Friday, 20 May 2005

Budget backlash prompts tax petition Rodney Hide

Speeches - Taxation

Speech to press conference, 10th floor Bowen House Download the Tax Petition now!

Yesterday’s Budget was a sick joke.

It does nothing for hardworking Kiwis.

The Government is awash with Kiwis’ money.

The forecast surplus is 7.4 billion this year. The surpluses total $21 billion over the next 4 years.

We have a rich government but a poor people. The reason Kiwis are struggling is because

Labour has robbed them blind.

I pointed out yesterday for ordinary workers Cullen’s so-called tax cut would amount to just 70 cents a week.

That’s a packet of PK gum.

And even for that so-called miserable tax cut workers have to wait three years.

The headlines around the country have captured the mood:

Big tax secret turns into damp squib Tax plans won’t summon a Hallelujah Chorus Crumb leaves empty feeling Years before Budget delivers Tax cuts ‘too miserly’ Tax cut so small you’ll need a microscope to find it.

I have been inundated with emails.

Faxes.

Phone calls.

Our websites been flooded.

My blog’s been blogged.

People are angry.

They are angry with a government who has ignored working Kiwis.

They are angry that they are being taken for granted.

They are angry that they pay for everything but get nothing in return.

They want to know how they can tell Michael Cullen and the Labour Government just how angry they are.

So I’ve organised a petition to government to return the surpluses to working New Zealanders.

Through a tax cut for every worker.

I am sending the petition to the hard-working kiwis who are contacting me.

And I want to give as many workers in New Zealand as possible the chance to sign this over the next month.

I’ve taken $30,000 from my Leader’s fund to spend on getting half a million petition forms out to working households across the country.

To give people a chance to take their message directly to Parliament.

To ask for their fair share.

The surplus projected in the budget for 05-06 is $6.7 billion.

That is $1,600 for every man, woman and child in New Zealand.

Put another way, it is $4,000 for every household in the country.

ACT says working Kiwis are right to be outraged about this budget.

70 cents is a disgrace.

The Government has its priorities totally wrong.

They seem to have plenty of money for lots of dopey things.

Plenty of money to give a quarter of a billion to the Wänanga.

Plenty of money for hip hop tours, and sing along courses

Plenty of money to give big grants to millionaire businesses who don’t need them.

But when it comes to something that would really make a difference.

Something that would boost New Zealand’s growth rates.

Something that would let all Kiwi workers share the fruits of economic growth.

When it comes to giving workers a tax cut that is affordable, deserved, and simply the right thing to do.

It’s ‘sorry we’re broke’

Can’t afford it.

Or some other patronising line from the most arrogant and condescending finance minister New Zealand has ever had.

What was it this morning?

‘Not much porridge in the bowl, and lots of little Oliver Twists lined up.’

Or

‘Too much jam now is likely to lead to only crumbs later’

Cullen is out of touch.

The Labour Government is out of touch.

I think they have badly mis-read the depth of feeling on tax cuts.

62% of Kiwis want tax cuts.

This month, ACT is urging working Kiwis to tell the government loud and clear they want a tax cut out of the surplus.

And we’ll take that message and drive it home to Parliament.

After all, ACT is the party of tax cuts.

A tax cut for every worker is our number one policy.

And we’ll be taking that message up and down New Zealand over the next few months.

Tax is shaping up to be the hot election issue this year.

And ACT, being the low tax party, is looking forward to it.

ENDS

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