Second Brash 2025 report puts National squarely in the frame


The second Don Brash 2025 Taskforce Report continues to offer ideological claptrap, but its attack on the National Government’s lack of an economic plan shows a “falling out” on the right of politics, says Labour Finance spokesperson David Cunliffe.

“Perhaps it’s sweet revenge on Don Brash’s part after John Key gave the cold shoulder to his first report,” David Cunliffe said. “John Key and Bill English won’t be amused, however, by his attack on the Government’s ‘backward steps’ or his claim there is no evidence National’s policies will deliver the kind of accelerated growth needed.

“Labour has been saying for months that the gap between New Zealand and Australia is growing. John Key tries to deny it, but the proof, in terms of wage disparities, and in job growth across the Tasman, is irrefutable.

“Don Brash’s ideological nonsense --- with an unwavering focus on the free market and privatisation, and to hell with anything else like social policies --- don’t provide a path New Zealanders want to go down either,” David Cunliffe said.

“If we are going to persuade Kiwis not to follow their dreams on the other side of the Tasman, we need to be promoting a value-added and high-tech economy, monetary policy that assists our exporters, policies that address the savings gap, and tax and social policies that are fair for all Kiwis.

“National is doing none of this. Instead it’s wasting money on this taskforce. It should scrap it now.”

Labour’s SOEs spokesperson Clayton Cosgrove said Don Brash’s relentless pre-occupation with selling off our SOEs to private enterprise ran absolutely counter to what Kiwis want.

“Even National knows it can’t get away at the moment with selling off the family silver,” Clayton Cosgrove said. “The difference between Labour and National is that National would sell the family silver if it gets the opportunity after the next election. Labour will keep Kiwi assets in Kiwi hands.”

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