations education and early childhood education interest-free loans plenty more police Working for Families—all those sorts of things. It is not a matter of just spending on a lot of bureaucrats in the building. It is actually a matter of delivering things that are really important to Kiwis such as paid parental leave early childhood education cheaper doctors’ visits 4 weeks’ holiday massive wage increases the superannuation fund interest-free loans Working for Families KiwiSaver Modern Apprenticeships—and all of those things were opposed by the National Party; every single one. 
Every single initiative that has put money into workers’ pockets and that has given better conditions to workers has been vehemently opposed by the National Party. I see those members frothing at the mouth sometimes when they talk about unions and what they have delivered for workers in this country. Then we hear Gerry Brownlee the workers’ friend saying that this is an anti-worker Budget. Well that is just rubbish; we all know that. We know that this Budget is about helping workers. It is about helping families. It is about assisting saving and incentivising saving. I am really proud of this Government and I am really proud of this Budget because it is about investing in our future and giving a hand up not a handout to assisting with saving. We want to see a society in which it is not just the rich who can afford to save towards superannuation. We want to see everyone being able to enhance Government superannuation which is guaranteed under this Government. The guaranteed State superannuation is enhanced by savings. When we hear people from the Opposition whining and grizzling about how much greater it is in Australia I say that 9 percent is what Australian employers pay to subsidise— 
Russell Fairbrother 
: How much? 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Nine percent. Not 1 percent 2 percent 3 percent or 4 percent. No it is 9 percent. Somehow employers are so much better off in Australia because they pay a 30 percent tax rate which we have matched. We are now saying to employers that we will assist them with a tax rebate but we are asking them over 4 years to assist their workers to save by moving up to 4 percent contributions to support— 
Hon Mark Burton 
: So what would it cost them in year one? 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: In year 1 it would cost 1 percent; in year 2 2 percent; in year 3 3 percent— 
Simon Power 
: There goes the pay rise. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Simon Power the workers’ friend says that there goes the pay rise. I am telling you— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: When the member uses the word “you” it brings the Speaker into the debate. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: I apologise Mr Speaker. 
In terms of business in New Zealand if it was not supported and if the National members are right about what they say why would we have had the tremendous support for this Budget from business? My electorate office at the moment is a very noisy place because double tracking is going in next door. Now I know that we will have not only double tracking but electric trains in Waitakere and I think that is wonderful. That is this Government. Again we do not see the National Party wanting to build on this. That party does not want to assist in terms of infrastructure. For some reason it thinks a paltry $10 tax cut to all workers will deliver far more. We know it will not and workers know it will not. 
I am really proud of our policies. Working for Families is fantastic. I just think it is extraordinary and so many families have come out in support of it. We think that is great but now we have KiwiSaver. But what is really important is for the people of New Zealand to understand that if they were to be crazy enough to support a National Government all those things would go. They were all opposed by the National Party. On not one of these initiatives have National Party members had the decency to say that they think it is great—fair cop they will support it. They just will not do it. Their style is to say: “Avoid discussion on these issues because we’re going to deal to them but for goodness’ sake don’t let anyone know about it.” That Mr Speaker I think just does not jell with this party; it just does not. I ask the next National member who takes a call to please enlighten this House. Just tell us. Will the National Party support the Budget? Will the National Party support KiwiSaver?