Budget pinches pennies from paper boys but fails growth test
new-zealand-labour-party
Fri May 25 2012 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Budget pinches pennies from paper boys but fails growth test
Friday, 25 May 2012, 10:31 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
David Shearer
Labour Leader
25 May 2012
Budget pinches pennies from paper boys but fails the growth test
Bill English’s budget pinches pennies from paper boys and forces parents to pay more for educating their kids yet fails to make the bold decisions needed to grow our economy and give New Zealanders the chance to get ahead, says Labour Leader David Shearer.
“We should be instilling a work ethic in our kids and encouraging them to save, not penalising them for getting part time jobs.
“This sort of tinkering around the edges, in a single-minded bid to get back into surplus, isn’t the solution. Yes, it is important to get back into black and Labour would do that too, but we also have to make the tough decisions that will help us grow our economy.
“There are some pretty big issues facing New Zealand and we need to tackle them. Ignoring them is the equivalent of wilful neglect,” David Shearer said.
“Within three years, this country will be spending more on superannuation than on all education combined – that’s pre-school, primary, secondary and tertiary. If ever the time was right for a national conversation about how we’re going to pay our Superannuation bill into the future, it is now.
“We need pro-growth tax reform to shift the investment focus away from speculation on property towards our productive sector. We must help our innovative companies grow, support them with research and development, boost our exports and invest in our children’s education.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
“John Key keeps telling New Zealanders the government is selling their assets to pay down debt. It’s not.
“He also keeps telling us that exports are growing under National’s economic ‘management’.
That’s not true either. In fact, the latest figures out this week show that under this government exports have dropped by 17 per cent or $800 million over the last year.
“There is nothing aspirational or ambitious in this budget. There is nothing in it that will change our growth rates. Put simply, it fails every growth test.
“It is a beige budget and it will drive more New Zealanders to the departure lounge as they head to Australia looking for a brighter future.
“A zero budget means zero hope for all those New Zealanders who are working hard but not getting ahead,” said David Shearer.
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from New Zealand Labour Party on InfoPages.