It will be better under Labour: Cunliffe
LABOUR leader David Cunliffe calls it a Fudge-It Budget.
“What we’ve seen is a budget that does very little for New Zealanders struggling to pay their bills, find a job, own their own home, or raise a family. A budget that focuses on politics as usual, not growing a better New Zealand.
“It will be better under Labour. I want a New Zealand where people matter most and every Kiwi has the opportunities they need to do their best.”
Cunliffe said Labour would make housing affordable by:
- Building 100,000 new affordable homes,
- Restricting offshore speculators,
- Lowering interest rates by reforming our monetary policy.
He said labour would create better jobs with higher wages through:
- Upgrading our monetary policy to stabilise the dollar and make our businesses more competitive,
- A capital gains tax and R&D tax credits to encourage investment and innovation, not speculation,
- Fairer employment laws and a boost to wages.
“And we’ll give Kiwi kids the best start in life with:
- 26 weeks’ paid parental leave
- 25 hours a week of free Early Childhood Education
- A $60 per week child allowance
“My vision is for a New Zealand in which we work together to make sure people come first.
“First, that the much-hyped fiscal surplus isn’t worth the wafers it’s written on. Smoke and Mirrors.
“This is a Fudge-it Budget.
“Second, this Government continues to favour the few at the expense of the many.
“This is not a Budget, it’s the Cabinet Club Annual Report. There’s even $1m for an Oravida stage show!
“And it will take a few more things than pre-election cosmetics to fix that,” Cunliffe said.
“Third, we want New Zealand to be the fairest, most decent society in the world – and that will take serious, long-term change that will create genuine opportunity, reduce poverty and lift all our people up: in their work, in their homes, in the families.”
Cunliffe said National had asset stripped Housing New Zealand, taking out $90 million in dividends, stripping up to 70% of Housing New Zealand homes in our regions, and underfunding Christchurch housing.
“Earthquake rebuild funding is cut by $567 million, below last year’s infrastructure budget.
“ACC – at least $120 million of levy cuts have been delayed to support this year’s surplus.
“New Zealand Transport Agency - an unprecedented $375m interest free loan, instead of capital expenditure. Even Treasury found this odd (and is coincidentally almost exactly the same size as the projected surplus).
“The next Labour government – the government I lead – will be a government that puts people first,” Cunliffe said.
“This is a Fudge-it Budget. A Budget of low expectations, easy cynicism, and cosmetic change.
“Gone are Mr Key’s days of apparently being “ambitious for New Zealand”. Because the ‘rock star’ recovery is for someone else, not for you.
“Gone are the days of a brighter future. Now John Key spends his time talking New Zealand down.
“He says reducing unemployment to 4% is a dream. He says there’s nothing to be done.
“Ambition, belief in New Zealanders, has given way to easy cynicism and snide remarks,” Cunliffe said.
“It’s politics as usual.
“Labour will build a nation in which everyone has a good secure job, in which owning a home is not a fading dream, in which we can raise our children in our own country, and reasonably hope that our grandchildren can too and we can grow old with them.
“Labour trusts Kiwis to build this nation together, and we know that with a government that backs them we can do this together.”
LABOUR leader David Cunliffe calls it a Fudge-It Budget.
“What we’ve seen is a budget that does very little for New Zealanders struggling to pay their bills, find a job, own their own home, or raise a family. A budget that focuses on politics as usual, not growing a better New Zealand.
“It will...
LABOUR leader David Cunliffe calls it a Fudge-It Budget.
“What we’ve seen is a budget that does very little for New Zealanders struggling to pay their bills, find a job, own their own home, or raise a family. A budget that focuses on politics as usual, not growing a better New Zealand.
“It will be better under Labour. I want a New Zealand where people matter most and every Kiwi has the opportunities they need to do their best.”
Cunliffe said Labour would make housing affordable by:
- Building 100,000 new affordable homes,
- Restricting offshore speculators,
- Lowering interest rates by reforming our monetary policy.
He said labour would create better jobs with higher wages through:
- Upgrading our monetary policy to stabilise the dollar and make our businesses more competitive,
- A capital gains tax and R&D tax credits to encourage investment and innovation, not speculation,
- Fairer employment laws and a boost to wages.
“And we’ll give Kiwi kids the best start in life with:
- 26 weeks’ paid parental leave
- 25 hours a week of free Early Childhood Education
- A $60 per week child allowance
“My vision is for a New Zealand in which we work together to make sure people come first.
“First, that the much-hyped fiscal surplus isn’t worth the wafers it’s written on. Smoke and Mirrors.
“This is a Fudge-it Budget.
“Second, this Government continues to favour the few at the expense of the many.
“This is not a Budget, it’s the Cabinet Club Annual Report. There’s even $1m for an Oravida stage show!
“And it will take a few more things than pre-election cosmetics to fix that,” Cunliffe said.
“Third, we want New Zealand to be the fairest, most decent society in the world – and that will take serious, long-term change that will create genuine opportunity, reduce poverty and lift all our people up: in their work, in their homes, in the families.”
Cunliffe said National had asset stripped Housing New Zealand, taking out $90 million in dividends, stripping up to 70% of Housing New Zealand homes in our regions, and underfunding Christchurch housing.
“Earthquake rebuild funding is cut by $567 million, below last year’s infrastructure budget.
“ACC – at least $120 million of levy cuts have been delayed to support this year’s surplus.
“New Zealand Transport Agency - an unprecedented $375m interest free loan, instead of capital expenditure. Even Treasury found this odd (and is coincidentally almost exactly the same size as the projected surplus).
“The next Labour government – the government I lead – will be a government that puts people first,” Cunliffe said.
“This is a Fudge-it Budget. A Budget of low expectations, easy cynicism, and cosmetic change.
“Gone are Mr Key’s days of apparently being “ambitious for New Zealand”. Because the ‘rock star’ recovery is for someone else, not for you.
“Gone are the days of a brighter future. Now John Key spends his time talking New Zealand down.
“He says reducing unemployment to 4% is a dream. He says there’s nothing to be done.
“Ambition, belief in New Zealanders, has given way to easy cynicism and snide remarks,” Cunliffe said.
“It’s politics as usual.
“Labour will build a nation in which everyone has a good secure job, in which owning a home is not a fading dream, in which we can raise our children in our own country, and reasonably hope that our grandchildren can too and we can grow old with them.
“Labour trusts Kiwis to build this nation together, and we know that with a government that backs them we can do this together.”
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