Bennett David: Taxation (Budget Tax Measures) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee 
Bennett David: Taxation (Budget Tax Measures) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:3995] 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
: 
 Today is a fine day for the leader of the National Government John Key; it is a fine day for the Minister of Finance Bill English; and it is a fine day for the National Party. It is a fine day for our colleagues in the Maori Party United Future the ACT Party and the Green Party and it is a fine day for New Zealanders. They have got a Government that has listened to what is needed and has delivered what is required. This Budget will go down in history as one of the most successful Budgets because if I ask members to show me anyone out there who is against this Budget there is no one—there is no one. All the emails we have been getting all afternoon have said that this is a great Budget a perfect Budget and the best Budget that can be made in these situations. That is what political commentators have been saying that is what interested parties have been saying that is what even political parties have been saying and that is what the people of New Zealand have been saying. 
New Zealanders are out there struggling and they know how difficult the times are. They know what it is to have the possibility of losing their job on Monday. They know what it means to have a high mortgage on which they do not want to see interest rates go up on Monday. They know what it is to struggle out there so they have wanted a Government that has commitment that has decency and that has made the right decisions. And they have got it—they have got it today. They have a Government that is showing leadership direction and smart ability to deal with the situation. That is what the National Government has delivered and that is what we will deliver for many years to come in this Parliament. The voters out there understand the dilemma of this world this economy and this country. They have wanted one thing: they have wanted a steady ship. In these uncertain times they have wanted certainty and that is what they have got. They have got leadership that has delivered a certain future for New Zealanders. 
And what did people have within an hour of that leadership being shown? They had international commentators people who determine the cost of credit for this country saying that it was a great Budget and one that would turn us round and put us on the right path. That is the support we had from the international community within an hour of this Budget’s announcement. It took only an hour and we delivered what the international community had not seen. 
The other parties that are supporting us today have had big paybacks in the areas where they were looking for them. The Maori Party has done exceptionally well in this Budget and the Green Party has done well in this Budget. Let us look at the Opposition. Labour members have sat in Government for 9 years but what did they give the Green Party or the Maori Party? What did they give those small parties in 9 years—9 long hard years? They gave them what? 
Hon Members 
: Nothing! 
DAVID BENNETT 
: They gave them nothing. The National Government has given them something. It has given them pride it has given them respect and it has given them a role in this Parliament. That is what we have given to New Zealanders today. We have given them a role pride respect direction and leadership. That leadership has been given the big tick and that tick will go down in history as the first one for many successful Budgets for this country and this Government.