In this issue of Plain English I talk about visits to the electorate, Parliamentary Question Time and the upcoming Budget.

I was in Gore and Queenstown last Friday when much of the electorate was watching river and lake levels. My thoughts were with the farmers, business people and home owners who watched the water rise.

English High Tea

Today I am speaking to the senior assembly at Taieri College and then in Balclutha for constituent appointments. Tomorrow, I am attending two functions, in Gore there is an "English High Tea" where my wife Mary will be speaking and my daughter Maria will be singing. Then in the evening I will be attending the Century Farm awards in Lawrence.

Celebrating Generations on the Land

The Century Farm awards programme aims to capture and preserve rural history, which might otherwise be lost. In submitting narratives of family farm history, copies of related photographs and documents, the award recipients are presented with a bronze plaque for displaying at their farm gate. The collected materials are archived with the Alexander Turnbull Library. One hundred and fifty families are already part of the programme.

More Information:
http://www.centuryfarms.co.nz/

World Ploughing Championships

It was a privilege to open the World Championships last month. This event was enjoyed by thousands of people - local, national, and international.

Congratulations to Scott McKenzie, of Clinton, who won the conventional ploughing title at the NZ Ploughing Championships which were part of the world event. There were a number of competitors from around the electorate at the championships and many were placed.

I would like to acknowledge all those who participated in the national and world championships as either competitors or organisers. The event was a credit to all.

Public Question Time

Sometimes I hear a comment that time in the House is time wasted. Time in the House is about scrutinising the activities of the government of the day. During Parliamentary Question Time over the nine years we were in Opposition I was busy challenging the previous government and now that we are in government I am answering many questions as Minister.

The House has developed several processes by which it holds the government to account. Perhaps the most visible of these is the daily question time. The Opposition and back-bench MPs question ministers on their management of the country's affairs. This can be a very powerful means of extracting information that might bring into question the performance of individual ministers or the government as a whole.

During National's nine years in Opposition I asked on average 5.6 questions each sitting day. Since in Government until March this year I answered 119 questions as Minister, I also answered 83 National questions to other ministers.

For more information on how Parliament works visit:
http://www.parliament.nz

A Budget for the economy and Kiwi families

New Zealand has come out of the global recession in better shape than most countries. The economy is growing but the road to recovery will be bumpy.

Last year, we faced the worst economic downturn in decades. National took steps to support jobs and families, and to create an environment that gives businesses the confidence to keep staff on and create new jobs.

We also worked hard to get spending under control and put the government's books in order. We turned around a 10-year forecast of ballooning public debt that threatened our international credit ratings. Even so, the government is borrowing $240 million every week for the next four years.

This year, our focus has shifted to lifting New Zealand's economic performance.

Budget 2010 on 20 May will have four main goals:

• Lifting the long-term performance of the economy to deliver jobs, higher incomes, and better living standards for Kiwi families.
• Reforming the tax system to make it fairer, more sustainable, and more supportive of economic growth.
• Better delivery of public services to meet New Zealanders' expectations of modern public services, while recognising the ongoing pressures on taxpayers.
• Maintaining firm control of the government's finances so we can return to Budget surpluses and pull back our rising debt.

In last year's Budget we identified $2 billion of lower-priority public spending to move to frontline services over the following four years.

This year we have found another $1.8 billion of lower-priority spending. Over the next four years we will move this to higher-priority services. That's a lot of money we are putting into important areas such as better healthcare, better education, and making our neighbourhoods safer.

We will keep weeding out lower-quality spending. We will also live within the $1.1 billion new spending allowance we set ourselves. From 2011, we will restrict increases in this allowance to 2 per cent a year.

This year's Budget is about doing things better and smarter, after a decade where taxpayers' dollars were spent too freely.

National is determined to lift New Zealand's economic performance. That's the only way we will be able to create real jobs, boost incomes, improve living standards, and provide the world-class public services that Kiwi families need.

Incentives to quit smoking

The Government has increased the excise tax on cigarettes and tobacco. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand. It is directly linked to almost 5000 deaths each year. University of Otago research shows that when cigarette prices rose steeply between 1995 and 2000, smoking fell.

We are working to reduce smoking, discourage young people from starting to smoke, and improve the health of New Zealanders.

One of the six current health targets is to provide better help for smokers to quit. We fund the Quitline free telephone support service, subsidise nicotine replacement therapy, Aukati kai paipa face-to-face quit support services, and information campaigns to help people quit. Increasing the cost of cigarettes, subsidising treatment and support, and providing good information all contribute to reducing smoking.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/tobacco+excise+increase+immediately

Rebuilding trust in our financial markets

National is working to restore the confidence of mum and dad investors, while developing capital markets to help businesses grow. On too many occasions in finance company collapses we heard of investors' money falling to the floor through the cracks between regulators.

A new "super regulator" for our financial markets will be up and running early next year.

The Financial Markets Authority will enforce securities, financial reporting, and company law applying to financial services and securities markets. It will also regulate and oversee trustees, auditors, financial advisers, and financial service providers including people who offer investments.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+announces+%e2%80%98superregulator039+financial+markets

Reviewing the impact of alcohol in our lives

The Law Commission's report on alcohol, Alcohol in Our Lives: Curbing the Harm was released recently. It is the first ground-up review of our alcohol laws in 24 years and received almost 3000 submissions.

Reducing alcohol-related harm has been identified as a priority for addressing the drivers of crime. Police report that alcohol is a factor in nearly one third of all recorded crime.

It is extremely unlikely that the Government will move to raise excise tax as part of its alcohol reform agenda. However, legislative changes to alcohol laws are likely. The Government's response is likely to be framed as regulatory in nature, with an emphasis on alcohol availability and licensing.

The Government is carefully considering the 153 recommendations in the report, and expects to outline its position on the report in the coming weeks.

More information:
http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/government+welcomes+law+commission039s+alcohol+report

Making the most of our opportunities

The Rugby World Cup 2011 will be the largest sporting event to be held in New Zealand. Thousands of international visitors will be coming to our country to share the experience. Some of those visitors will be interested in business opportunities.

We have launched the New Zealand 2011 Business Club online platform to match them with New Zealand businesses in the same areas of interest, coming to their regions.

Both New Zealanders and visitors can sign up and indicate the social and business activities of interest during the Rugby World Cup. The National-led Government is also working on a programme to showcase the best of New Zealand industry during the World Cup.

The club is free to join and will provide the basis for developing stronger business connections.

Learn more and sign up at www.nz2011.govt.nz

Regards,

Hon Bill English MP

Gore Office

15 Main Street,
P O Box 266,
Gore 9740
ddi 03 203 3000
gore.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Balclutha Office

68 Clyde Street,
P O Box 103
Balclutha 9240
ddi 03 418 4288
balclutha.eo@parliament.govt.nz

Queenstown Office

1085 Frankton Road,
P O Box 2192,
Queenstown 9349
ddi 03 441 4093
queenstown.eo@parliament.govt.nz