“Labour’s latest plan to expand the role of the government in the economy is communism by stealth,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Under the cover of Covid-19, Labour is surreptitiously planning for the government to take a larger stake in the private economy.

“Today, Jacinda Ardern promised to ‘expand the mandate’ of the government-run venture capital fund which uses taxpayer money to partially-own New Zealand businesses.

“Labour is using a public health crisis to expand the size of the government.

“Why is Labour proposing for the government to take a stake in private companies? Because compliance costs and red tape built up under various governments have thrown sand in the gears of the economy.

“Labour is promising the highest minimum wage in the world, five additional days of sick leave, a new public holiday, four weeks compulsory redundancy, higher fuel taxes and road user charges, and ‘fair pay’ agreements.

“The Zero Carbon Act, new freshwater rules, and restrictions on overseas investors sending capital here will mean a larger, more restrictive government and slower economic growth.

“Piling new costs and red tape on businesses with one hand and giving handouts with the other makes no sense. The most simple and effective way to help small businesses is to get out of the way.

“ACT understands the struggles small businesses are facing right now. Seven of our new MPs are small business owners.

“We would pause minimum wage increases for three years and cut GST to 10 percent for 12 months.

“ACT says we must support small business owners, farmers and entrepreneurs because they will create new jobs and pull us out of recession.”

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