15 September 2005

National must release its policy costings

National owes it to voters to release the policy costings it is withholding, Labour Minister Steve Maharey said today.

"With the election two days away, voters have a right to know how much National's policies will cost," Steve Maharey said.

"When Labour was last in opposition we produced an alternative budget covering the cost of all of our policies. National has revealed costings for less than half of its policies.

"This is Orwellian politics from the National party. They claim they can both increase spending and cut taxes at this same time. We're saying show us the numbers that prove this is possible."

The policy costings that National is withholding are:

Policy and Labour's estimate of annual cost

Compulsory bulk funding $350 million

Increased funding to Independent Schools $15 million

Vouchers for reading and maths
$4 million

Law and order (other than abolishing parole)
$400 million

Work for the dole
$104 million
Total estimated cost $873 million (first year only)

These are over and above the $11.1 billion over four years for those policies that National has provided costings for.

ENDS

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