Bridges SimonBUDGET DEBATEDebate resumed from 25 May on the Appropriation (2017/18 Estimates) Bill.Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Minister for Economic Development): What a fantastic Budget we saw delivered for New Zealanders by the Hon Steven Joyce last week. What a fantastic Budget for New Zealanders. You see many Budgets can deliver let us say for public services. Some Budgets can deliver for infrastructure. Some can deliver for social investment. Some can see the debt of the country go down over time. Some can deliver a family package for incomes. But this is a Budget that delivered in all of those areas and delivered in all of those things for New Zealanders from the top of New Zealand right down to the bottom. I think we should be really proud of that as a country and the results it will deliver for New Zealand. The reason for that is we have an economy that is growing incredibly strongly. It is growing at 3 percent or over and actually over the next few years it will be growing above that I think on average—peaking at 3.8 percent. Employment is rising. It has gone up a couple of hundred thousand in the last 3 years and is going up 215000 in the next 3 to 4 years. Peeni Henare: How's Māori unemployment going? Hon SIMON BRIDGES: I am glad the member over there mentioned unemployment. It is declining and is set to decline to 4.5 percent—very low by developed countries' standards—and we are seeing all of that happen. Meanwhile surpluses for the Crown are growing. That did not happen by accident. That did not happen by us simply shutting our eyes and watching it all unfold. It happened because of great businesses around New Zealand that had the confidence to get in to do it to employ people and to take on risk and because of a Government that has continued to deliver fiscal macroeconomic and microeconomic reforms that have made a difference and have been consistent over time for New Zealanders. What is also true is that you cannot have one without the other—you cannot have the better public services the infrastructure investment the paying down of debt the Family Incomes Package that sees 1.3 million New Zealanders $26 better off on average without also having that strong economy that this National Government has delivered—from a global financial crisis to the figures and the economy that we have today.What Steven Joyce has done in a range of areas is worth going through. In public services there is $7 billion of investment—Hon Member: How much?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Seven billion—the biggest public services package over that period that New Zealand has seen. In health in education in law and order and in social development this is the biggest ever total spend. What that means for New Zealanders is better mental health services. It means more police—1100 more staff out there making New Zealanders hard-working Kiwis safer on our streets and in their homes—and it means a new ministry for children that will make a really significant difference to those vulnerable New Zealanders. In terms of infrastructure it is an incredibly strong Budget on something we know a growing economy a growing New Zealand deserves—$4 billion of investment this year. This is the biggest capital spend we have certainly seen in real terms this century. It really will make a difference.Of course it is not just that $4 billion—that is the new spend. Actually in context we are talking about $32.5 billion that the Government is investing in infrastructure around the country: the New Zealand Transport Authority for roads; Housing New Zealand for housing; rail; broadband; better schools; and better hospitals.Denis O'Rourke: How many bridges?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: We are the Government of infrastructure Mr O'Rourke and we are investing in it like never before. Take my own area—there is $9 billion of investment over the next 4 years in State highways alone—$9 billion and 540 kilometres of new lanes around New Zealand. [Interruption] Well that would be rail as well as roads. We are doing a bit of that too I might say. This is incredible investment in infrastructure a growing economy and a growing New Zealand. There is a families package that will make a real difference to New Zealanders. It will make a real difference to those low and middle income New Zealanders who may be struggling to make ends meet and who will receive real money in their pockets. It will make a real difference to those with families because of what we are doing with Working for Families. It will make a real difference for those who perhaps have housing stress whether that is in Auckland Tauranga or other parts of New Zealand. Simply put 1.3 million Kiwis will receive an average of $26 more every week because of what we are doing—a couple of billion dollars of money that they have worked hard for that they deserve back in their pockets and that we are putting back in their pockets because we have got the economy that can afford it we have got an economy that is growing and we are making the decisions that mean we can invest back in them. It comes in the form of income relief it comes in the form of Working for Families relief and it comes in the form of accommodation relief for those New Zealanders who deserve it and are working hard. That is a really interesting thing there. Hon Member: Why does Labour hate it?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: All the while I hear behind me—well credit where credit is due actually. What we know is that the Green Party and the New Zealand First Party are supporting it. They might do so begrudgingly but credit where credit is due. They are voting for it. Denis O'Rourke: Only one bill—not the rest of the Budget.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: They know that those New Zealanders those 1.3 million working New Zealanders—Mr O'Rourke you know. The member over there knows that they deserve what we are doing. They know that as we can—Hon Paul Goldsmith: Our friends.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: —we will do more. Our friends in New Zealand First and the Green Party—they know that but Labour voted against it. Jacinda Ardern: Proudly. Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Now those members are working out or trying to work out—I will be interested to hear from the member Jacinda Ardern—why they did that. They are working out why they did vote against it. Iain Lees-Galloway: Principles.Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Iain Lees-Galloway does not know. He knows that in Palmerston North there are thousands of New Zealanders and families who deserve the relief that we are providing. We are giving them that—Iain Lees-Galloway: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I just wonder whether the member would like to yield so I could explain what I know about what is going on in Palmerston North.The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): No that is just interrupting the debate. Hon SIMON BRIDGES: There is a member who is clearly worried about his seat. Because what—he is leaving! He is giving up the ghost early. He knows we have got a great candidate in that seat he knows we have got the policies in Better Public Services in infrastructure in paying down debt and in relief for families that will make a really really big difference. Of course what we do not know is what Labour members would stop. My challenge to their next speaker—they did not support the package—is to tell us what they would stop. Would they support the infrastructure investment? Their former leader Phil Goff makes it quite clear that he thinks—fair enough he is fighting his corner—it should be more investment. Well would they stop the half- billion-dollar down payment we are making in the City Rail Link? Jacinda Ardern: Are you kidding me?Hon SIMON BRIDGES: Would they stop the investment that is going into infrastructure in Auckland Ms Ardern and right around—[Interruption] I doubt they would. She is confirming; I doubt they would. Would they stop better public services—the $7 billion more going into health into education and into law and order? I doubt it. So I would like to know what they would stop. Would they stop when all is said and done the Family Incomes Package that means $26 a week on average to 1.3 million Kiwis who deserve that money? What is it that they would stop? They voted against our bill they do not know why and they do not have a clue what they would stop. I think we heard it right from Claire Trevett this morning—there is a window of opportunity for Labour come 23 June where it gets to have the power back. Labour gets to have the power back because at that point in time it is the caucus members who get to decide their leader—23 June. Well I have got another 23rd of the month that I would like to bring to Labour's attention: 23 September. It is called election day and we have got the policies on this side of the House that back New Zealanders and that deliver a brighter future for New Zealanders. I am really proud to be part of a Budget that is delivering for all Kiwis.