After nine years, it’s the One Dollar Bill Budget

National’s Budget 2017 is an irresponsible election bribe which after nine years exposes a government that’s run out of energy and ideas to tackle the big issues facing New Zealand,” says Labour Leader Andrew Little.

“This is simply cynical electioneering that does nothing to address the shortfalls in health, housing and education, and in fact makes them worse.

“It’s not a Budget for the future, it’s a Budget for September 23.

“We can't afford National’s election bribe when young couples can’t buy their first home, when our hospitals are turning away patients, when kids are living in cars, when education standards are slipping, and when roads are clogged.

“For all National’s talk about tax cuts, the reality is that a single cleaner on a minimum wage will get just $1 a week extra. It’s the One Dollar Bill Budget.

“The big winners of this Budget are the top earners who take home most of the tax benefits.

“This is a tired Government whose only idea left is to splash the cash instead of a genuine commitment to fix housing, health, education and infrastructure.

“In health, this Budget is $200 million a year short of what DHBs need to stand still.

“In education, schools are short $70 million at a time when we have overcrowding and falling standards.

“And in housing National is only building one affordable house a day in Auckland for every 100 new Aucklanders.

“Labour is committed to fixing the housing crisis, clearing our roads of gridlock, and fixing the $1.7 billion hole in health.

“Labour has the fresh ideas and the fresh team to take New Zealand forward,” says Andrew Little.

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