22 November, 2011

The Green Party was surprised to receive a lesson on fiscal responsibility from the National Government today – a Government that recently received a double credit downgrade in response to their management of the New Zealand economy.

“The Green Party has been totally upfront about what our priority issues are and how much they cost,” Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman said today.

“The Green Party has fully costed its election priorities and published them as part of its Green Jobs Initiative on September 21, 2011.

“Our priorities to create thousands of green jobs, to clean up our rivers and lakes, and to bring 200,000 children out of poverty will cost $4.124 billion over the next three years. To pay for this, we have identified new revenue streams and cost savings amounting to $7.910 billion.

“We recognise the significant fiscal constraints we’re currently facing and have tailored our election priorities accordingly. We will pay down Government debt as quickly, if not more quickly than either National or Labour are proposing.

“National is deflecting attention away from its own poor record of fiscal management which has seen debt balloon to record levels, a double credit downgrade, and no meaningful economic plan to deal with a chronic current account deficit.

“The policies Steven Joyce has costed are not the priority areas that the Green Party will be seeking change on after this election. His costings are therefore disingenuous. With numbers like those, Stephen Joyce should consider an alternative career with Lehman Brothers.”

ENDS

Link to the Green Party’s fiscal costings:
http://www.greens.org.nz/sites/default/files/fiscal_implications_november_6_2011_0.pdf

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