2. Families Package—Reactions and TargetingTAMATI COFFEY (Labour—Waiariki) to the Minister of FinanceFamilies Package—Reactions and Targeting2. TAMATI COFFEY (Labour—Waiariki) to the Minister of Finance: What reactions has he seen to the Government's Families Package?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): The Government has received very positive feedback on the Families Package. I'll take just one example of a person who wrote in and said I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for increasing the family tax credit. I received the increase today and I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have some extra money to meet our bills. I have never felt motivated to contact an MP or the Prime Minister before but this certainly deserves acknowledgement and thanks. I have not voted in years such was my level of dissatisfaction in people available to vote for. However I am so glad I placed my faith in you and it was you who reengaged me to vote."SPEAKER: I'm going to warn the member that he will lose his supplementary if he does that again.Tamati Coffey: What reaction has he seen from commentators on the impact of the Families Package on the economy?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: A number of commentators have pointed out the positive impact the Families Package will have on the economy. Last week ANZ said that the economic cycle has further to run yet and that quarterly GDP growth will pick up later this year boosted by income growth and fiscal stimulus. The BNZ said that they see a substantial boost to the economy as a result of the package with growth climbing back up to 3 percent by the end of the September quarter. This Government's plan supports hard-working families and growth at the same time.Tamati Coffey: What reactions has he seen to the winter energy payment?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I saw a very confused reaction to the winter energy payment on Morning Report yesterday. First the person said he disagreed with the winter energy payment being universal because he would prefer a more targeted approach. Then he reminded us that he supported a universal tax cut for the very same amount for these very same people who he just said didn't need the support. In the end he said "This is a targeted Families Package. That's not necessarily a wrong thing." I thank Mr Bridges for his support of something that is not the wrong thing.Hon Paula Bennett: What reaction has he seen from the public on a senior earning over $330000 a year plus superannuation plus the baubles of office deciding not to opt out of the winter payment?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I haven't seen a lot of reaction to that particular decision but I'm interested to note that the member's aversion to universalism is clearly a sign that New Zealand super would be gone if that lot ever got back over here.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Does the member see any similarity in terms of policy formation between his policy and the universality of superannuation or has he had reports that suggest we should means-test the whole darned lot like the National Party did when they were last in power?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: It's quite clear from the comments coming from the other side of the House that there is some enormous problem with universalism. On this side of the House we actually believe that people in their retirement deserve a bit of support. We've given a bit extra for the winter energy payment; that lot want to take it away.SPEAKER: Just before the member calls—because I saw some confusion from the backbench at my earlier interjection with regard to Mr Coffey—I want to remind members asking questions that their microphones are open and that they are therefore not allowed when they're called for a supplementary to continue to clap.Hon Amy Adams: Is he concerned by Treasury's advice on the Families Package that 1.7 million families—that is 75 percent of all households—will in fact be worse off as a result of this Government's changes given his new-found commitment to universality?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: A large chunk of those families are people like Ms Adams and myself who would have got a $1000 tax cut.Hon Amy Adams: So why the winter heating bonus?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On this side of the House we are more than happy to stand on a record of redirecting the majority of that money to families with children who have missed out over the nine years of her Government. In terms of the winter energy payment that she's interjecting about can I note that the "worse off" equates to 10c a fortnight because of an accounting treatment nothing else.David Seymour: Does the Government have any plans to make Working for Families universal at one rate for every household?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: No we don't. And if the member is suggesting that all payments in our system should be universal that would make a remarkable transition for the ACT Party.David Seymour: So is the Minister saying that some payments are universal and some aren't; if so why is the winter energy payment universal?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The winter energy payment is universal for people on superannuation and for main beneficiary recipients. He doesn't get it; so therefore it's not universal overall."