Jones Shane: Taxation (KiwiSaver and Company Tax RateAmendments) Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
Jones Shane: Taxation (KiwiSaver and Company Tax RateAmendments) Bill — Second Reading In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:639;Page:9455] 
SHANE JONES (Labour) 
: 
 Let us return to what we are actually gathered here for which is to talk about the Budget and let us recite some recent history. In 1967 dollars and cents came to New Zealand as our currency. The point at which we moved from the pound and the ha’penny to our current currency I say to all listeners out there in Aotearoa marks how far we have to go back to identify a time when National members actually introduced a tax reduction for company tax. In all the years since 1966-67 National members have not brought to this House a bill or a proposal to reduce the tax burdens on company tax. That is a statement of fact. 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: But you give with one hand and take with the other. 
SHANE JONES 
: Those members had the opportunity in the 1990s—when my very good and friendly co-watcher of rugby Mr Williamson was in power—to change that tax rate. The facts betray them; despite the rhetoric those members did not reduce the company tax burden. 
Let us look at what Labour has done in relation to the specific steps we have taken. Within the same period of time our friends the toilers in the company world the toilers in the firms and the toilers in the world of enterprise with regard to the burden of tax placed on their shoulders have enjoyed a reduction of 33 percent—33 percent I say to Mr Carter. Up in Kerikeri Dargaville and the Northern Wairoa Kaikohe and Kaitaia people are clapping and singing praises. They cannot believe that not only have we come good on our promise but we have also gone further than that. We have addressed those long-term problems of bottlenecked degraded infrastructure in Auckland. 
Of course the people of Auckland need to participate democratically in their regional council because regional councils I say to Mr Woolerton have a critical role to play as to what when and at what level this petrol tax would be imposed. It is entirely up to them because this is democracy flourishing in the context of the Budget. The decision I say to Mr Carter moves to the level of the community most impacted on by the ongoing clogging and problems that Mr Williamson talks about but the facts show that when Mr Williamson had the chance he did not move to remedy the problem. 
So I would say to all listeners in Aotearoa that over the same period of time that National members did nothing with the company tax rate Labour has reduced that tax rate by a third. This Budget lays out what will happen when we go forward beyond this year—for all political spectators all citizenry and all firms—and it is a clear platform upon which National is looking forward to a fight between ourselves and its team which has at least found someone who is willing to give it a go. For the last 9 or 10 years we have had a game of sport under way but there has never been a team on the other side that has been anywhere near match-fit—no. Now at least there is someone who might be. Admittedly we believe that he has filched our garb. He never has an original idea and wanders around the country talking about things that he will quickly toss out but he borrows liberally from this side of the Chamber as to what his party’s ideas are. We understand that. As I said last night that is very predictable. Ah Polonius has come back to the Chamber no doubt to strike more poses. You know a good poser will never overcome the presence of vacuity and that is what that member ought to remember. 
However let me continue. Not only have we allowed regional councils to play a key role and not only have we forged ahead and rewarded the toilers in the world of private enterprise and companies but also—and the members on the other side of the Chamber do not realise this—we know that the pit within which low-income people fell was traceable back to National’s time in Government when those members held authority. Step by step I say to Mr Woolerton along with our great friends from Aotearoa Tuatahi who have vigilantly watched the importance of savings we will take low-income people out of that pit. I look forward to that party joining with us some more.