Responding to the Finance Minister’s decision to reallocate $926 million from the COVID-19 response fund, New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says:
“Grant Robertson is acting like he’s got a spending target. Someone needs to tell him he doesn’t actually have to spend
every last cent from his COVID-19 response fund.”
“The Government’s decision to borrow more than $100 billion has monumental consequences for future generations of
taxpayers. That borrowing was justified purely on the basis of dealing with COVID-19. If we no longer need the money for
our COVID-19 response, then it should simply not be spent.”
“We’re currently looking at a forecast of around $100,000 in government debt for every household in the country. The
Finance Minister should be using whatever fiscal wriggle room he can find to reduce that burden.”