Political Parties React To Coalition Govt's Budget 2024
Labour leader Chris Hipkins is speaking to media after the coalition government's Budget was unveiled.
National kept its tax cut promise, laying out a relief package largely in line with the 'Back Pocket Boost' it campaigned on during the election.
Much attention had focused on the teased tax relief in the lead up to today's reveal, with many economists calling for it to be scaled back or more gradually phased in.
Unveiling her first Budget this afternoon, Finance Minister Nicola Willis declared: "I have kept my pledge".
But other political parties are not happy.
Hipkins said it was a "sad state of affairs" and the government had broken promises.
"For months, New Zealand families were promised $250 extra a week - in reality this is going to a tiny percentage of the population.
"While the minimum wage worker gets their 30 cents an hour in tax cuts, their hopes of buying a home has been ripped away. Saving money has become harder with the loss of half price public transport, free prescriptions, and the first home grant."
The Green Party said the government's "attack" on the climate would ripple through generations.
"The other day, government parties said, 'Drill, baby, drill,' and today, they may as well have said, 'burn, baby, burn'," co-leader and climate spokesperson Chlöe Swarbrick said.
"This government has slashed and burned almost all climate and environmentally minded policy whilst pouring coal, oil and gas over the roaring climate crisis fire. Today's Budget has seen funding from almost every major programme in the Emissions Reduction Plan absolutely gutted."