Luxton Cameron; Kuriger BarbaraCAMERON LUXTON (ACT): Thank you Madam Speaker. It's a pleasure to know that people are paying attention to what sometimes may seem like an issue that can put people to sleep but actually this is one of the most important things that we can think about in our society. And Government's role is to think about the future. Now I think we can all agree that the people of New Zealand have decided that the path that we were heading down was not a good one and that is why in October they decided to elect a new Government. Now it cannot be a surprise when one reads through He Tirohanga and sees some of the outrageous things that are being said. Governments should keep debt levels prudent. Well blow me down! Governments should keep debt levels prudent because not doing so could lead to an increase in taxes. Now the previous speaker the Hon Julie Anne Genter might think that increasing taxes is a good thing but if you're printing a heck of a lot of money and you believe in modern monetary theory I guess that is what you would think is a good thing.On this side of the House we believe that New Zealanders should be able to keep their money to be able to spend on themselves and on productive activities to provide for their family and their community because as another member of this House so often says the economy isn't just an amorphous blob; it is made up of all of us and when we are taxed to the absolute brink of what a citizen should stand no wonder the economy suffers.Hon Julie Anne Genter: But we're not.CAMERON LUXTON: Well exactly—we're not because we are taking prudent measures on this side of the House to lower taxes and make sure that the fiscal position of this country is improved. As I was going through the long-term insights briefing I came across a startling number. It has got here that in 2061 the net worth of this country is forecast to be—good Lord!—negative 137 percent of GDP. Now we cannot continue along such a horrendous path that will lead us to a place where we cannot make the decisions for our country and for our families that we have enjoyed in the past.Another part of the long-term insights is looking at housing. Now it can be said that New Zealand faces a housing crisis. Well I'm a builder and I know what that looks like. It looks like building supply stores taking prices off the shelf because they don't want to show how much the building materials are going up every week. That is what we lived through during COVID. It is not a surprise that the cost of building skyrocketed when we were printing so much money that it had no alternative because as the great Milton Friedman said Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon". What we had was a Reserve Bank printing money and inflation flowing through and where does it go? It goes to discretionary spending allegedly. But I would say it goes to housing and the insane cost of housing in New Zealand. Well this Government has got a long-term vision to reduce the cost of housing by opening up the laws from which we plan finance and fund infrastructure and taking steps like the Hon Chris Penk has done in making it easier to import materials into this country to provide some competition so that we don't have an artificially raised cost of building because of a supply constraint made out of laws that have gone well past their use-by date.There is another part in the long-term fiscal position that I think needs attention and it's demographics. New Zealanders work very hard to save and provide for their families and they want to know that when are working hard that is going to their benefit so that they can invest in their home and in their business and spend that money and freedom in a way that provides housing to people who need housing provides jobs to people who need jobs and provides a future for their family. That was taken away when that side of the House was frivolous with their laws around restricting building a Resource Management Act reform process that was not future-focused and Building Act reform that was long overdue.We have been left with a horrendous position but I am glad to say that this long-term insights briefing is a piece of the tool kit that this Government will use to make this country a better country. Thank you. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Can I just remind members—and this is not directed at the previous speaker who actually had interjections to deal with—that we are looking at long-term insights rather than at a political debate that is going on here. I understand the member was responding to some of the things that were said but we've heard from our previous speakers how important it is to keep this at a high level and it would be great if we could do that. Thank you."