Winter Energy Payment is universalism at its worst

14 DECEMBER 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Responding to the Government’s plan to give everyone over the age of 65 hundreds of dollars to pay for heating over Winter is an expensive mistake, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

The Union’s Executive Director, Jordan Williams, said, “A lot of elderly people struggle over Winter, but many simply don’t. If you’re a retired CEO, or you have an extensive property portfolio, you probably don’t need help paying your electricity bill.”

“The Government clearly knows this, because they’ve allowed potential recipients to ‘opt out’ of the scheme. That’s a laughable solution – rich-listers still claim their Superannuation, and will soon get money to heat their Paritai Drive mansions.”

“Particularly disappointing is that in answering questions from analysts and the media in today’s lock-up, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said that the Government ‘did not even consider’ means testing of the policy. Targeting policy to those who need it is too important to be put in the ‘too-hard’ basket.”

ENDS

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