There is no end in sight for inflation in New Zealand, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unable to even indicate what year it will be under control by,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“This is one of many questions the Prime Minister couldn’t answer coherently. When I questioned her in Parliament today:

- She wouldn’t address what year New Zealanders can expect to see inflation go down to the 1-3 per cent target band despite her Finance Minister re-appointing Adrian Orr as Reserve Bank Governor today

- She couldn’t explain the purpose of the RNZ/TVNZ merger or explain how people will know if it is meeting its objectives

- She revealed she didn’t speak to anyone on a long waiting list for early childhood education before she increased subsidies for just three per cent of under fives, likely increasing prices for everyone else

- And finally, when asked whether she will let Kiwis keep more of their money, she “refuted the assertion of the question”.

“The Prime Minister is out of touch with everyday Kiwis. She has no solutions for Kiwis grappling with the rising cost of living and doesn’t even seem to understand the point of her own policies.

“This comes off the back of Labour’s annual conference which the Prime Minister spent patting herself on the back for things that happened two years ago. But she continues to ignore the issues New Zealanders are facing right now.

“She boasted about her childcare policy, but if Ardern really wanted to help with childcare, she’d let more teachers into the country. Instead, by giving subsidies to a few, they’ll push up prices for everyone else.

“As I said when launching ACT’s alternative budget, we risk losing first world status. As we lose competitiveness, we lose skilled people and investment. As we lose skilled people and investment, we become less competitive. This is the spiral we must avoid.

“ACT’s Alternative Budget for Real Change shows a plan to arrest the decline and grow the economy. It would get the country back into surplus and allows New Zealanders to keep more of their income to invest.

“The question Kiwis must be asking themselves is do we want to carry on in comfortable decline until we slip away from first world status, or do we want real change?”

© Scoop Media

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