The Future is Up to Us released today by the Green Party is a clear vision of the future we can build together.

The Green Party has also published an independent fiscal review of the policy priorities set out in The Future is Up to Us, which shows everything adds up - it’s all just a matter of political choice.

“The bland proposals put forward by other parties do not represent our future. The future is up to us, and there is not one political party with a stronger say over our future than the collective will of New Zealanders,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson.

“An election campaign should be about hope for the future. It is a chance for people to embrace their power to change the status quo. But all we have heard so far from political leaders are different versions of the same thing.

“The two Chrises spend more time telling you who not to vote for - trying to scare you with how things will be under the other lot - than they do talking about how we build the future our tamariki deserve. It does not have to be this way. An election is a chance to tell your political leaders what you want Aotearoa to be.

“For the next two weeks, let’s shift our attention away from the bleak posturing we’ve seen so far, and talk about the Aotearoa we can become - if we just had a government with the political guts to make it happen.

“The Future is Up to Us is the Green Party’s plan to transform Aotearoa to work for everyone, not just the wealthy few. The independent fiscal review we’re also releasing today shows very clearly that everything adds up, it’s all just a matter of choice.

“We can have an Aotearoa where everyone has enough to live good lives; where everyone has a warm, dry, affordable and accessible home, powered by cheap, clean solar energy; where everyone has access to free dental care; and where we have restored the health and mauri of the ocean. It is all possible with the right political decisions,” says Marama Davidson.

Regarding the independent fiscal review, Green Party co-leader James Shaw added:

“A government with more Green Ministers would raise enough money from a fair tax system to support people to live good lives, guarantee everyone a warm, dry home, and take bold climate action. There is clearly enough to go around. Everything adds up. We just need a government with the political courage to make it happen.

“Right now, the wealthiest 311 families hold more wealth than half of all New Zealanders. That’s not an accident. It is the consequence of a system that taxes work rather than wealth. The independent review we are releasing today confirms that our evidence-based solutions will fix the fundamentals of our tax system to make sure everyone has enough to get by.

“This includes our plan for an Income Guarantee of at least $385 per week. It includes a tax-free threshold of $10,000, more money in the back pockets of families raising kids, and free dental care for everyone.

“Our Clean Power Payment, which will support people to cut their home energy bills with rooftop solar and other low carbon home upgrades, can also be fully met from the money we will raise from our biggest polluters.

“Our plan to make sure people have accessible and climate-friendly ways of getting around our towns and cities will be met by reallocating existing funding and modest new borrowing. Moving Auckland’s planned tunnelled light rail to street-level will save enough money to build light rail in Christchurch and Wellington too. These are the political choices we need to be getting right.

“Over the next two weeks, anything can happen. Don’t sit on the side lines - get out there and demand the future we deserve. A vote for the Green Party means more Green MPs and more Green Ministers at the decision-making table where we can make it happen,” says James Shaw.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On The Government’s Smokefree Laws Debacle

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