Taxpayers will resent loose Govt purse-strings

Taxpayers struggling with ever-higher mortgages and grocery bills will resent the Labour Government’s inability to control the purse-strings when it comes to the bureaucracy, says National Party Finance spokesman Bill English.

Media today reported incomes in Wellington have risen 21% in just one year as public sector pay rates have soared. Use of contractors has also increased sharply.

This follows on from last week’s revelation of $900 million in unspent cash sitting in government department coffers.

“Many Kiwi taxpayers are struggling with ever-higher mortgage rates – fuelled partly by large increases in spending by the Labour Government,” says Mr English.

“Some of that increase, as the income figures for Wellington clearly show, has gone into the bureaucracy.

“There has been a lack of care with taxpayer money and taxpayers will resent the Government for its loose purse-strings.

“Today, National’s Housing spokesman, Phil Heatley, has highlighted the doubling of the amount spent on consultants at just one government agency – Housing NZ.

“Statistics show that between 2003 and 2007 the amount Housing NZ spent on consultants has nearly doubled from $6.7 million to $12.6 million.

“In addition, between 2002 and 2006 the number of full-time staff at Housing NZ rose from 682 to 1005, or 47%.

“The Government has a responsibility to be prudent with taxpayer money, and it is failing in that responsibility.”

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