Media Statement

Monday, 6 December 2010

Hon Peter Dunne

MP for Ohariu

Leader of UnitedFuture

Dunne: Income Sharing a litmus test for Labour on families

If Labour is serious about addressing the “squeeze on middle income families” then it needs to back policies such as UnitedFuture’s Income Sharing Bill currently “rather that trifling with taking a dollar’s worth of GST off fruit and veggies a week”, UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne said today.

Responding to Labour leader Phil Goff’s speech today on the financial pressures faced by middle income families, Mr Dunne said Labour needed to “drop the ideological strait-jacket and start backing ideas that really make a difference to families”.

“Labour is not coming up with the answers. GST off fruit and vegetables is their limit so far, and it’s utterly insignificant. The people of Mana showed what they thought of that sort of nickel and dime politics,” he said.

“Income Sharing will mean middle income families raising children can benefit by anything from $1000 to $5000 a year, and some families by up to $9000 a year, and Labour says it won't back it, but it will take cents off your bananas,” the Ohariu MP said.

“Labour needs to establish some credibility here Backing the Income Sharing Bill that actually makes a positive difference for families would be a good start.”

Ends

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