“Household living costs data released by Stats NZ shows that the Government isn’t doing enough to Ease the Squeeze on Kiwi households,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“In the past 12 months the cost of living for the average household has increased by 7.7 per cent. The biggest driver of this is food prices. Kiwis are currently experiencing the worst food price inflation since 1989. Labour will try to blame cyclones, but December's near-record 11.3 per cent food price inflation was already the fifth worst month in 33 years.

“At the same time as Kiwis are struggling to pay for groceries, the Government is fleecing them for record amounts of tax while failing to deliver even the most basic services. New Zealand deserves better.

“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.

• 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's wants you to keep more of your money. With ACT’s tax policy a nurse on $70k would keep around $2,300 more of their own money each year under ACT. Our alternative budget does this without borrowing more money or cutting a single frontline service.

"Prices are rising because there is too much tax, too much wasteful spending, and too much productivity sapping red tape and regulation. Nearly everything Labour does causes inflation one way or another. ACT would tax less, waste less, and regulate less so the economy can get moving again.”

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