Bennett DavidDAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East): I am glad that last speaker woke up once the bell went and he actually got to his speech. But Grant Robertson did make one comment and that is that the Government has ridden off the back of Michael Cullen. Well we all know what Michael Cullen left this country: 10 years of deficits ahead high interest rates a country that was going into recession before the rest of the world. That is what Michael Cullen left New Zealand. That is what the Labour Government and New Zealand First left New Zealand.That is not what this Budget represents because in this Appropriation Bill and Imprest Supply bill we see what this Budget actually delivers for New Zealanders. And that is GDP growth of 2.9 percent projected to be 2.8 percent over the next 5 years; exports up $2 billion in the last year; and a trade surplus of $358 million in the last month. I remember the days when the Opposition would come in here and ask about trade surpluses and deficits but they do not any more because New Zealand is in surplus. Over 200000 more people are in work than 3 years ago and another 170000 jobs by 2020. The unemployment rate has dropped to 4.6 percent and the average wage is increasing to $63000 a person—that's up $16000 since the National Party came into office.Dr David Clark: Who wrote this rubbish?DAVID BENNETT: This is the truth of what has happened in New Zealand Mr Clark and I wish you would listen. The net operating allowance of only $1.6 billion compared with Labour's of $4.3 billion—the Labour Government that Grant Robertson was so keen to extol the virtues of and that spent New Zealand into recession before the rest of the world. Operating surpluses are expected for the next few years going to $2.5 billion in 2018-19 and then $6.7 billion in 2019-20. Net debts peaked at 25.6 percent of GDP and then fell to 19.3 percent of GDP.What does that show the New Zealand public? It shows the New Zealand public prudent economic management—good economic management—in this Budget which delivers results for New Zealanders. It delivers the ability for us to fund those social services in the many areas that New Zealanders want. Contrast that with what is happening in the rest of the world at the moment: Britain deciding to be isolationist. Britain could be the Hong Kong of Europe if it took the approach of looking wider towards Asia Africa the Pacific and America but instead it is taking a very isolationist approach. America may well follow that isolationist approach later in the year. We know that in Canada there is a left-wing Government that is spending money like it is going out of fashion and will destroy its economy.What does that leave? That leaves New Zealand and Australia at the bottom of the world which actually have the best Western economies and New Zealand has the best Western economy of any country in the world. Mark my words New Zealand will be the place where all Europeans and all Americans and all Asians and all people of this world who want to have a good future will actually want to come and prosper because it is a country that will run itself in a prudent and successful way. We have shown we can do that and we have shown how important it is to do that. We do not need to be a failed State like Europe where there is too much bureaucracy where there are initiatives supporting uncompetitive industries and where there is a large welfare State and high debts in those countries. We need a country that is open and free and that trades with the rest of the world. That is what this Budget delivers for New Zealanders and what this Budget delivers for all people in the world to see what can be done with this country and what is important.We will hear from Opposition speakers that there should be no immigration that we should cut this country down and that we should take an isolationist approach. That is the policy of the Labour Party. It is against immigration. We know the Green Party is against immigration—how silent its members are in this House. They will not admit to their policy when it is said in front of them. They are so silent about it are they not? We know New Zealand First has always been against immigration. It does not see New Zealand as an open place for business.This Budget is a Budget through its Imprest Supply bill and the Appropriation Bill that shows that we are open for business. We have set the fundamentals there for New Zealand to prosper and succeed. And New Zealand as a country that has that opportunity will be a haven for all those like-minded people who believe in the future of themselves and their people. New Zealand has that stable Government that can take up those opportunities and we look forward to that happening in the near future as we continue to build on the successes of this last Budget.We also saw in this Budget in the speech from Bill English how there has been an attempt and an approach to actually look at social investment and to look at how that spending has been spent to make sure that we see the strong results of that expenditure. No more can we see that than in areas such as education. With the large investment in innovation in this Budget it really sets up a strong basis for education for our people. It sets up a system where people understand that there is a strong investment in things like the science technology engineering and mathematics subjects in our universities so our students see where their job opportunities are. They know that that investment is there so they can follow that investment through.It sets up the extended health-care provision as well in the Budget with over $2 billion in extra health-care expenditure for New Zealanders to deliver those services. It also works in the education field around how to look at funding for schools so that we actually fund those students who are most in need rather than just the broad increases that there have been in the past. The use of that kind of data and understanding of information so that we deliver the best services for New Zealanders is what our people want. It is the best use of our resources as a Government and it shows an economic base that is solid and strong and that can deliver those opportunities. When you look through and see that economic base we are flourishing in this modern world.New Zealand has gone through the economic hardships of the recession. We have rebuilt Christchurch to a large extent and at the same time have managed to do so in a way that is prudent for our Budget and that has put us into a place where we now can have surpluses going forward. That gives New Zealanders opportunities and choices—choices that would be taken away by the Opposition which wants to spend and spend and spend and take away those surpluses—JAMES SHAW: Is that communism then? You haven't said communism yet.DAVID BENNETT: —to deliver New Zealand no opportunities for the future.We have the Green Party over there its spokesperson wanting to talk about the word communism". Well we know that he is a member of that party and so we acknowledge his past in that area. But the Green Party for example would be the last party you would want to have in control of the Budget of New Zealand. We know from the agreement with the Labour Party that those two parties are looking at formalising such an arrangement. But we always know that the Labour Party leads the Green Party that far and then dumps it just at the election day and then goes with New Zealand First. So beware in the Green Party. I hope that that agreement has something tangible for you because it is unlikely to ever come to fruition after an election result because Labour's history is not such.These are interesting times in the world. They are not the times to be isolationist. They are not the times to set walls around our country. They are the times where we should look forward and we should take advantage of our opportunities. New Zealand is uniquely placed. We are the country that has strong economic management. We have solid bases through education and health care for our citizens. We have a free and democratic system. We have an opportunity for all people to achieve their full potential. No other country in this world creates that environment at this time. With the uncertainty in Europe with the uncertainty in America and with the growth of Asia we are uniquely placed to become the place where everybody will want to be in the future. New Zealand should take that advantage. We can ill afford to have an Opposition party in this Parliament and in any Government going forward that would stop New Zealand being able to take advantage of those opportunities. Thank you.Debate interrupted."