National softens country for further broken promises
new-zealand-labour-party
Wed Mar 30 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
National softens country for further broken promises
Wednesday, 30 March 2011, 3:10 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
Phil GOFF
Leader of the Labour Party
30 March 2011
National softens country for further broken promises
National is in the process of softening the electorate for further broken election promises, says Labour Leader Phil Goff.
“Working for Families is now under attack, despite repeated promises by John Key and Bill English that no cuts would be made to it.
“They are selling the line that it is ‘wealthy’ families who will face the cuts. But there is no real money to be saved by cutting payments to families with a joint household income of over $100,000,” Phil Goff said. “They can only make significant savings if they cut into the incomes of families where each would on average be earning less than the average wage, currently around $50,000.
“That means hammering people on middle incomes with at least a couple of children to support and high mortgage or rental payments.
“It’s not only directly another broken promise, but it’s also hurting those whose incomes have already been squeezed by rising prices. If cuts have to be made, why doesn’t John Key start with people on his level of income, who scored more than $1000 a week in tax cuts.
“And the cuts and broken promises don’t stop there. KiwiSaver and interest-free student loans are also under threat, even though National promised before the election that they wouldn’t touch them. Of course, they also promised not to increase GST and ‘to cap not cut’ numbers in the public service.
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“While the Christchurch earthquake is being blamed for this, the economy was already in trouble before February 22. There was no growth in the last half of 2010 and after nearly two years of a National Government that’s their responsibility,” Phil Goff said.
“Putting further pressure on lower and middle income earners will only compound the recession that New Zealand is effectively in.
“Slash and burn is not a substitute for having a real plan to grow the economy and stop Kiwi living standards going backwards,” Phil Goff said.
ENDS
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