David
SHEARER
Labour Leader

16 May 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT

Government delivers a ‘blackjack’ Budget

National has delivered a ‘blackjack’ Budget that stacks the deck against the millions of New Zealanders who work their guts out every day trying to get ahead, says Labour Leader David Shearer.

“For the fifth year in a row, this Government has forgotten the millions of hard-working Kiwis who are the backbone of this country and the engine of our economy. Budget after Budget, this Government has promised a brighter future. But year after year, they let New Zealanders down.

“This is a Government for the well-heeled and the well-connected. One that puts vested interests above the interests of all New Zealanders.

“Once again, National is relying on flogging off our assets to solve our economic problems. But the Budget shows that in fact by 2017, the country will be at least $49 million worse off every year. And that doesn’t take into account the costs of selling our power companies.

“They ramped up expectations this year. They claimed there’d be relief for first-home buyers and that they’d tackle the affordable housing crisis. But all they’re doing is repeating their hollow promise to get tough on councils over resource consents.

“It’s time to get real. Only Labour’s plan to get stuck in and build 100,000 affordable houses for Kiwis will make a real difference.

“National also fed media speculation that it would help the 21 per cent of our kids living in poverty under their watch. But all it’s doing is exploring ideas and piloting programmes. That won’t feed the kids who are going to school hungry today.

“New Zealanders face a bleak future under National. They’ve had five deficits in a row and now they’re predicting they’ll just squeak into surplus in 2014/15. And they’ll only get there by overcharging for ACC and taxes on petrol. Unemployment will stay above 5 per cent. Growth will sit on an average of just 2.5 per cent a year for the next five years.

““This is the ‘looking but not touching’ Budget. This is the Budget that proves National has given up. There are lots of trials, lots of looking at ideas and claims of building momentum sometime in the distant future.

“There’s nothing that will change the lives of hard-working New Zealanders who are losing hope. Only a Labour Government has the courage to make the big changes needed to make the economy work for all Kiwis,” said David Shearer.

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