“Grant Robertson told Newstalk ZB this morning that he is focussed on ‘the direction of travel’ for inflation, what direction? Everything he has any influence over is getting worse,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Non-tradeable inflation, the part that the New Zealand Government can influence, is at its highest since records began in 1999. Overall inflation figures are down because tradeable inflation is down. Largely because the global price of petrol is down. If Grant Robertson wants to take the credit, he needs to explain how the New Zealand Government lowered global oil prices.

“Now that Robertson can’t blame Putin or COVID-19 for higher prices, he is trying to blame building costs and imported materials and food production. He is clutching at straws.

“The rise in egg prices, one of the largest at 63.7 per cent year-on-year, is directly attributable to the Government’s ban on caged eggs.

“It’s Government spending, there is no other factor with as significant an impact on New Zealanders’ back pockets as the amount of money the Government is wasting. Grant Robertson refuses to take responsibility, even when the evidence is staring him in the face.

“Too many Kiwi families are struggling just to keep their heads above water. They can see what the problems are, but the Government is so disconnected from the realities of working New Zealanders it feels hopeless.

“Robertson refused to commit to a fiscally neutral budget, claiming that it would ruin the health and education sectors to do so. Newsflash Grant, Labour has already ruined them, and there are dozens of examples of government waste that need to be addressed without even touching frontline services.

• The Government is spending $970 million a year on climate policies that don’t lower global emissions. When we have a capped Emissions Trading Scheme. Programmes like the Climate Emergency Response Fund and the Climate Change Commission – don’t reduce emissions by a single gram.
• Middle-class welfare, including Fees-Free and KiwiSaver subsidies, comes in at $1.8 billion annually.
• Labour spends $1.2 billion annually on corporate welfare, including the Provincial Growth Fund, Callaghan Innovation, the Cultural Sector Regeneration Fund, and domestic and international film subsidies.
• Inefficient make-work schemes like Jobs for Nature, hunting wallabies, and pest and pine control jobs are costing us $345 million annually.
• ‘Demographic’ ministries are totally ineffective at helping people but cost the taxpayer $150 million a year.

“Labour thinks the Government is better at spending your money than you are. That’s wrong.

“ACT has released an Alternative Budget each year showing how the Government could cut billions of dollars in wasteful spending without touching frontline services. Hopefully this year Grant Robertson will listen.”

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