Provinces being hit hard by government policies

The overheated Auckland housing market and the Reserve Bank’s response to lift interest rates are causing massive damage to our provinces, Labour’s Finance spokesperson David Parker says.

“Leading economist Shamubeel Eaqub has called the latest rise in the official cash rate a ‘huge mistake’ that is punishing small town New Zealand.

“Auckland house prices have risen 20 per cent in real terms since 2007, with Canterbury prices up 13 per cent and Wellington up 7 per cent. Yet house prices in the rest of the country have fallen 21 per cent in real terms over the same period.

“Shamubeel Eaqub says it ‘scares the hell out of him’ that each OCR rise risks tipping the regions into recession.

“He also points out that ‘the gaps opening up in New Zealand are really big across geographical, race and education lines’.

“This is exactly what Labour has been saying.

“National’s policies have failed to rebalance the economy towards the productive economy and jobs.

“This failure is evident in figures out today that show despite being buoyed by our terms of trade being at a 40 year high, New Zealand still has a significant current account deficit of $6.3 billion (2.8 percent of GDP). And it is only forecast to get worse from here on.

“A Labour government will rebalance the economy towards the productive sector and breathe life back into our provinces.

“Labour will take the heat out of the Auckland housing market by taxing capital gains, clamping down on overseas speculators and building 100,000 affordable houses. We will also exempt first-time home buyers and the provinces from mortgage restrictions.

“Labour’s Economic Upgrade will create sustainable and well-paid jobs. We will foster conditions for industries to grow in through research and development tax credits.

“A Labour government will stop the growing inequality between Auckland and our provinces,” David Parker says.

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