Willis criticises ‘spending blowout’ in new Budget
National Party finance spokesperson Nicola Willis has reiterated her party’s plan to tackle inflation, which she says is the ‘‘core challenge’’ facing New Zealanders.
It comes as households struggle with increasing costs for everyday items and after inflation hit a three-decade high last month. Cost of living has set the backdrop for politics as the country heads towards a 2023 election.
Willis said government spending played a role in the high inflation rate, and set out her party’s five key steps for tackling inflation – talking points she raised before Finance Minister Grant Robertson outlined how the Government will spend $6 billion over the next year – in a speech to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce.
‘‘There is a blowout in government spending at the heart of this budget that everyone should be conscious of,’’ she said in central Wellington yesterday morning. What that all spells is our financial books for the Government are going backwards.’’ Part of the steps included changing border settings, she said. Labour’s immigration reset had stemmed the flow of migrant labour, leading to shortages.
‘‘The cost of living crisis, which is eating away at the lifestyles of so many New Zealanders, of the living standards of so many, is set to bed in.’’
She also criticised the amount of money ‘‘being spent on backroom functions’’. Roberston announced record spending on health and climate change on Thursday, but National leader Christopher Luxon said it was a ‘‘band-aid’’ over increasing living costs.
National has suggested tax cuts to ease the burden, but has failed to outline what it services it would cull to fund the cuts.
The Ministry of Health yesterday reported 8435 community cases and 15 deaths.
There were 327 people in hospital, including 10 in intensive care with Covid-19.
The seven-day rolling average of case numbers was 7507– last Tuesday it was 7795.
On Monday, the ministry reported 6000 community cases nationwide and nine deaths. Last week, New Zealand surpassed the 1000 deaths with Covid mark, with a total of 1017 deaths announced. The 15 deaths yesterday took the total number of publicly reported deaths with Covid-19 to 1079, with a seven-day rolling average of 13 reported deaths.
In yesterday’s report, there were three deaths from the Auckland region, one from Waikato, one from Taranaki, two from the Wellington region, one from Nelson-Marlborough, four from Canterbury and three the from Southern District.
One person was in their 40s, two were in their 60s, one was in their 70s, three were in their 80s and eight were over 90.