Future Directions (Working for Families) Bill

New Zealand First will be supporting this legislation. It is the low and middle income families that this bill is designed for and I was quite amazed last night at the focus in the House on the Holmes poll. We know that most low and middle income people in New Zealand do not spend their money on ringing the Holmes poll.

💬 Hon David Carter: What?

It is not the low and the middle income people.

💬 Hon David Carter: So the $100,000 people sit there and text?

They bother phoning in; the low-income people do not. That money can be spent elsewhere. This legislation is good news for New Zealand families. We have looked at the legislation again overnight and heard the public, and we are seeking an amendment to move the dates forward. We challenge United Future and Labour to support this amendment. We know that in New Zealand we have children and adolescents who go without basic health-care, proper food, clothing, and a good education. New Zealand is not a Third World country. We want our children to have the best.

The Government’s own report shows that nearly one-third of New Zealand children live in poverty. The Ministry of Social Development stated in its report that many poor families with children were missing out on the basics. The hardships facing these families included not having adequate or sufficient fresh fruit and vegetables, a lack of warm clothing or raincoats, having to put up with worn-out shoes because of cost, not having glasses because of cost, not visiting medical practitioners, not having a telephone or a washing machine, and putting up with cold because of cost; children having to live in overcrowded situations and not being able to afford to attend birthday parties, because they cannot buy a gift; children who do not have birthday parties, because their parents cannot afford the expense.

We want our children in New Zealand to have the best. We once led the world in the care of our children and we need to lead the world again. Ongoing child poverty can cause serious problems in the future. We all know that poverty during childhood has impacts across a child’s whole life, setting off a series of potential problems that are cumulative and affect both health and educational outcomes. Poverty is a terrible state. The desperation of poverty is also an important consideration in the despair that leads to attempted suicide for some young people.

New Zealand First believes that child poverty has a major, though largely hidden, cost to society that will compromise future human and intellectual capital. We were pleased to see that improvements were made to the Government policies, because children must be a priority for policy if we are to make the most of the future for all New Zealanders. The well-being of our children affects the well-being of our nation, and that is the bottom line. Ignoring the needs of children incurs costs in the future from increased unemployment, poor health, mental health problems, and low educational achievement. Child poverty must be eliminated if New Zealand is to reach its full potential. Supporting families who are struggling to make ends meet is a good investment. It is clear that children achieve more at school when they have good nutrition and secure homes and that they then have greater opportunities in the future.

We believe that this is really vital legislation. We want to see the improvements that will be made for our children. We are really pleased to see the improvements made to childcare assistance. We will be pushing to have the dates moved forward, because we support this legislation.

What a great day! The sun is shining and as I walked to the steps of Parliament today I saw a person with a placard that stated three simple words: “Labour helps kids”. That is something to celebrate, and that is what this Government is about. It is about looking after families and recognising ordinary Kiwis—low and middle income earners. I want to acknowledge United Future, which has stood beside us and applauded this legislation. This is a package that carries through to 2007 with 60 percent of families with dependent children winning. This is one of our Government’s greatest achievements, and there have been many. When it is fully in place, there will be an average increase of around $100 a week for families in the $25,000 to $45,000 wage bracket; families like this family pictured in the newspaper.

This Budget is not just about putting money into families’ pockets, it is also about building on our early childhood strategy. By 2007, 3 and 4-year-olds will get 23 hours of early childhood education. That is an investment, not a cost, and it is an investment that this Government is proud to make. Low and middle income earners were dealt to through the 1990s. Their take-home pay was driven down by ruthless legislation under the National Government. There was no support for apprenticeships or training—none whatsoever. There was a harsh market rent regime in State houses, and most of them were flogged off, big time. User-pays was pushed more and more in health and education with the theory being that if people did not pay, they did not use. There was no hope for ordinary New Zealanders.

What do we have now? We have paid parental leave, apprenticeships, a fairer loan scheme for our students, better primary health-care, a doubling of hip surgery, industry training, and more people in work than in decades. That investment in people has paid off and now we can keep reinvesting in people. The response from the “grab the jelly” party is once again that Dr Brash will not come clean. It is the same old tired rhetoric from the same old tired party that has the mantra: tax cuts are better. Who gets the most out of tax cuts? The rich. Katherine Rich and Don Brash. The National Party members and their cronies are once again looking at lining their own pockets—self, self, self. Has “Mr Selfish” got the guts to come clean?

💬 Mr SPEAKER: That is enough. That phrase must be withdrawn and apologised for. The member has to be very careful and start coming back to the bill.

I withdraw and apologise. Is Dr Brash coming clean about what he has proposed to do with these increases for modest-income earners—the people who need it the most? Will he? No. Once again it will be the same old mantra and he will bleat about how bad things are. What is bad when we have a buoyant economy, the lowest unemployment in decades, fairer tertiary education, paid parental leave, and fairer labour laws, to name just a few? He promises tax cuts, but does not tell us what would go with that loss of revenue. This Budget is about working for families. This Budget is good for New Zealand families, and I am pleased to be part of a Labour-led Government that is delivering it.