John --

Today, the National Government has revealed a Budget full of broken promises. They’re choosing to take a path backwards that will make everyday life harder, and leave New Zealanders worse off. 

The National Government’s first Budget has no plan to tackle the cost-of-living crisis Kiwis are facing, particularly for those who are struggling the most. 

They’ve backed out on their hollow promises that health and education spending wouldn’t be touched and that they wouldn’t need to borrow money to pay for reckless tax cuts. Debt is forecast to rocket up by 43.5 percent of GDP: this Government is borrowing for tax cuts.

Even then, these tax cuts are less than promised for the average family, who were promised $250 a fortnight, most families won’t be getting anything close to that. The average household will receive $60 a week and minimum wage workers will get just 30 cents per hour. Families will lose out overall as support and social services they rely on are slashed, with cuts that go too far, too fast. 

Saving for the future has become harder with the loss of half price public transport, free prescriptions, First Home Grants and cuts to budgeting services. Rents are going to rise and they’ve brought back rules that could see you booted out of your rental home, while landlords have been gifted a $2.9 billion tax cut. 

They’ve chosen to reduce investment in healthy, hot school lunches for kids even though teachers and principals have shown good nutrition boosts learning and attendance. Child poverty is increasing and they’ve chosen not to help people with the cost of food and groceries, while foodbanks are struggling to keep up. They’ve reduced flexibility for disability support payments and backed out of funding potentially life-saving cancer drugs, leaving patients facing an uncertain future. Existing climate programmes have been cancelled, leaving New Zealand incredibly vulnerable.

National has chosen to slash thousands of jobs, as well as funding for apprenticeships. They’ve axed those who work on child exploitation, family and sexual violence, for the Suicide Prevention Office, reading recovery and advocates for children who don’t have anyone else on their side. 

They have rushed to remove the Māori Health Authority, which was set up to improve health for Māori, and planned changes to Oranga Tamariki that experts say will harm Māori children. They’ve halved funding for Matariki – an occasion that brings us together as a country. 

These reckless choices and broken promises are going to leave New Zealand worse off for generations. 

Labour will remain focused on advocating for people from all walks of life who will be affected by today’s cuts. Labour MPs will be out meeting people in our communities to make sure your concerns are heard. If you have a story you’d like to share about what today’s Budget means to you, please get in touch. 

This Budget shows that National’s choices are making everyday life harder for our communities. With your support, we’ll keep holding them to account.

Thanks,

Chris Hipkins, Labour Leader
https://www.labour.org.nz/