National’s internal shambles was on full view again today, with Judith Collins’ latest U-turn reconfirming a debt target that will mean massive cuts to public services and investments like healthcare and the Super Fund, Labour’s Finance Spokesperson Grant Robertson says.

Two weeks ago, Judith Collins said National’s previous 30% net debt target wasn’t actually set in stone. Yet this morning on RNZ she said National wouldn’t be abandoning that debt target.

“This is the target which would require cuts of up to $80 billion from spending on public services and investments like healthcare and the Super Fund. If National is planning these significant cuts, this will mean that the public services New Zealanders rely on will be compromised,” Grant Robertson said.

“National is desperate and disorganised. They have a debt target that means tens of billions of dollars of cuts, but at the same time they are hastily making up billions of dollars of promises. Although, with all of the leadership changes National has had, this is no surprise.

“There has been no consistency from National. They want the borders open, then they want them closed. They want the Government to spend more and then they want the Government to spend less. They’ve said they want water standards gone by lunchtime, but then only want to consult on water standards. They’re putting out misleading US-style attack ads authorised by Judith Collins, but then the second she’s challenged about it, she says she knew nothing about them.

“It’s a shambles.”

“National is focussed on itself and not showing the signs of being fit to govern. It’s hard to imagine this type of thing happening under the leadership of John Key or Bill English,” Grant Robertson said

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