Jones Shane: Budget Debate 
Jones Shane: Budget Debate 
[Volume:647;Page:16417] 
Hon SHANE JONES (Minister for Building and Construction) 
: 
 Kia ora Mr Assistant Speaker; e te Whare tena koutou tena tatou katoa. I tell Aotearoa that that last speech was from Sandra Goudie whose voice has been improved by the tutu berry juice that she inhales drinks every time she tries the honey in Coromandel! It is a voice that induces sleep. I say please wake up Aotearoa. This is a good Budget. This is a Budget that stands in stark contrast to the vacant empty brand represented by the Opposition leader; a man who believes that he can win the hearts and minds of Aotearoa by flitting around as if he were the political equivalent of a fantail and then taking on the attributes of a magpie nicking and pinching all the silver and golden ideas of Dr Cullen. 
During this entire budgetary debate we have watched the strategy laid down by the Opposition unfold. The leadership is not saying a single thing as to what is National’s alternative strategy. Unfortunately one of its more eager over-enthusiastic legally qualified but politically inept members—Kate Wilkinson—decided that she would show a bit of form and usurp the role of Mr Key and announce that yes National’s supporters in the business community would be required to continue to contribute to the costs of KiwiSaver. Although Kate Wilkinson is now somewhere subterranean having been cautioned growled at in fact she has provided a small redeeming contribution from our friends in the National Party. At least we know that small part of what it is that National is on about. 
Over these last 3 or 4 days we have had to suffer these tedious childish references to blocks of cheese. Of course that reference has become mouldy reflective of the intellectual contribution offered by the Opposition front bench to this debate. It has become stale; it shows that Dr Cullen’s Budget has stripped Mr English and his thunderous brow and constant wearied look as if he has run in a 1000 mile race. Of course he has which is why the voters are not attracted to him. 
John Hayes 
: Give us some substance Shane. 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: Mr Hayes has now piped up. He is the man who was an international diplomat but the front bench does everything to ensure he never has anything to do with diplomacy. He has been lined up actually to make a contribution in the future as Opposition spokesman on matters to do with valuation because he knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing. 
However let us just elaborate for our voters on what Dr Cullen has laid out in this Budget and what it builds upon. It joins forces with my tuakana from Ngati Wai the leader of New Zealand First Winston Peters on a savings strategy. The first one represents well in excess of a billion dollars. It is a substantial tax incentive introduced last year a savings strategy developing the wells of capital which are necessary to grow productivity and deepening the wells of investment capital for our country in the productive sector the investment sector and right across the superannuation field. In addition it builds on the business taxes that were introduced last year—of course opposed by Mr Key and opposed by Mr English. In addition something that they conveniently overlook is the introduction of a research and development tax incentive strategy so that the productive sector is able to continue to invest in those areas which in the future will enhance wealth. 
To top it off this year comes $10.8 billion worth of tax cuts. The figure has a rich allure to it. In fact I can just imagine in 2 or 3 months up and down the country in draughty halls in maraes RSA rooms everywhere we find there will be only one figure that will be quoted—$10.8 billion in tax cuts. And what is John Key going to do? He has no response; he has no way of convincing New Zealanders in sufficient numbers that his recipe is better. So at that level he is actually showing all the country that he has only an empty brand and they will not accept that. 
But I say to Aotearoa that this Budget does not stop just there. Oh no! We are going the distance fuelled by bright ideas. We are going to bring a greater level of sophistication to our infrastructure starting with broadband. Unlike Maurice Williamson—he of Jurassic variety—we are not going to hand over an enormous booty to their friends in Telecom. No! The creation of a highly competitive regime— 
Ron Mark 
: Who would have thought that Maurice Williamson would subsidise business with taxpayers’ money. 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: Indeed. We need to bear in mind that Maurice Williamson came on to the Finance and Expenditure Committee and elbowed Craig Foss away as I recall in order to atone for his wrongdoings to New Zealanders for the last 12 to 15 years when National blighted the landscape with its failed ideas driven by Fay Richwhite Roger Douglas and various other forms of Lazarus. It was amazing was it not that the only Opposition people to put anything out on the Budget have been Rodney Hide and Roger Douglas. There has been thunderous silence from the entire Opposition front bench in terms of what it proposes to do—which is absolutely nothing. 
The broadband scheme is an excellent idea. In fact up in Awanui Kaitaia and other such far-flung areas which I share momentarily with John Carter people are going to be so happy when David Cunliffe’s scheme for broadband is rolled out. That is covered in the Budget and of course we had the tutu-berry woman from Coromandel— 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Was it Lockwood? 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: No that was not Lockwood Smith. That word is pronounced “tutu” not “too-too” That is a language lesson for the Opposition a bit later on. We heard her complain about the absence of travel capacity. I say: “Toll bye-bye.” What has been Bill English’s contribution? Bill English says that National would use the private sector for transportation infrastructure. So watch out for more tolled roads watch out for an opportunity for National aspires to it for privatised roads and watch out for a type of transportation apartheid—the utilisation of the Fay Richwhite model: when it fails it gets bailed out by the State—as happened with rail and as happened with airways. 
National still entertains those ideas but fortunately Kiwis are waking up. They have bought into the allure the value the sweetness of this Budget. In fact I cannot wait for the campaign to begin. I cannot wait; in fact I can sense scrambling dawdling confusion and backbenchers usurping John Key. At least she told us something as to what National believes in. She had the temerity to stand up and give us an indication of what businesses will have to pay for in terms of— 
Paula Bennett 
: Who is “she”? 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: We have Ms Bennett squeaking now; she who wandered around the country intimidating and scaring the owners and operators of childhood centres only to find now she has been quietly told: “Keep quiet. We’re actually going to embrace that idea.”—after having made a royal fool of herself which came naturally obviously. One has to spend only 3 seconds either looking or listening and that foolhardiness exudes. 
In relation to scratched records that is what the country is hearing from the Opposition. It has not put a single idea forward. It has been outsmarted but fair enough it is a competition. 
David Bennett 
: We’ve got a cunning plan. 
Hon SHANE JONES 
: They have a cunning plan etc. That is from the man who has given a bad reputation to Hamilton. Never has someone with so little talent risen so fast in the Opposition. That fortunately will be very cleverly picked out by the voters of that area. 
Two amazing things have happened in this Budget that will excite the community. First pensioners are flocking to the cause of New Zealand First and Labour who have done something that National refused to do in those bleak dark days of the 1990s. I do not want to dwell on the 1990s because we are sailing to a rising sun. The Opposition represents a setting sun. So on that level we have pensioners who are very happy. John Carter was wrong to attack local government reform. We have a very handsome system and regime—a $500 rebate as those people struggle with various rates. In addition the Prime Minister has rolled out and identified in the Budget a very very well-developed scheme that will bring our young people into permanent training permanent education until they are 18. 
 Before I sit let me say that I heard—lamentably—from Sue Bradford that we have been unfair to beneficiaries. I endorse everything that Dr Cullen said; the Labour Party is a working party labour means mahi—work—and the only way for people to get a better wage is either to improve their productivity or to get the firms that are funding the Opposition to pay a decent wage for a decent day’s work. Kia ora koutou katoa. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I call the honourable member Allan Peachey. 
Hon Clayton Cosgrove 
: Here’s a genius!