25 January 2005

Labour’s Deficit-Driven Policy Strikes Again

Tariana Turia, Co-leader, Maori Party

“The welfare of a nation can not be measured in the running down of critical numbers of our population” said Tariana Turia today at Ratana Pa.

‘It is a sad day when progress of a political party is measured by social failure’ said Mrs Turia, in commenting on Labour’s ‘tougher laws, better policing’ news release.

‘Why do we see policies that promote the increase of 1000 new prisoners in the prison population over the next five years? One reason is, that we are being given the wrong indicators of worthy goals for our nation to aspire to’.

‘Prison numbers tell us absolutely nothing about our actual well-being as a nation’.

‘What our whanau have been telling us, is that they seek policy initiatives which support their drive to fulfil their own aspirations’.

‘New Zealand communities and families are telling us they want us all to be involved in promoting collective responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and environmental wealth of Aotearoa’.

‘Such messages provide us with worthy aspirations for a nation’s progress’, said Mrs Turia.

‘Equating increased prison numbers as a measurement of Labour success, highlights the continuing focus on deficit’.

ENDS

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