Brown SimeonGENERAL DEBATEHon SIMEON BROWN (Minister for Energy): I move That the House take note of miscellaneous business.It's 121 days since this Government came to office and what a mess we are having to clean up left behind by the last crowd on the other side. We have an economy which is in a challenging position interest rates which have gone up sharply an enduring cost of living crisis the Government books having dived into red debt has soared and times are tough for New Zealanders. That's why the Government today released our Budget Policy Statement on the Budget which outlines that urgent tax relief for New Zealanders is needed and this Government will provide hard-working New Zealanders with the tax relief that they need in this year's Budget. This Opposition over there on the other side have left this Government with a mess to clean up but we have the Government priorities and we have the Government outcomes that we know are needed to fix that. So our priorities for Budget 2024 are very very clear.Number one this Government will deliver meaningful tax reductions for working families to address the cost of living crisis facing New Zealanders. We will identify enduring savings across Government. And you hear them on the other side; every time we find savings they complain while the reality is they left this Government with hundreds of millions of dollars more being spent on consultants and contractors and nothing to show for it. We will improve public services by ensuring that we focus on the front line. We will keep a tight lid and control on Government spending and we will develop a pipeline of sustainable infrastructure for New Zealanders. We have been listening to New Zealanders and we understand the priorities that matter to New Zealanders and our Budget Policy Statement for the Budget outlines very clearly what needs to be done.But then you listen to what the people on the other side keep on talking about. Well they say it this way: when the economy is good what's the answer? More tax. And when the economy is bad what's the answer? More tax. They haven't learnt. But the answer to every single question by the Labour Party is: more tax. I can tell you that New Zealanders up and down this country are feeling the cost of living crisis. They're feeling the pain of the challenges that they're facing and they want a Government which will provide tax relief. They voted for a Government which will provide tax relief and this is a Government which will deliver tax relief for New Zealanders. But we now hear the Leader of the Opposition saying the next election is going to be about tax. Well we know what that's going to mean: more taxes for New Zealanders by that party on the other side.But it's not just the Leader of the Opposition; the new finance spokesperson Barbara—and I congratulate her on her ascension to the role. Not only is it more taxes but saying that Labour would also consider taking on more debt. Because of course that's the answer! After $100 billion more debt being taken on by the last Government with very little to show for it their answer is more debt as well. And if you've got a problem just ask Jan Tinetti. Just allocate it! Just appropriate it! That's the answer to every problem: if there's a challenging financial situation in a department like we're facing across Government because of the reckless spending by the last Government just appropriate it! There's a magic money tree; just appropriate it! That's the culture that's been left behind by the other side of the House.But wait there's more—there's more. There's the public meeting in Auckland Central—Labour Party economic myths"—which is coming up. The Labour Party economic myths public meeting that's coming up. Well I'll tell you about a Labour Party economic myth and I'll tell the members on the other side of the House: you can't tax yourself to prosperity—you can't tax your way to prosperity. You need a plan for growth. You need a plan to grow the economy. You need a plan to grow incomes. You need a plan which grows businesses and opportunities in our country. But all we hear from the other side is more taxes more debt and a failure to actually think about the challenges facing New Zealanders and the opportunities that we have.So on this side of the House we're going to grow the economy. We're going to provide tax relief. We're going to get Government expenditure under control. We're going to make sure that public services are delivering value for money for New Zealanders. We are up for the challenge left behind by the other side and we will deliver for New Zealanders."