John --

National’s fiscally irresponsible Budget makes the wrong choices and is taking New Zealand backwards.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis repeatedly said she would not be borrowing for tax cuts. But yesterday’s Budget reveals she has borrowed $12 billion – and her income tax cuts cost $10 billion.

National has chosen to use that borrowed money to give wealthier New Zealanders a bigger tax cut. Minimum wage workers will only receive the equivalent of 30 cents an hour. A couple on the pension will only receive $4.50 a week. Families were promised $250 a fortnight, but most will only receive $60.

This is not what National promised during the election campaign.

They’ve also broken their promise around cancer medicines. To promise medication that would help people live longer, and then not fund it, is nothing short of heartless.

And it gets worse. Treasury is predicting unemployment to increase to 5.2 percent, adding 27,000 people to the Jobseeker benefit in 2025. The Government’s ‘solution’ is to cut more jobs and sanction those on the benefit.

Child poverty is set to increase from 12.6 percent to 13.4 percent this year alone, and to 14 percent by 2028. Budgeting services, the arts and Māori have been left in the dust <[link removed]>.

That’s not all:
• Climate funding has been slashed <[link removed]>, and the Climate Emergency Response Fund has been completely cut.
• Rents are forecast to rise rapidly.
• Funding has been reduced for Māori, including $40 million taken away from Māori housing providers.
• They’re whittling down the Warmer Kiwi Homes programme, which supports healthier, more energy efficient homes.
• The First Home Grant is gone <[link removed]>, locking many Kiwis out of home ownership.
• Universal free prescriptions have been scrapped.
• Health and education spending is barely enough to keep the lights on.

This reckless Budget will not help Kiwis facing an escalating cost of living. There is nothing in here to support tenants, to reduce rates, or to help with insurance premiums.

The National Government is putting more stimulus into the economy when the Reserve Bank is still trying to get inflation down, which will only keep inflation higher for longer.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be out listening to those who will be most affected by this Budget of Broken Promises <[link removed]>, so we can continue to advocate for our communities.

With your support, we’ll make it clear that New Zealander’s deserve better than broken promises.

Ia manuia

Barbara Edmonds
Spokesperson for Finance, Infrastructure
MP for Mana

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