Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi
In the lead-up to the election, the Treasury opened the Government’s books last week.
It confirmed that our economy is in good shape and is one of the fastest growing in the developed world.
There is also good news for wage earners and families with the Treasury expecting lower unemployment, stronger wage growth, and lower inflation.
The dividends of growth have allowed us to formulate well-thought-out policies to deliver for New Zealanders.
Positive boost
Our Family Incomes Package will provide a positive boost to families on April 1 next year. It will deliver an average of $26 a week to more than 1.3 million working families. It will also benefit about 750,000 superannuitants, with a couple in retirement up to $13 better off a week.
We are also on track to provide a further Family Incomes Package in 2020.
Over the next four years, we are committing $32.5 billion to infrastructure investments, $7 billion to improve public services, and reducing public debt as a share of GDP.
Just last week, we announced several new initiatives. They include a $1 billion hospital for Dunedin and $10 billion for 10 new Roads of National Significance to support a growing economy and make our roads safer.
There would be cheap GP visits for 600,000 more low income New Zealanders meaning that 2.5 million Kiwis will have access to free or very cheap GP visits.
Ambitious trade policy
Our ambitious trade policy aims to unlock markets with 2.5 billion new consumers for the benefit of large and small exporters and their workers in every region of New Zealand. And we are investing in $120 million in a Christchurch Arena.
It is only through a strong and growing economy that we will continue to grow jobs, lift after-tax wages, and provide a safety net for those in need.
This is what sets National apart.
The 2017 Election campaign has been notable for the absence of economic policy from opposition parties, who seem to be assuming economic growth just happens.
We know that it takes hard work and careful management.
That is why a vote for National on September 23, 2017 is a vote for three more years of a sound economic plan that is delivering for Kiwis.
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi has been Member of Parliament since November 2008. He has his Out-of-Parliament Office in Papatoetoe, which is the Manukau East Constituency.
