King Colin: Budget Debate 
King Colin: Budget Debate 
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COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 It is a real pleasure to stand in the House during the debate on the Appropriation (2009/10) Estimates Bill and to be able to listen to the motivating and inspiring speeches coming from Ministers on this side of the House. Budget 2009 certainly strikes the appropriate balance. It positions New Zealand nicely to take advantage of the future improves New Zealanders’ aspirations and situates us so that our economy is in good health. We have great confidence in New Zealanders and in their innovative natures. We expect the primary sector to be the means by which we are dragged out of this recession and Budget 2009 will start us on the road to recovery. 
Firstly I congratulate the Minister of Finance Bill English on the sterling job he has done. I also congratulate the Prime Minister. They are proving to be stunning managers of the New Zealand economy. We take heart from that and I know all New Zealanders do. Surely at this particular time in the economic cycle New Zealanders draw great comfort and confidence from the way in which they voted on 8 November 2008 thereby placing a National-led Government in power. It springs to my mind that the words of Abraham Lincoln are appropriate. Under Budget 2009 there is a far more aspirational and inspirational future. Abraham Lincoln said: “A Government should never do for people what people can do for themselves.” That is the very very important difference between that lot and the present Government. 
Having said that I would now like to dwell for a few moments on the reckless behaviour of the Opposition. It has been elucidated from this side of the House how those members’ appetites for unrestrained spending has not abated. It defies their understanding that we are in the worst economic times in the last 70 years. They continue to be determined to spend like they did during the last 9 years and in the same wasteful fashion. That is reckless and irresponsible and can only be described as credit card economics. When we start thinking about phrases that have been coined during this time it is no wonder that the Leader of the Opposition has been labelled “Whack-it-on-the-bill-Phil” Goff. 
Let us have a look at the extravagant and wasteful appetite of the Opposition. In the face of the worst economic times in 70 years Damien O’Connor wants to spend another $5.5 million; Phil Goff wants to spend $20 billion; Moana Mackey and Jim Anderton want to spend another $800 million; Ruth Dyson wants to spend another $100 million; Sue Moroney wants to spend $285 million; Grant Robertson wants to spend $66 million more; Maryan Street wants to spend another $9 million; and the doozy of them all the big man in the front row Parekura Horomia assures us that Labour would spend more money over the next 4 years. That would never be described as credible; in fact it is rather rich coming from that wasteful Opposition. Labour will be remembered for one thing and one thing alone: wasting the best economic times of the last 30 years. That is a pretty serious legacy to be carrying around its neck. 
This Budget puts us on the road to recovery. If there was ever a time where New Zealand needed a Government that had total financial literacy it is now. That National-led Government is led by John Key. At this time I must acknowledge the wonderful support we get from the ACT Party the Maori Party and United Future and that is representative of New Zealand. 
I will now touch on some of the features that are the key points of Budget 2009. Let us talk about the home insulation programme. The campaign to fit out homes built before 2000 with insulation and clean-heating devices such as heat pumps will benefit 180000 households. The grants will range from $1800 to $3000 if a person has a community services card. There is $323 million devoted to that campaign and it is fully costed; something that lot over there failed to do with their deceitful promises. 
What are we doing in health? There are wonderful things for health in Budget 2009. We are improving district health board services and that is what the public wants. We will fund 800 more health professional places costing $70 million a year. We are improving maternity services spending $103 million. We are upgrading the health infrastructure and constructing 20 new dedicated selective surgery theatres at a cost of $245 million. That is what we are doing in health. 
I will move on to education the very foundation that allows people to aspire and achieve. We have targeted $1.68 billion and a billion dollars of that amount is new spending. We are spending it to make sure teachers have decent classes to teach in. We are building new schools and modernising existing ones. We are spending $523 million. We are determined to do everything in our power to improve literacy and numeracy standards. We are introducing national standards that will report to parents in clear and understandable language and we will identify those of our young people who need that extra support. We are spending $36 million on that. This is a wonderful initiative that will insulate New Zealanders going forward to read write and comprehend in such a way that they will be future-proofing themselves. Our next point in education is expanding the 20 hours’ free early childhood education and that is a wonderful initiative. We are appreciating the contribution of playcentres and kohanga reo by spending $70 million. 
There is so much to talk about and so much to be proud about in this Budget. There is a lot of inspiration aspiration and positiveness that is overwhelming in a time of world recession. When we look at the performance of the Opposition we are left with the frustration of having experienced the wasting of the best economic times in 30 years. We had to endure low productivity or no productivity. The determination of this Government and Budget 2009 is to get New Zealand back on the road to recovery. Thank goodness we have an executive that is financially literate we have a Minister of Finance called Bill English and we have a Prime Minister called John Key. We are very fortunate. 
It has been a privilege to touch on some of the cameos. There are so many other things in the Budget like 600 more police on the beat by 2011. I commend the Budget to the House. I think the Minister of Finance has done a stunning job and may we get many more of these Budgets. Thank you very much.