MEDIA RELEASE

NOTHING IS SCARIER THAN A GOVERNMENT IN SURPLUS

3 MAY 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“A billion here, $300 million there, this Government is beginning to spend like a drunken sailor,” says the Taxpayers’ Union commenting on today’s pre-budget $321 million social package, which comes in addition to the $2 billion pay raise for care workers announced last month.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says, “There is nothing scarier than a Government in surplus in an election year. Instead of showing fiscal prudence, and delivering meaningful tax cuts, Bill English is slapping the word ‘investment’ onto massive hikes in social spending to try to justify a left wing, big government agenda.”

“At least $3 billion of tax cuts is needed to get New Zealand back to the level of taxation in 2008, before bracket creep raised New Zealanders’ income taxes by stealth. Instead of telling taxpayers that ‘Wellington spends your money better than you do’, this Government should be delivering what it was elected on: fiscal prudence and tax relief."

"More spending like this means there’ll be nothing left by Budget day, and National will have to accept that its promises of tax relief were a sad gimmick.”

ENDS

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