National heads to the election with New Zealand on track to Budget surplus this year, backed by good growth, more jobs, and higher incomes.
I am proud to have worked for the National Government. In just six years we have achieved a great deal.
Right now, our careful economic management and commitment to building a more competitive and productive economy is paying off.
We have seen 83,000 new jobs created across New Zealand in the past year.
We are seeing, on average, wages increasing faster than inflation.
We have seen more than 1600 people each week coming off welfare and into work.
We have increased the number of young people with qualifications, and we are seeing interest rates much lower than six years ago, saving families with a mortgage hundreds of dollars a week in repayments.
Good Health
Our health sector is in great shape. While many developed countries around the world are freezing or even reducing health funding, National is investing an average of $500 million extra each year in public health services. Next year our health budget will reach a record $15.6 billion. It is an important part of our plan to deliver better care for families.
This is what careful financial management can deliver.
We have achieved five years of record increases in elective surgery, and if re-elected, our latest budget will build on this success with an additional $110 million of investment.
Our commitment to better cancer services has seen waiting times reduce so that patients who are ready for radiation or chemotherapy treatment receive it within just four weeks.
Doctors are seeing 94% of emergency department patients within the six hour target – this is the highest result since records began!
Containing Crime
We have also set challenging targets for crime, and met them.
We now have the lowest crime rate in 35 years and are providing more services, support, and protection to victims of crime – including a new cross-Government package to address family violence.
National is focused on preventing crime, and reducing the impact of crime by improving the responsiveness of the justice system for victims.
Prevention First
Part of the Police approach to building safer communities is prevention first. National has put more cops on our streets, and deployed them more strategically, when and where Police know there is a greater risk of crime. We are using technology better so Police can spend less time behind a desk and more time in their communities.
The National Party values its ethnic community, and is actively looking to attract and retain skilled migrants to ensure New Zealand’s future prosperity; official figures indicate that migrants add $1.9 billion a year to our GDP.
This year we have seen net outward migration at its lowest since 1995, while in July our seasonally adjusted net gain (more arrivals than departures) was the highest net gain since February 2003.
Under National, more people are moving to New Zealand and fewer Kiwis are leaving to Australia.
Stark choice
New Zealanders have a stark choice this election.
Under National, we are looking ahead to sustained growth that delivers solid increases in household incomes and new jobs through the next term.
We have a clear economic plan that is working for New Zealand and delivering a strong economy, it’s getting us back to surplus, and it is getting on top of debt.
But under Labour, the Greens, and Dotcom, the economy would stall. They would introduce five new and unnecessary taxes and create a surge of wasteful government spending. The last thing New Zealand needs is more taxes. We need more taxpayers.
Vote Now!
Advance voting has begun around New Zealand this month, with eight locations in Auckland already open at community rooms, at AUT University, some local Churches and public libraries. If you have a weekend away planned or have to work on September 20, stop by one of the advance voting stations to place your vote.
It will only take five minutes, but it’s critical to ensuring that a strong and stable government is re-elected! This is a once in three year opportunity to ensure that your voice is heard. Visit www.elections.org.nz to find the location closest to you.
Brighter Future
Now is not the time to put New Zealand’s good progress at risk with more taxes and sharply higher government spending. That would put pressure on families and households through higher interest rates and fewer jobs.
Should the John Key-led Government be re-elected, we will press on with a programme of improvement and reform aimed at delivering the gains that make a difference for New Zealand families.
New Zealand is on track, growing, and the future is bright. A third term would allow us to make the most of the once-in-a-generation opportunity that the Government and New Zealanders have together created to lift our country’s performance.
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi is a Member of Parliament on National List and the Party’s candidate in Manukau East.
