Here's an idea: before the Government looks at increasing taxes again, it should have some control when it comes to spending. It's a pretty simple equation. Everybody else is expected to—households, individuals, businesses are all expected to live within their means. ACT has consistently pointed out where the Government could make savings without cutting core services. There is fat in the Budget. You don't need to look too hard. Not only does the Government need to get total spending under control, Treasury points out that the quality of spending needs to be better. Light rail, the Provincial Growth Fund, the Auckland cycle bridge—the list of wasteful projects is long. Ministers in this Government have absolutely no idea how hard it is to make a buck in the private sector, but they sure know how to blow the money on taxpayer initiatives. Future Governments will not be able to avoid hard choices over the next 40 years, and we ask the finance Minister to act prudently on debt levels and spending, starting at this Budget. 