Media Release

23 May 2002

Middle Earth Sleep Walking To The Third World.

When Labour came to power in 1999, they promised a fundamental change in the way that the New Zealand Economy would be managed.

Instead, we have seen, in this the third budget of the Labour party, a budget which is fundamentally the same as one that would be given by Don Brash if National ever got their hands on the Treasury benches again.

Instead of the sweeping fundamental changes we were promised, we have seen an over-riding obsession with Political Correctness, sideshows and pet projects. We have seen the focus of Government attention being concentrated on the fringes.

The real tragedy of this Budget is that it rejects those policies that have been hugely successful abroad in rapidly expanding economic wealth, by way of sound tax, research and development and new technology policies, and accordingly it is sadly a case of ‘Middle Earth sleepwalking to the third world’.

Dr Cullen’s excessive defence of the status quo in the budget speech is proof that even he knows that.

ENDS

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