8 September 2014

National’s fiscals in disarray

Two weeks out from the election, the National Party is in disarray over their fiscals and can’t explain what their tax policy is, says the Green Party.

“National’s economic plan for the election is a mess. John Key and Bill English can’t even say what level of tax cuts they will offer in three years’ time or who will even get them,” said Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman.

“National are hypocritical. They attacked the clearly set out and detailed fiscal plans of opposition parties, but can’t even set out the basics of a tax cut, like how much it will be and who will get it.

“Show us the money, Mr Key?

“John Key is going into this election asking people to vote for the idea of tax cuts that may or may not happen.

“New Zealanders have an electoral choice to make, very small and uncertain tax cuts in three years’ time under National, or tax cuts and reducing child poverty now under the Green Party.

“The Green Party is offering New Zealanders an immediate $1 billion tax cut funded by a charge on carbon.

“Not only will we transform our economy by setting it on a low carbon pathway, Kiwi homes and businesses will get an immediate and certain tax cut starting in 2015. The average household will be more than $300 a year better off.

“The Green Party will raise the minimum wage of the working poor by $1 a year and spend $1 billion to reduce child poverty. These are costed plans that we can implement immediately.

“National has set aside only $2.1 billion of further spending to maintain service levels in health and education, however $3.6 billion is needed over the next three years simply to maintain current service levels in these two key areas.

“National is underfunding health and education by at least $1.5 billion according to our analysis conducted by BERL.

“The size of the possible tax cuts almost exactly matches the real cuts to health and education that they’re promising.

“National has revealed they don’t have a plan for our economy and are relying on loose promises that may or may not happen.”

Link to the Green Party fiscals:

https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/smarter-economy/fiscals

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