Phil GOFF Labour Leader Thursday 14 July, 2011

New Zealand is drifting without a plan.

Debt is out of control and selling off our most valuable assets is not the solution. The economy is not performing.

We have to stop record numbers of Kiwis leaving for overseas, and create a nation where our children and grandchildren can find a future in their own country.

We have to find a way to pay for our ageing population that doesn’t burden our children and grandchildren.

This is not the time for tinkering or short-term stop gaps.

It’s about fighting for the future of our country. These measures are critical to our children’s future. A future where we can invest in jobs, growth and industry. New Zealand can become a wealthier country, but not by cutting and selling.

Where we live within our means and not just borrow.

We must not become tenants in our own land. Under Labour, New Zealand is not for sale. We need bold decisions that are game-changing.

Labour’s plan enables us to pay off our debt and to rebuild Canterbury while keeping our assets. It’s about promoting investment in the productive export economy where wealth and jobs are created, not in the speculative economy where the only thing that is created is inflation.

It’s about cutting taxes for most New Zealanders, those who are middle and low income.

And the changes are based on the fundamental, non-negotiable principle of fairness, which is basic to our values as New Zealanders. Those who go out to work every day and pay tax on every dollar they earn, should not be subsidising those who pay no tax because they derive their income from capital gain. A gauntlet was thrown down when November 26 was declared as a vote for whether or not we sell our assets, for whether we sell our future or save it.

Authorised by Rick Barker, Parliament Buildings, Wellington www.ownourfuture.co.nz This is more than a choice between individuals and parties. This isn’t about the next three years or six.

It is about the long term changes we need to make and our vision for the nation we can be. This is about the future of New Zealand and I am saying our future is not for sale.

ENDS

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