Sio Su'a William: General Debate 
Sio Su'a William: General Debate 
[Volume:663;Page:10986] 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
 That performance by the previous speaker Aaron Gilmore indicated to me why his senior members are lobbying hard so that he will not have a safe seat in the upcoming election. 
For the past 18 months this Government has sat on its hands pointed the finger and blamed the Labour Party for its inadequacy to address the struggles of the working population of New Zealand. I say that tomorrow will be judgment day for this Government. The Government’s first Budget was a slash-and-burn Budget despite the words that it would be mana-enhancing. So tomorrow’s Budget will be one that I suspect working-class New Zealanders throughout this country will say is not fair. The rest of this country will say that what the Government is about to implement will not work for New Zealand. Tomorrow’s Budget will be about this Government giving more money to people who already have money but giving very little to those who are struggling with unemployment and struggling to make ends meet. 
The Government talks about a step change and Mr Foss says that the Government’s focus is on the things that matter. I ask the Government what are the things that matter. It is jobs I say to this House—it is jobs it is jobs it is jobs. It is jobs that provide an income that can sustain families now and into the future. But what has happened to the unemployment rate? Under this Government it has ballooned to 7.3 percent—it has ballooned under this Government to 7.3 percent. Sure there was a 1 percent drop in the last quarter but there are still about 140000 people who are unemployed. Highest amongst that unemployment number are Maori and Pacific peoples. The Pacific unemployment rate moved up to 14.4 percent. So how will that ensure that the rest of the population will be able to sustain a quality life in this country? That is why Labour will continue to hold this Government to account and continue to ask it what it is doing for the many New Zealanders; this Government is about only the few. 
Mr Foss has said that the Budget is a step up and a step forward. But I ask where the step up is for Pacific communities when the Government raises the taxes on tertiary education. Where is the step up for Pacific communities when nine early childhood centres have closed in Manukau and in Mangere since this Government came into power? Where is the step up for the Pacific communities who are working in factories who are working in jobs that are essential for the economy and who are being paid the minimum wage of $12.25 an hour? Where is the step up for that population the many who earn $48000 or less a year and who will not get anything out of the tax cuts that this Government is proposing? 
Mr Foss has also said that the Government’s Budget is about fairness and equity. Where is the fairness in those who are earning $70000-plus getting the bigger tax cut while those who are earning $48000 do not get anything at all? Where is the fairness that those earning $14000 or less get the same reduction in taxes when this Government is proposing to increase GST by 20 percent? The Government will increase GST by 20 percent. That means that the rest of the population on low incomes will see increases in goods and services that will far outweigh any proposed tax cut that this Government wants to give. 
Mr David Bennett says that workers can get ahead under this Government and under tomorrow’s Budget. I ask this Government how workers can get ahead under this Government when there are no jobs and many are struggling to find work. There are families where only one person is now working whereas before two people were working. They are now at risk of losing their houses they are at risk of being evicted and they are at risk of having their power cut. How does a worker get ahead when there is no workplace training and no skills development and the rate of GST is rising?