“As we enter another year – ACT has some New Year’s Resolution ideas for Jacinda Ardern and her Government,” says ACT
Leader David Seymour.
“Firstly, start listening.
“The Government has too many policies that divide people and divide wealth. It should dump them. Instead, we need
policies that unite New Zealand behind good ideas to create wealth.
“The Government proved last year it was capable of listening on one issue – it scrapped the highly unpopular cycle
bridge in Auckland.
“Here are some other things the Government should dump:Three Waters Reforms, complexity and division with questionable benefitsFair Pay Agreements, compulsory unionism that will kill productivity growthAnother public holiday, paid for by employersScrapping interest deductibility on property investors mortgagesThe COVID eradication response, failing despite the Government’s denialsFirearms reforms, alienated licenced firearm owners but did nothing for gun crimeZero Carbon Act, an overcomplicated way of reducing emissionsCommercial property law changes, shaking confidence in the rule of lawSignificant Natural Areas, confiscation for improving your propertyLive Export Ban, an enormous economic cost based on faulty assumptionsCar Tax, impractical, inequitable, and won’t reduce carbon emissions on gramOil & gas ban, destroying investor confidence in New ZealandNational Policy Statement on Freshwater, one-size-fits all and practical nowhere.
“Those are just a few examples where the Government should listen to New Zealanders, back down from its ideological
stance and do what’s right.
“ACT has plenty of positive policies the Government can replace these with, including:An Epidemic Response Unit to govern the response to COVID professionally and collaborativelyStudent Education Accounts, so parents are in charge of the education budget30-year infrastructure funding and planning partnerships to get infrastructure built in each regionPrivate insurance on new builds instead of costly council building inspections and get homes builtA Regulatory Responsibility Act to ensure law making consults and considers peoples’ rightsA Mental Health and Addictions agency to ensure the mental health dollar is efficiently spentACT’s alternative budget would cut taxes, and start repaying debt by 2025Electronic income management for welfare, so the kids get the benefitsGang injunction orders and tougher asset forfeiture laws, so organised crime doesn’t payA four-year term with independent select committees, so law making is sober and considered instead of rushed and
recklessA straightforward climate policy that links our emission levels to our competitors’
“It’s a New Year and time for some new thinking. Here’s hoping Labour finally starts listening.”