Robertson GrantThird ReadingHon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): I move That the Families Package (Income Tax and Benefits) Bill be now read a third time.What a fantastic day for New Zealand. We have managed now to come to the third reading of a piece of legislation that will transform the lives of thousands of New Zealand children. At the very outset I want to pay a special tribute to the officials from the Ministry of Social Development IRD Treasury and other departments who have put this package together for this legislation within a very short time frame.This was a core part of the 100-day plan of this coalition Government. It was a core part of the 100-day plan of this coalition Government because it will make the lives of children and families in New Zealand better. Yesterday when we saw the reactions from UNICEF and the Salvation Army what they said was that $60 a week makes a difference to these families the Best Start payment makes a difference to these families and lifting Working for Families makes a difference for these families. On this side of the House we are incredibly proud of that. Let's be absolutely clear: 88000 children out of poverty by 2021 71000 children out of poverty next year—and Steven Joyce didn't quite manage to read all the up-to-date documents. He got some documents that were out of date. When Treasury came to look at the package in full they said 88000 children lifted out of poverty and they said 354000 families benefiting by an average of $75 per week.What this bill is about is it's about making sure that New Zealanders get a fair share in prosperity. When we put out the Budget Policy Statement and the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update yesterday yes it showed the books in good shape yes it showed the New Zealand economy growing but what we all know is that that economic growth has not reached many of our citizens. So faced with a tax cut package that would've seen over $400 million go to the top 10 percent of earners each year parties on this side of the House said That's not fair." It's time to finally start to reduce inequality in this country; to give every single child the best start in life. The New Zealand that I know the parties on this side of the House want is one where your success and your future is determined by your hard work and by the strength of the community around you not by the size of your parents' bank balance; a country where every single child whether they live in town or country whether they come from means or not knows that the Government will be there to support them knows that the Government will be behind them all the way. That's why we have prioritised an investment in children.During the debate that we've had on this bill we heard time and time again that money was being taken off people. It was not. It had not got into their pockets—it had not got into their pockets. Yes we repealed tax cuts but they had not come into force. So New Zealanders know that in the future under this Government they won't be paying more personal income tax than they have in the past but that there will be a package that actually sets out to improve the lives of people in New Zealand. I am incredibly proud of this package. I'm incredibly proud that in our first 100 days this Government has been able to show that we will make the legislation and we will develop and implement the policy that will make a massive difference in the lives of New Zealanders.I want to thank the New Zealand First Party and the Green Party for their support of this coalition Government. This is a Government that means business. This is a Government that's going to get on with reducing inequality. This is a Government that is united in giving every single New Zealander a fair go. I am delighted to finally commend this bill to the House."