Simpson Scott: Budget DebateText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSimpson Scott: Budget Debate[Sitting date: 21 May 2014. Volume:699;Page:18225. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): It is interesting to follow that member Carol Beaumont who is a relatively recent retread arrival in the Labour caucus on the same night that Shane Jones should give his valedictory speech. Shane Jones is leaving the Labour Party caucus for a brighter future a more optimistic future and a more inspirational and aspirational future than could ever be provided by the Labour Party caucus. It was no good that member Carol Beaumont coming to this House tonight and speaking in the Budget debate and actually doing nothing more than reading her Labour list ranking speech—snarky whiney negative and offering no hope no vision no inspiration and no aspiration for hard-working New Zealanders.So here we stand. The nation is just 121 days out from a general election—121 days out from the election. There are only 18 House sitting days before this the 50th Parliament of New Zealand rises. Last week we had Bill English the very competent Minister of Finance in this John Key - led National Government administration present his sixth Budget to the nation and what a good Budget it was. We are back in black—back in black—with a modest but very workable surplus of $372 million. Four months out from the election who could ever have thought that that was possible without the hard work dedication and fiscal prudence of Bill English and this National team? Back in 2008 when John Key Bill English and the National team were first elected the country was in crisis. It was in turmoil. It was on the brink of financial disaster and it was the careful prudent management of Bill English and John Key that saw us return to an even keel and got us back on the right track.Last weekend I had many conversations with hard-working Kiwi people Kiwi voters and Kiwi constituents in the Coromandel electorate which I have the great pleasure to represent. What they were telling me was that this was a very good Budget. The feedback was excellent. That is quite unusual for a Budget because often people are not engaged with a Budget. Often people just let it wash over them but this time people did get the message. They understand that this is a caring National Government that has Kiwi families at the very heart of its policies—that we care that we understand and that we know it has been tough for so many New Zealanders over these last 6 years. We have now got away from the profligate spending of the Labour Government where the answer to everything was simply to throw more money at it.I am proud to rise in support of Bill English’s Budget which is clearly and very definitely focused on families at the heart of everything it contains. It is decent hard-working New Zealand families that are the focus of the Budget and they deserve it so to be. We had the worst global financial crisis since the 1930s. That is just one of the measures that Bill English and this team have had to contend with. Then of course we had Christchurch to contend with. We have done I think a very good job. I think New Zealanders in 121 days will realise that as well.I want to just mention one particular aspect of the Budget that is very near and dear to my heart and near and dear to the hearts of all people in the Coromandel—that is the $26.5 million that has been allocated to further the fight against kauri dieback disease. One-third of New Zealand’s remnant kauri stand in my electorate so it was a disaster of epic proportions when a couple of months ago the announcement came that kauri dieback had been found in the Coromandel. This new $26.5 million of investment by the Government into fighting kauri dieback will mean that over 100 kilometres of new tracks can be laid 5 kilometres of new boardwalks can be constructed and an extra 300 hygiene stations can be created.This Budget is a good Budget. In 121 days New Zealanders will be faced with a stark decision. That will be a decision to stick with John Key Bill English and this National Government on the course of solid fiscal management that they have embarked upon and are getting real results with or to put it all at risk with a Labour-Greens-Mana coalition. I know which way New Zealanders are going to vote in 121 days. I commend this Budget to the House.