3 October 2011

'Don't worry, be happy' is not an economic policy - the Hone Heke tax is

Mana Economic Justice spokesperson John Minto says last week's credit downgrade highlights the Prime Minister's vacant aspiration for New Zealand.

"On Tuesday last week John Key was braying like a donkey over how wonderful the economy was under his leadership but by Friday the country had its credit rating downgraded.

“The distance between John Key's fantasy Tuesday and the grim reality of Friday can only be described as delusional. While New Zealand burns John Key was on Radio Live talking about Coronation Street and his cats.”

John Minto says MANA is fighting for a new Hone Heke financial transactions tax to allow GST to be abolished and put real spending power in the pockets of struggling New Zealanders.

“We don't need glib lines from the Prime Minister that we don't know how lucky we are. Once new Zealanders have settled after the Rugby World Cup they will realize the economic hangover is far worse than John Key's smile pretends."

John Minto says the economic mess in Europe is being addressed with plans for a financial transactions tax led by French President Nicholas Sarkosy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel because it will make the rich including the banks pay

“In New Zealand MANA leads the way in promoting such a tax. As well as additional revenue it would have the added advantages of stabilising our currency and increasing income from exports.

“It's a win-win-win tax but New Zealand's main political parties are stuck in old, out-dated thinking that hasn’t worked and won’t work.”

He says John Key is personally well insulated from the economic downturn but we can't afford for him to keep "muddling" with the economy.

John Minto says New Zealand must turn to policies to benefit the 99% of us

He says MANA's Hone Heke financial transactions tax shows the way.

ENDS

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