“The Finance Minister must commit, as far as is possible, to returning New Zealand to pre-COVID-19 economic settings,
rather than using the current crisis to make permanent ideological changes”, says ACT Leader David Seymour.
“Grant Robertson told the Epidemic Response Committee this morning he’s reconsidering the role of the state. He’s
already raised benefit levels permanently and hasn’t ruled out a UBI. Phil Twyford is talking about a Ministry of Works
and is going to fund new infrastructure projects, singling out clean energy and cycleways. Shane Jones guaranteed the
Government will not waste a crisis. Marama Davidson is asking that we use the current circumstances to build a different
kind of society.
“Meanwhile, the Finance Minister was cagey when asked about hitting pause on the minimum wage and regulatory
initiatives.
“It would be disappointing if the Government was only willing to consider policy responses that aligned with its
worldview. The economic recovery should be above politics. We should not be aiming for a particular ideological flavour
of recovery. The goal should be to have an economic recovery.
“To this end, as Shamubeel Equab told the Committee this morning, Treasury must reassume its intellectual leadership
role on economics, and there must be a genuine contest of ideas.
“Right now, we are sleepwalking towards larger post-COVID-19 government – more government interventions, higher spending
and taxes.
“The Government should commit to returning New Zealand in the long-term to our pre-COVID-19 policy settings, and not
using our current circumstances to make permanent ideological changes.”