Grant Robertson

Finance spokesperson
MP for Wellington Central

On top of the enormous mistakes in its own economic plan – National’s appears to have also overstated the benefits of its irresponsible tax cuts.

Paul Goldsmith has been claiming its tax cuts will give people on middle incomes an extra $3000 over 16 months that they are in place.

But AAP Factcheck reports that National used an annual income measure that is not recommended, and using the appropriate measure showed people on both the average and the median income would get just $560 under National’s tax plan.

“Now is not the time to be promising irresponsible tax cuts and New Zealanders know it. National wants to put our essential public services at risk at a time when we need them the most,” Grant Robertson said.

The flaw in their tax plan calculations comes on top of a series of haphazard and uncosted policies announced by National in recent days.

“Judith Collins’ has clearly given up on responsible economic management - National’s fiscal hole is getting to epic proportions.

“Recent policies announced by Judith Collins do not appear in Paul Goldsmith’s fiscal plan and already exceed the allowance he left for all new policies,” Grant Robertson said.

“These budget errors have real world consequences. National hasn’t factored in enough for health and education cost pressures, and with new spending promises piling up every day National will have to make deep cuts into the services New Zealanders rely on.

“National’s numbers don’t add up and now they can’t even be bothered trying. They simply can’t be trusted,” Grant Robertson said.

“Reports in recent days that National is in internal chaos and Campaign Chair Gerry Brownlee and Paul Goldsmith have been side-lined appear to be true. Collins is now just announcing policy that her Finance Spokesperson hasn’t even signed off on or accounted for in his “budget”.

“National is overpromising on its tax plan and undercosting its economic plan. It’s plandemonium.”

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