Kiwi Party Press Release
For Immediate Release
Tuesday 4th November 2008

Cullen must come clean on Mini-Budget intentions : Kiwi Party

Kiwi Party finance spokesperson Gordon Copeland said today that Kiwis should be wary of Finance Minister Michael Cullen’s plans for a December ‘mini-budget’, should Labour be returned to the Treasury benches.

“We are at the sharp end of an election campaign and all parties have an obligation to inform the voters of their intentions,” said Mr Copeland.

“Yet, Dr Cullen is committed to a mini-budget next month but refuses to inform the electorate about exactly what he has in mind. Is he going to cancel the 2010 tax breaks as he did with those announced in 2005 but cancelled in 2007? Is he seeking parliamentary endorsement for new borrowings, having spent the last many months criticising National’s plans to do that? The problem is that no one knows!”

“Now is the time to come clean, because we are just days away from the elections.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The Government’s Smokefree Laws Debacle

The most charitable explanation for National’s behaviour over the smokefree legislation is that they have dutifully fulfilled the wishes of the Big Tobacco lobby and then cast around for excuses that might sell this health policy U-turn to the public. The less charitable view is that the government was being deliberately misleading. Are we to think Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is a fool or a liar? It seems rather early on in his term of office to be facing that unpleasant choice... More