Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Tomorrow’s the day we all start paying

This weekend marks the point where ordinary hard-working New Zealanders start paying for the misguided policies of the Ardern-Peters Coalition Government, National Party Finance Spokesperson Amy Adams says.

“National’s 2017 Budget would have made workers on the average wage $1000 a year better off starting from this weekend thanks to tax threshold changes,” Ms Adams says.

“Also from this weekend superannuitant couples would have been better off by $676 a year in their superannuation.

“Instead, under the Labour-NZ First Coalition Government most hard-working wage earners get nothing on 1 April, and superannuitants and those receiving working for families will have to wait an extra three months for any gain. Even then superannuitants will simply be given the poorly conceived and designed winter energy payment which is neither for energy nor for winter.”

Ms Adams says workers and superannuitants are paying a big price just so that first year university students can get one year’s free tuition.

“All the money Labour saved from cancelling the tax changes has gone straight to first year tertiary students in a failed policy that has resulted in no extra people studying.

“Meanwhile the health sector has so far seen less than nothing – with the previous Government’s $100 million investment in new mental health initiatives sitting on the shelf. The allocation for health in the next budget is unlikely to be any more than what National would have provided.

“Cancelling National’s tax changes for hard-working Kiwis and giving the money to tertiary students is poor policy.

“Unfortunately it’s now happening under Ardern and Peters.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.