Chauvel Charles: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
Chauvel Charles: Financial Review Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:637;Page:7907] 
CHARLES CHAUVEL (Labour) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to rise to speak in this debate as the newest member of the Finance and Expenditure Committee—[ 
Interruption 
]; that is right—and to follow fine speeches such as that of the Minister of Finance the chair of the committee and Darren Hughes as well as Doug Woolerton’s contribution which was a notable one in my respectful opinion. I would just remind the Committee that 1 April is an important date as an earlier speaker said not only for the reason that he mentioned but also because it will see increases to the Working for Families payments made to families that require assistance. As the Governor of the Reserve Bank told the committee in the evidence he gave before us on Thursday on the Monetary Policy Statement that package itself already has added 6 percent on average to the incomes of those families in receipt of it—6 percent in real terms. That is a real achievement for this Government. The KiwiSaver scheme as has been mentioned comes into effect on 1 April and the minimum wage is increased as well as 4 weeks’ annual leave becoming available to working New Zealanders. 
Those are fine achievements by any judgment and they demonstrate that this Government’s record of responsible fiscal management is intact. We do not promise to spend more than we have in the bank and we are careful to make sure that any promises on spending are sustainable and well targeted. This is a drastic contrast with the record of the National Party in Government. I saw the National Party in the late 1980s as the 1990 election approached promise all things to all people. This was a hidden agenda. 
Hon Member 
: Sounds familiar. 
CHARLES CHAUVEL 
: Yes we can remember the “decent society” as my colleague said. Well what a joke that was. In the 1990s when National came into Government its hidden agenda was revealed. I say to members opposite that that is not a record that they can afford to repeat if they want to see democracy preserved in New Zealand. Members opposite must not repeat that disastrous record if they ever again have the opportunity to be in Government.  
 One can already see the signs of that sort of agenda being laid out. Over 30 or 40 promises on spending have been made by Opposition spokespeople in the last year. All are against a promised framework of tax cuts from the Leader of the Opposition and the spokesperson on finance. Tony Ryall promised increased places in medical training. John Key promised bulk funding at the top rate for education and funding for food in schools and sports and community groups. Chester Borrows promised more police and Wayne Mapp went along with him. There was a promise to abolish parole and all the required extra prison places that that would need compulsory DNA testing of all convicts merging the Ministry of Justice with the Department of Corrections expanding rehabilitation programmes work schemes and prison health. That was Tony Ryall again. Chester Borrows and Anne Tolley promised more resources for youth justice the provision of youth justice beds and new Youth Court options. Bob Clarkson promised a new High Court in Tauranga. Chris Auchinvole promised a community law service for the West Coast. 
Colin King promised electronic signage on all State highways. John Carter promised to fund local government for its leaky homes liability arising from court action. Funding a task force to determine Auckland’s future was John Key’s promise. David Bennett promised more core services in Hamilton. Tim Groser and Chris Finlayson promised increased budgetary expenditure in arts culture and heritage. Phil Heatley promised more fisheries officers. Paul Hutchison promised more investment into research and development increasing the overall public and private investment from 0.68 percent of GDP. Colin King promised high-speed broadband access for the Hurunui. Shane Ardern promised to spend more money to eradicate varroa improve biosecurity education and introduce a new emergency response category and more container inspections. 
The Bluegreens promised more money for emission reduction technology. Nick Smith promised to create an environmental protection agency funding initiatives for thousands of volunteers and dozens of organisation and community conservation projects and sharing the cost of a joint commitment with the agricultural sector to make progress on water quality through National’s proposed sustainability investment fund. Jackie Blue promised to fund the expansion of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs into an advocacy role within government. Judith Collins promised to put more money into homes for veterans genetic testing of all veterans’ children and tax refunds for those who served in the Viet Nam War. National cannot cut taxes and do all that. 
Reports noted.