Labour has delivered a broken compass Budget

The Budget is the time of year when hardworking New Zealanders look to the Government for hope and a plan.

They want some peace of mind that their tax dollars are being spent wisely, the Government is investing on their behalf in the things that will create opportunities, that will generate growth, that will help them provide for their families.

Coming out of a pandemic, there are real opportunities to invest in new technologies, grow our economy, and build the infrastructure we need. This is a time to be ambitious for New Zealand and for New Zealanders.

Instead, what we have got is a Budget that’s setting New Zealand up to fail. Our debt as a country is set to climb to $184 billion – more than $100,000 for every household. New Zealanders want to know what they are getting for that debt.

Unfortunately, this Budget has not provided New Zealanders with any certainty.

This is the Broken Compass Budget – Labour does not have any direction for getting our country back on track.

Unless you are on a benefit, you got nothing.

All New Zealanders are feeling the pinch right now, not just those on jobseeker benefits and the minimum wage, so where is the plan to take the entire country back to prosperity?

Treasury says the benefit increases are needed to stave off rising poverty because of the economy conditions made worse by the Labour Government – inflation, rent and unemployment.

Even with these changes child poverty rates are set to flat line while some conditions will get worse.

While any extra money for Pharmac is welcome, Kiwis suffering from cancer and rare diseases will be hugely disappointed when they see Labour is willing to pump half a billion dollars into bureaucracy and initial restructuring costs over Pharmac.

Labour has not given our DHBs enough money to deal with cost pressures, meaning it will not be possible to keep the lights on and to keep many crucial services.

This is a Budget that is papering over the cracks. What National wanted to see was a pathway back to prosperity and a plan to reduce the debt burden on future generations.

We wanted an unashamedly pro-growth budget that would unleash business and get the economy firing on all cylinders.

The previous National Government created an environment that helped create 10,000 jobs per month. Under Labour that has more than halved, with projections now showing just 3700 jobs per month.

But this is no surprise given the huge costs Labour has burdened small businesses with, like more sick leave, an extra public holiday, compulsory unionism, and an increase in the minimum wage.

We wanted to see red tape slashed and the tax burden reduced. We wanted to see the Government incentivising investment, innovation and risk-taking. We wanted a plan to attract foreign capital and fire up private sector job creation.

Instead of bringing New Zealanders any ideas to get the economy going again, what we’ve got now is a total lack of ambition.

National has an alternative vision for New Zealand. We believe in ambition and we believe in people being able to do what they can do for themselves.

We will more quickly to address the growing infrastructure deficit. We will improve transport connections.

We will back New Zealanders and we will back our migrants.

We will back entrepreneurs over ministries any day.

We will invest heavily in science and technology. We will end the constant addition of new costs on businesses that drives up process and lowers productivity.

We will eliminate the wasteful spending and let Kiwis keep more of their money.

A National Government would be more aspirational for New Zealanders and give Kiwis the tools they need to succeed. - Judith Collins, National party leader based in Auckland. Leader of the opposition, Member for Papkura, National Party.