- By Simeon Brown, MP for Pakuranga
The last week in politics has given us a clear sign of what to expect should Labour win another term on election day in October.
They began by announcing they would remove GST from certain fruits and vegetables, despite members of their own party previously stating such a measure would not help those most in need of support.
This was followed up by a transport announcement that looked a lot like National’s, except with a significant increase to fuel taxes to pay for it, at a time when fuel is already above $3 per litre in some places.
For a government that claims to care about those struggling the most, they sure seem to have a tough time understanding why those Kiwis are struggling.
The reality is Kiwis are being taxed too much at present, and a simple way to provide some financial relief is to leave them with a little bit more of their hard-earned money each week.
Taking GST off fruit and vegetables may sound good on paper, but with Labour it is completely offset by a hike in fuel tax.
What good is saving $2 on the grocery bill if you’re spending an extra $5 at the pump? For most people, fuel is a daily necessity, so policies like these only make it more expensive to live.
Kiwis deserve a break, and National has an extensive plan to give them one with quick tax relief by adjusting tax brackets for inflation, and longer-term plans to get our economy moving again with more and higher paying jobs and a lower cost of living.
We have also committed to repealing the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax, meaning fuel will actually get a little cheaper for Aucklanders under National instead of the opposite under Labour.
And we will target support where it is needed most through policies like Family Boost, which will provide a tax rebate on childcare costs leaving many families thousands of dollars better off each year.
Labour have made it abundantly clear they have no plan to get the cost-of-living crisis under control or make it easier on Kiwis struggling to get by.
Their policies are rushed and illustrate just how out of touch they are with the challenges we face as a nation.
New Zealanders, in some cases quite literally, cannot afford another three years of a Labour Government whose ideas will only exacerbate the problems many face.
On October 14 we have a chance to change things for the better.
