Brash Don: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Brash Don: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3484] 
10.  
Dr DON BRASH (NZ National) 
 to the  
Minister of Finance 
: Will the Government consider changes to its economic policy following a survey published today which shows most New Zealanders lack confidence that it has a credible strategy to return New Zealand to the top half of the OECD; if not why not? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Minister of Finance) 
: 
 No. The Government does have a credible strategy and I note that the member has quoted the survey question incorrectly. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Ignoring the Minister’s comment which I think is incorrect I ask this question: does it concern the Minister that even among Labour supporters almost 40 percent lack confidence that New Zealand is on course to achieve the Prime Minister’s ambition to rejoin the top half of the OECD; and will he concede that this Government’s ideologically driven policies are an impediment to the economic growth needed to achieve this objective? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: No because we are doing better than the rest of the OECD. I would be much more concerned if 42 percent of Labour supporters did not support their leader like the 40 percent of National Party supporters who do not support their leader.  
Rodney Hide 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. The Minister of Finance said that the question was incorrect but it has been to the Clerk and you have approved it. There has clearly been authority for this question. I think that the Minister is making a reflection on you because that was a primary question set down for answer and of course it has to be correct. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: No he is entitled to make that comment. That does not change by way of a point of order. 
Clayton Cosgrove 
: How does this poll line up with other polls about confidence in the Government’s strategic direction? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The NBR poll of 7 February showed that 61 percent of respondents think that the country is on the right track and that only 26 percent think it is on the wrong track. Yesterday’s TV3 poll showed that 56 percent of voters favour Labour. The only poll indicating a demand for a change of direction was the TV3 poll where 42 percent of the miserable 21 percent of people supporting National wanted a change of leader. 
Peter Brown 
: Noting those answers and noting the reports that a Professor Florida is to come here to address the knowledge wave conference very shortly can I take it that the only detailed plan to advance this country up the OECD ratings is to turn us into a nation of homosexual immigrants? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Speaking as an avowedly heterosexual immigrant no. 
Gordon Copeland 
: Does Government economic policy include plans to grow per capita productivity private savings and exports and to reduce the tax burden either on all companies or at least on start-up companies? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: The Government’s plans certainly include the growth and innovation framework which is particularly directed at areas of potential comparative advantage particularly in the context of the international environment. It is far from certain that certain changes in the tax system are those that are most likely to advance economic growth in that respect. I notice that over the last 20 or 30 years countries with higher productivity growth than New Zealand seem to include a large number of countries with higher tax burdens than New Zealand’s. 
Jeanette Fitzsimons 
: Is being in the top half of the OECD based on measuring quality-of-life indicators such as access to open space affordable housing education and health care and clear air and water or will it just catch us up with the air pollution of Tokyo the congestion of London and the lack of public health-care in America all of whom are well above us in the gross domestic product tables? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: Underlying the member’s question is one important point: if we measure quality-of-life indicators as well as quantity-of-life indicators we see that New Zealand already ranks in the top half of the OECD. Those surveys have been produced quite recently. However in the long term I think it is fair to say that a country that is poor finds it very hard to have a decent health system a decent education system a decent public transport system and many other things. 
Dr Don Brash 
: Is the Minister not at least concerned that only some 5 percent of chief executive officers surveyed by the  
New Zealand Herald 
 late last year thought that the Government had a credible strategy to increase our long-term growth rate? 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN 
: I refer to the original question asked which was whether I am confident that New Zealand’s leaders have a growth strategy. Clearly that question really did not cover the Government. It covered Opposition parties and it also covered business leaders. I would say sometimes to some of those who respond to chief executive officers that those who are without sin cast the first stone in terms of success. 
Rodney Hide 
: I seek the leave of the House to table the Hon Jim Anderton’s statement of 4 February 2001 headed “Jobs machine delivers.” 
Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.