Paul Goldsmith - Finance

2 December 2019

Government – first class at PR, third rate at delivery

After two years in Government Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Finance Minister Grant Robertson have finally realised they’ve dropped the ball on infrastructure and are now frantically announcing big spending commitments before the end of the Prime Minister’s self-proclaimed year of delivery, National’s Finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Why should New Zealanders have any confidence that the Government will deliver for them, when early promises around flagship projects like KiwiBuild and the slow tram down Dominion Road have amounted to nothing.

“This Government is first class at announcements, but third rate at delivery.

“It appears the Government has now formally abandoned its solemn election promises around debt. While it makes sense to borrow for quality projects, the reality is this Government inherited plenty of money and has wasted it on loose spending such as Shane Jones’ Slush Fund and strange priorities.

“This is a panicked effort to stimulate the economy, but the Government is refusing to acknowledge its role in slowing the economy in the first place.

“Just watch over the next few weeks as the Prime Minister characterises these hastily cobbled together commitments as examples of delivery, when in reality they are poorly conceived bribes.

“New Zealanders have begun realising how little Jacinda Arden’s Government has done, despite all her rhetoric about wellbeing and transformation.

“National on the other hand knows how to get things done, and would get on with building the infrastructure Labour is neglecting. We will implement our positive economic plan to restore business confidence and revive the economy. National will actually deliver for New Zealanders, rather than talk about it.”

ends

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