new, all points that the PM put out
Bubble and resqueak. A rehash refry, of the hold stuff
into something new. Nanaia Mahuta. Having
listened to that speech
new. Nanaia Mahuta. Having listened
overcooked that bubble and squeak analogy. That's been
more bubble and more squeak in the points that that
member's made than
more squeak in the points that that member's made than we've heard
through
member's made than we've heard through the whole Budget debate!
What a laugh! What
through the whole Budget debate! What a laugh! What a
laugh! But
budget, not by the negative sentiment of members
on the Opposition, but how they feel about
a
Opposition, but how they feel about a change in Government. And,
in fact, throughout all our
communities we know that the mood and the
sentiment is high,
we know that the mood and the sentiment is high, because they can
feel the change in the
sentiment is high, because they can feel the change in the air. So,
there's no
feel the change in the air. So, there's no bubble. No squeak from
this side of the House.
there's no bubble. No squeak from this side of the House. In fact,
there's
this side of the House. In fact, there's a very real urgency to
start to turnaround a ship that had
gone in the wrong direction.
That had seen too many people left behind, heard about a
rock star economy, but that rock star economy
was only for
economy, but that rock star economy was only for rock stars. In fact,
what we
was only for rock stars. In fact, what we know on this side
of the House, in all the bubble and squeak
talk that's happened on that
House, in all the bubble and squeak talk that's happened on that side
of the House, that
the mood is changing. It's a serious
kind of opportunity for people to reset and
say,
opportunity for people to reset and
our communities can feel better. Our ren't can S operate the way they
are supposed to, because we've got
a Government who works
Organisations who are committed to supporting those
supporting those most vulnerable feel supported. The
mood is changing. It is serious business.
But
changing. It is serious business. But this is just the first budget
of two in this term of Government. In
fact,
two in this term of Government. In fact, the Minister for Finance
in his difficult role to try and
get the balance of interests right, to
apply
the balance of interests right, to apply our fiscal
the balance of interests right, to
our budget fiscal responsibility approach has tried to ensure that
the balance is going to
approach has tried to ensure that the balance is going to be
right for one, addressing the
serious issues that are there and
setting a platform of change that
shows New Zealanders we can
be a different country, a more caring
country. A kind country A country that
doesn't want to see the gap between
the very rich and the very
poor get larger, but, in fact, chose that gap. And
that's why
but, in fact, chose that gap. And that's why we're doing the types of
things that we are.
that's why we're doing the types of things that we are. He's got a
budget for
things that we are. He's got a budget for school
responsibility plan that will
see surpluses pay down debt, that will see modest
investments
down debt, that will see modest investments in key areas that will
make structural change,
investments in key areas that will make structural change, that will
see
make structural change, that will see a progressive taxation system
deliver a fairer outcome
see a progressive taxation system deliver a fairer outcome to far more
many people. But
deliver a fairer outcome to far more many people. But that has meant
that our Government our
Coalition government had to
have some difficult conversations. We're not
saying
difficult conversations. We're not saying that in
this first budget everything can be delivered all
at once. Yes, some people are
disappointed. But
once. Yes, some people are disappointed. But by
and large, on balance, they can see where
we're going and what we're trying to
do to turn this ship around and
get it become on track. Investing in our
public
become on track. Investing in our public healthcare system and
in our education
education services are really
when people need it most, when they need to go to the hospital,
when they need it most, they need
the assurance of a good healthcare
system. One where cost
you have in your pocket doesn't comprise your need to get healthcare
when you need it
comprise your need to get healthcare when you need it most. That's
a when you need it most. That's a
caring Government.
when you need it most. That's a caring Government. In education,
we know that future of the
economy relies on investment of a quality
public education system.
relies on investment of a quality public education system. There's
been a lot of
public education system. There's been a lot of bubble
and squeak about that side of our
investment decision, but we will
stand by it every time. We will stand I
by it
matter what's in your pocket, you can rely on the public education
system to deliver the
can rely on the public education system to deliver the best outcomes
for your children, grand
in fact, lifelong learning outcomes for many more New Zealanders. That's
where things
for many more New Zealanders. That's where things are going to. But
when people break this budget down,
it's actually how they feel about more
money in
actually how they feel about more money in early childhood, more money
for
money in early childhood, more money for special needs education,
more money
money going towards teachers. In fact, ensuring that we're going to
have far
fact, ensuring that we're going to have far month
many teachers in front of our
kid, helping them learn and prepare tore the modern economy,
making
making sure though our schools aren't run down. These
are the things people judge a Budget by.
How they feel about where we're
putting our investment priorities. We
will stand by that. Because we know
it does make a difference. But let's
get back to
does make a difference. But let's get back to basics, because many of
us
get back to basics, because many of us on this side of the House,
without the
us on this side of the House, without the bubble and squeak
actually campaigned on bread and butter issues that would assure
people
butter issues that would assure people that we'd get the
basics right first. We'd get the basics
right first. We'd get the basics right first. A thriving Renegades
natural
right first. A thriving Renegades
regional economy, where we can be assured we are
growing jobs here in juice for our people to be able
to secure local opportunities. The
recommitment to
secure local opportunities. The recommitment to the
regional development fund, the regional
investment
development fund, the regional investment fund, will ensure that we
can partner some
investment fund, will ensure that we can partner some of
those opportunities. But we can't do
it by ourselves. In fact,
opportunities. But we can't do it by
member of this Government has realised that the
kinds of conversations we're
conversations we're where collaboration
conversations we're where
collaboration to ensure regional growth and opportunity investments
can deliver outcomes requires a whole lot of people
can deliver outcomes requires a
talking together, but working together. And that's the type of
mood
together. And that's the type of mood change that's happening. I'm
really
mood change that's happening. I'm really keen to ensure that we can
continue
really keen to ensure that we can continue with
continue with this effort, because by the third budget, we will
be able to ensure that we can speak to
these stories locally, as
we represent many
many communities throughout New Zealand. Coming back to the real
criticisms
Zealand. Coming back to the real criticisms that have been raised
in the bubble and squeak package around
the
the bubble and squeak package around the Maori specific issue, I
thought long and hard about
how you approach this question when you're
actually criticising the previous
Government. I found it hard. Because
in the Maori development space every
gain is a gain. But you have got to ask
million there, some initiatives were only funded for a year,
not carried on, you have to ask yourself
only funded for a year, not carried
OK to be criticised against a commitment where there were bits
bits and pieces approach to the Maori
bits and pieces approach to the
through, line by line, and item mice the
through, line by line, and item mice
seeing Maori development and aspiration
aspiration sits alongside the broader
broader opportunity that this Government will
Government will deliver, because we know there will be outcomes. That
member, Chris
know there will be outcomes. That member, Chris Bishop,
want to hear it. He knows, like I know, the fund will commit
to youth initiatives, for community
partnered projects, for young people who have
been left
projects, for young people who have been left on the wayside, or work
alongside communities to
been left on the wayside, or work
to advocate opportunities for young people. That can look different. So,
when we're coming into these communities and
want to be able to ensure that our young people aren't left by the
wayside,
young people aren't left by the wayside, that if it's an
opportunity to reset them back into school or to
employment or into enterprise, that's the kind of conversation we
want
that's the kind of conversation we want to have. These
kids aren't dumb. It's just
that current system isn't working for them and
we want to make sure it does. In the
area of land development
to make sure it does. In the area of
regional economies are sustained by what happens within the Primary
Production area, but more importantly in terms of
the way we want to go, how do we move
from a value
want to go, how do we move from a
Maori, we can get that transformational shift very quickly.
The
transformational shift very quickly. The Maori development
shift. Alongside other things like the Provincial Growth Fund, like
the Billion Tree initiative, like the
climate change funding
Billion Tree initiative, like the climate change funding that helps
people progress
climate change funding that helps people progress into a different
of land. The whenua fund can partner with that. It is a
new opportunity for Maori, something we want to see
grow.
for Maori, something we want to see grow. Let me compact to pap kaina.
We know
grow. Let me compact to pap kaina. We know when people have
a secure home, a home that they can
bring their children up, that the family
can be brought up
their children up, that the family can be brought up in, passing down
through
can be brought up in, passing down through the generations
there season an opportunity to have
a home, go back to your fen create
a sustainable opportunity for your
whanau, what is focus we want to have. We have learnt from some
of the projects that
have been funded and we want to continue to
grow that. It can be in our
rural areas, but it could also be in our towns,
and our cities. We have
but it could also be in our towns, and our cities. We have a number of
whanau
and our cities. We have a number of whanau who are wanting to go into
the space
whanau who are wanting to go into the space because they know the
unaffordability of home
the space because they know the unaffordability of home ownership
could
unaffordability of home ownership could be transformed if we
do more in that space. I'm
so pleased that alongside all the housing
investments this Government
alongside all the housing investments this Government is
making this
investments this Government is making this is a unique,
bespoke kind of initiative. It will
get cut through. This isn't about bubble and
squeak, it is
through. This isn't about bubble and squeak, it is about delivering. We
will judge
squeak, it is about delivering. We will judge this budget, not just by
the dollars
will judge this budget, not just by the dollars that are spent
but by the way people people about the
priorities, we as a Government, are investing in. I think the
mood is better. They call it sentiment,
if you use social media kind
of jargon. The sentiment is high. We're
growing our
our audience share, because people know this is a budget that
puts people at the heart
of the transformation that we
want to occur, where prosperity is shared
among
occur, where prosperity is shared among a lot more people and just
remember
among a lot more people and just
Government talked about the rock star economy, only the rock stars
benefited.
star economy, only the rock stars benefited. When we
talk about wellbeing, we want to make sure that
everybody
wellbeing, we want to make sure that everybody in New Zealand benefits
from a change
everybody in New Zealand benefits from a change in Government, a
change
from a change in Government, a change in sentiment, but
a Government that puts people at the
heart of any budget
Government that puts people at the heart of any budget decision. Hear,
hear.
The Hon Ron Mark. Thank you. It is a pulmonary embolus to be pleasure
to be able to rise and talk a
call in respect of the Budget debate on the
2018 budget. Having listened to some of the speeches from the other side
of the House
of the speeches from the other side of the House and to my colleagues
within
of the House and to my colleagues within the Government speaking, it
draws me