Maharey's Working for Families spin

Rodney Hide Wednesday, 25 May 2005

Press Releases - Social Welfare

Steve Maharey's bizarre election year attempt to claim huge success with the uptake of Labour's Working for Families package is simply ninth floor spin because 85% of recipients got their increases automatically" ACT Leader Rodney Hide said today.

"It's bad enough that Labour are wasting $18 million on radio, television, newspaper and direct mail "working for families" propaganda, but it's just a joke when Steve Maharey starts claiming success for the 200,000 people who got their increases when they didn't even have to apply," Mr Hide said.

"That is the same as Steve Maharey claiming success with the uptake of increased benefit payments after New Zealand's 350,000 beneficiaries automatically got their annual inflation payment on 1 April.

"Mr Maharey has a history of trumped up announcements like Jobs Jolt and his single benefit claims.

"Claiming huge success for the uptake of increased election year payouts, when these happened without people having to apply, reinforces his reputation for talking gobbledegook," Mr Hide said.

“The great news about tax cuts is that their uptake is 100 per cent and with ACT's policy there's a tax cut for every worker.”

ENDS

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