Interest Rate Rise Due To Creeping Government Spending
The Reserve Bank Governor's decision to lift the official cash rate will have an impact on New Zealand's export and
manufacturing industries, ACT leader Richard Prebble says.
"The government's spin that it is the inevitable result of a good economy, is nonsense. Economic growth last year was
just 2.1 percent.
"It's the result of the continuing creep in government expenditure. Central government spending is now $1 billion more
than Treasury forecast two years ago and we are about to go on an election year spending spree in social policy.
"Local body expenditure is, if anything, even further out of control, with rates increasing on average at double the
rate of inflation.
"Dr Brash has continually warned that sound fiscal policy depends on the government, which controls 40 percent of GDP,
exercising restraint - otherwise he is forced to increase interest rates.
"The New Zealand business community notes that while New Zealand is increasing its interest rates, the United States is
holding its interest rates steady, way below New Zealand.
"The interest rate rise is the cost of policies such as the Air New Zealand bailout, Kiwibank, Maori TV and Closing the
Gaps," Mr Prebble said.
ENDS