David Parker
Spokesperson for Finance

27 March 2014

John Key must reject Treasury’s latest burp

John Key must reject Treasury’s latest advice that public ownership isn’t the best option for our schools and hospitals, says Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker.

“Treasury has had another ‘ideological burp’, which the department unleashes from time to time to show just how out of touch with New Zealanders it is.

“This time it’s trying to claim that public ownership of our schools and hospitals shouldn’t be the ‘default option’. The Treasury thinks that turning our public education and health facilities into McSchools and McHospitals will be good for New Zealanders.

“I can be completely clear – Labour rejects that philosophy. Public ownership of public schools and public hospitals is essential to provide opportunity and protection for all New Zealanders. This is what people pay their taxes for.

"It has worked for a hundred years, because the government has a lower cost of capital than the private sector. Local schools and hospitals are often monopoly infrastructure, and should be held by government for everyone. They should not be owned by a small minority in the private sector.

“That’s what Labour thinks. Now we need to hear from National. The last time Treasury had an ideological burp it was roundly dismissed by Michael Cullen.

“It’s time for John Key and Bill English to do the same,” David Parker says.

ENDS

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