Logie Jan: Taxation (KiwiSaver HomeStart and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeLogie Jan: Taxation (KiwiSaver HomeStart and Remedial Matters) Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 24 March 2015. Volume:704;Page:2529. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JAN LOGIE (Green): The Green Party feels compelled to support this bill the Taxation (KiwiSaver HomeStart and Remedial Matters) Bill not because we think this bill is adequate or even necessarily sensible—but we do feel compelled to support it because things are just so bad that even token measures seem necessary and the least we can do. This bill will enable people who are currently eligible to use their KiwiSaver savings towards a deposit for their first home to also use the $521 member tax credit for each year they have contributed to the scheme. I will mostly speak about that but I also do want to mention the other aspect of this bill which and I will quote the commentary on the bill “would correct errors in the tax social policy and KiwiSaver treatment of income replacement payments made to veterans under the Veterans’ Support Act 2014.”—correct errors from 2014. To be honest I am losing count of the number of times I have been in this House speaking on legislation that seems to be fixing recent mistakes. Government your masquerade of competence is slipping and I am sure that members of the public in New Zealand are increasingly seeing the incompetence that underlies it.But to get back to the main aspects of this bill last week as my colleague has said the Minister said there is no housing crisis in New Zealand. It does seem reminiscent of that Blam Blam Blam song “There is No Depression in New Zealand” to be hearing that—Catherine Delahunty: No sheep.JAN LOGIE: There are no sheep in this country yes. No cows. We have no housing crisis although we have the lowest rates of homeownership since 1951 and although the average median house sale price in Auckland last year was $621800—$621800 for the average median house price last year in Auckland—the median household income for Aucklanders aged 20 to 34 was just $48600.I think it is important to focus particularly on young people in this debate because it has been pointed out I think many times in the public arena that we are now facing the first generation post-colonisation who are likely to be worse off than their parents. So much for aspiration. So much for the drive for people to provide something more for their children. What successive Governments have provided for the young people of this country is less opportunity more debt and more struggle. And while we are looking at a 20 percent deposit on that average house price in Auckland requiring $124360 as a deposit in Auckland on a salary of $48600 as the household income we realise just how out of reach it has become. What will this bill provide with that extra $521? Assuming a young person has been a member of KiwiSaver from its inception in 2007 the most they are likely to have by the time this bill comes in is an extra $4168 towards that deposit of $124360. Come on. Is this really the best we can do as a country?Sitting suspended from 6 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.JAN LOGIE: As I was saying what this will do at the very best is give people maybe $4000 more likely $2000 or less towards in Auckland an average deposit of over $120000. Last night I was speaking to a caregiver who is working full-time doing hard intimate and life-holding work and after her rent she has less than $200 a week to pay for her food the care for her child her transport and her daily needs. Tell me: how is that person going to pay for the extra $114000-plus towards a deposit for a house? She is not going to be able to. This bill although we support it is absolutely pitifully inadequate for addressing the needs of the people in most need in this country.