Parata Hekia: Taxation (Budget Tax Measures) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee 
Parata Hekia: Taxation (Budget Tax Measures) Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:4000] 
HEKIA PARATA (National) 
: 
 Tena koe e te Heamana. Huri noa i te Whare tena tatou katoa. I rise to support the Taxation (Budget Tax Measures) Bill. I do so along with my colleague the member for Selwyn who spoke so fluidly and flawlessly about the pride we each have in supporting this Government. The Opposition has spent the last couple of hours haranguing this Government about all the values and principles it lacks itself. 
We recognise that these are difficult times. We have all been made aware that this is the most difficult time in two or possibly three generations. So it takes courage leadership fortitude and realism to know that the mix of requirements at this time has to be different in order to meet what confronts us now. We do not blindly fling ourselves at the wall of ideology as our opponents do. We take the measure of what is required for this country and we are prepared to take the hard decisions. That is why so many New Zealanders have put their faith in us and we honour that faith. 
Tonight we are debating this bill because it is necessary in the mix of ingredients required to get this country back on the road to recovery to make savings. We must not burden all New Zealanders today and into the future with debt that will cripple them. We are realistic about what is possible. We understand that it is not possible to deliver the tax measures for 2010—this is where Labour members will start singing—and 2011 because they will add too much to the burden of debt. Instead we are able to save New Zealanders $900 million in the out-years of 2011 and 2012. 
The Government remains committed to lowering personal income taxes. It has deferred not cancelled the second and third tranches of tax cuts that were due to take effect in 2010 and 2011 respectively. It has been a difficult decision but making difficult decisions is what good Governments are put in charge to do. We make the hard calls. This Government is prepared to do that and all we get are vituperative attacks from scaremongering opponents at a time when the citizens of this country are entitled to expect good leadership from the top. They are certainly getting good leadership from this side of the Committee and it would be appropriate at this time for those opposite to question the tactics they are employing at a time of deep concern and challenge for many New Zealanders around this country. 
It would be a failure of leadership not to recognise when change is required. It would be a failure of leadership not to be prepared to take the direction that circumstances call for. Those on this side of the Committee are not prepared to fail that leadership challenge. We go forward with New Zealand’s support recognising that we have to soften the hard edges of this recession and that we have to make decisions—for the short medium and long term—to ensure that this country is in the best possible position to emerge into a recovery. 
That is what New Zealanders are looking for from this Government and that is what the Budget today has delivered to each and every one of them. It is a Budget that is committed to recognising the need for sustainable long-term recovery of this country. We care about that recovery. The Government is not made up of expedient cynical and scaremongering people— 
Hon Members 
: Yes you are. 
HEKIA PARATA 
: No members opposite misunderstand the English language if they do not understand that making courageous leadership decisions about what is and is not possible is a test of leadership that this Government has fronted up to. On the basis of commentary including our rating we are passing that leadership test—and we are passing that test with the support of New Zealanders. Members opposite can wave their pieces of paper around and feel good as they do it but we are not here to see comedy acts; we are here to help New Zealanders face the challenges that confront them and to help lead the way to the recovery that this country deserves. 
The mix of ingredients in this Budget consists of the kinds of things New Zealanders want to see held up to them. The Budget is a mix of very sensible measures and of what is possible. We need to balance both the spending and the burden of debt that this country is encountering and as part of that we are prepared to make the very difficult decision to defer tax cuts. I am proud to be a part of this Government.