Don Brash MP National Party Leader

14 September 2005

A Bledisloe test NZ must win

National Party Leader Don Brash says he is determined to make sure more of our young people can see their future in New Zealand.

He made the comments during a meeting today with Napier grandmother Rosemarie Edwards. Three of her four daughters and their families are now living overseas. "I first met Rosemarie by chance a year ago at Napier airport. I had been speaking around the country of how we need to build a society and an economy that would encourage our children and grandchildren to build their future in New Zealand, not overseas.

"The situation that Rosemarie and her family find themselves in is typical of what is happening to our country. Over the past two years I have met with thousands of people who find that a family reunion now requires them finding their passport. "She later described to me the struggles she and her partner have running a small business in Hawke's Bay, working seven days a week, two of them for the government.

"On Saturday, New Zealanders can vote to change that. On Saturday, mainstream New Zealanders can vote for a National Government that is determined to make sure more of our children see a future here, rather than being forced to look to greener pastures overseas.

"We have a comprehensive plan to help start turning the tide. We'll have exams, not more excuses. We'll have a welfare safety net, not more drift nets. We'll be about Kiwi, not just about iwi. We'll make criminals do the time, no more of letting them out in no time. Most importantly, we'll have a tax policy that gives an incentive to work hard. 85 percent of taxpayers will keep more than 80 per cent of every dollar.

"We will reward hard work, encourage enterprise and help our economy grow faster. These are the Kiwi values that have always served this country well.

"New Zealanders have had six years of Labour ignoring the mainstream. We've had six years of their high tax and waste.

"National advocates a return to hard-working New Zealand values, lower taxes and less waste, and a commitment to mainstream New Zealand.

"Unlike Labour and the Greens, we are not prepared to concede defeat to Australia. We are not prepared to see the gap in incomes continue to widen. This is a Bledisloe Cup test we must win," said Dr Brash.

ENDS

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