GOVT: One Day, Sometime, in the Future, We'll Hit Surplus

13 APRIL 2015

Responding to the Prime Minister’s comments in today’s post-Cabinet press conference indicating that the Government will “be in cooee” of surplus, but not necessarily in surplus come Budget Day, Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:

“The Government’s approach of ‘do nothing and hope’ isn’t working. Bracket creep since 2008, where inflation has caused the income tax burden to grow over time, is effectually what the Government has relied upon for getting us this far."

"The best way to get the books out of the red is to cut Government waste and reallocate money away from programmes that have passed their use-by date. Since John Key came to office, the Government has been unwilling to tackle vested interests and redirect money into better causes.”

“The money spent on MPs junkets, pointless back office Ministries and corporate welfare would be a good place to start. Abolishing those alone gets New Zealand back into surplus with more money for health, education and things that matter.”

The Taxpayers’ Union report, Monopoly Money, details the cost of corporate welfare to taxpayers. The report shows that the current Government spends $1 - $1.4 billion ($600 - $800 per household) per year on corporate welfare.

ENDS

© Scoop Media