Simon Bridges
The Labour Government has delivered its first Budget.
It was a hugely disappointing Budget with no plan beyond tax, borrow and spend.
This Government was gifted an incredible legacy by hard working New Zealanders and by National. They inherited a strong, growing economy improving the lives of New Zealand families. They inherited a much more prosperous and outward looking country.
Broken promises
Yet, they have delivered a Budget that is strewn with broken promises.
No universal cheaper doctor’s visits, 1800 extra cops that aren’t coming anytime soon, no money to build Dunedin Hospital, not to mention a raft of new taxes from a Government that promised ‘no new taxes’ in its first term.
Winston Peters is happy because he got his billion dollars for diplomats and a new embassy in Sweden, as well as more money for his racing mates. Unfortunately, Labour has put this ahead of funding the Roxburgh Children’s Camp and mental health.
Little imagination
This is a Budget of little imagination from a Government that is borrowing more, taxing more and spending more – but has no plans for how we as a country can earn more.
A National Government that I lead will make the boat go faster, not drop anchor on New Zealand’s economy. It will focus on providing prosperity to the next generation by properly investing in health and education services, paying off debt, and sustainably growing our economy.
Labour spent the last nine years calling everything a crisis, yet today’s budget provides no new solutions to back up their claims.
They have dressed it up with rhetoric like ‘starved for funding’ and ‘deficit support’ but the truth is even their health budget is underwhelming, and commits less each year than National did in the last budget.
Simon Bridges is an elected Member of Parliament from Tauranga and Leader of the National Party and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. The above is a part of his speech in Parliament on May 17 during the Budget 2018 Session. For detailed analysis of Indian Newslink on the Budget, posted in a series of several articles, please visit our website www.indiannewslink.co.nz or our Facebook Page (Indian Newslink).
Photo : Simon Bridges speaking in Parliament on May 17 during the Budget 2018 session.
(Picture from Video supplied)
