Democrats Say Budget Failing To Address Long-Term Problems

Just a few days out from the Dr. Cullen’s budget party it is dawning on some commentators the document was all about smoke and mirrors, with little substance to promote long-term prosperity.

“Like too many previous budgets, the 2004 effort simply defers the day of reckoning for New Zealand families and in five years time the same issues will still be there and the same old patches will be proposed to hide the growing cracks in our infrastructure” the Secretary of the NZ Democrats, Trevor Crosbie said in Hamilton today.

“Our current level of economic activity is being sustained by the build-up of huge levels of individual debt and Treasury well realises the bubble is getting close to bursting. The debt based global foundation of ‘sound finance’ has already impacted in the United States where people work the longest hours of any industrialised country to ‘keep ahead’, with Americans working on average 1979 hours per year compared to 1779 in Canada, 1711 in the UK and 1467 in Germany” said the Democrat Secretary “The trend in New Zealand over the past 20 years has been similar”

“Since 1984 respective Labour and National Governments have led us down a similar path to America’s private sector who have ‘lost’ million of jobs since 2001 as a result of industries relocating to lower cost countries and in inflation adjusted dollars Americans earn less now than they did 30 years ago” continued Mr. Crosbie “Again the trend in NZ has been the same with businesses relocating ‘off-shore’, much fulltime permanent employment being replaced by Government policy driven short-term contracts and a growing number of peoples incomes unable to keep ahead of an ever rising cost of living”

The Democrats suggest having Government creating an economic environment with a growing need for most people to work longer and harder for less return is hardly a recipe for good health, happiness and long-term prosperity for future generations. Some 21st Century solutions to our historic problems are urgently needed,” concluded Mr Crosbie “and we intend to provide them”

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