Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Parker David: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:625;Page:19880] 
8.  
DAVID PARKER (Labour—Otago) 
 to the  
Minister of Local Government 
: What changes is the Government proposing to the rates rebate scheme? 
Hon RICK BARKER (Minister for Courts) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Local Government 
: The Government is proposing major changes to the scheme which will provide significant benefits to ratepayers on low incomes. The Government has listened very carefully to these ratepayers. The maximum rates for rebate will increase from $200 to $500—a 150 percent increase. The income abatement threshold will increase from $7400 to $20000—a 170 percent increase. 
David Parker 
: How many people will be eligible for a rebate under the revised scheme? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: Up to 300000 ratepayers could be eligible for the rebate. This will include many superannuitants. I wish to pay tribute to Grey Power for drawing the need for such an upgrade on rebates to the Government’s attention. The House will be very pleased to know that we will be able to meet the needs of low-income superannuitants and other low-income ratepayers by injecting a budgeted $50 million into their incomes. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: If the Government is so concerned about rates why is his Government in clause 9 of the Resource Management Amendment Bill making ratepayers responsible for remediation of contaminated sites at a cost that has been estimated by the Ministry for the Environment as $1 billion and given that the Prime Minister is so keen to talk about the $50 million gift why did she not also mention that the Government is proposing to dump on ratepayers this additional $1 billion cost? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: The Government is talking very closely with local government and has a funding project under way to address a variety of issues about funding to ensure that local government is adequately funded. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. My question was quite specifically about the $1 billion cost that the Government is going to pass to local government and ratepayers in respect of contaminated sites. I did not hear any response at all from the Minister to that quite specific issue. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: The Minister addressed the question. 
Larry Baldock 
: Can the Minister confirm that increasing the income abatement threshold and the amount of the rebate has been something that United Future has raised with him on a number of occasions over the past year and would he also acknowledge that another United Future proposal to remove GST on rates would reduce even further the financial burden on superannuitants and all ratepayers in this country? 
Hon RICK BARKER 
: I am happy to confirm that United Future members have been in dialogue with the Government over this very issue and it has been a very successful policy outcome. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek leave of the House to table the report of the Ministry for the Environment for August of last year that estimates the liability of cleaning up contaminated sites at $1 billion. 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: I seek leave of the House to table clause 9 of the Resource Management Amendment Bill that makes councils responsible for cleaning up contaminated sites. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? Yes there is objection. It will not be tabled.