A Labour budget by a National Government

Giving beneficiaries extra money, taxing wealthy property speculators, taking away Kiwi Saver subsidy from people who can already afford to put money aside is not the budget you would expect from a libertarian left leaning government. Perhaps John Key and Bill English are old fashioned socialists disguised as Tories. Politics is about hand-outs from the public purse. A government that is elected for only a three year tenure cannot make fundamental changes. The big talking point is the budget surplus or the absence of it. In three years time when new elections are due the government promises a budget surplus and tax cuts. In the meantime issues that hold back New Zealand's economic and social development, and the two go hand in hand,are put on hold. The 'rock star' economy that politicians boasted about looks a bit tired with the fall of milk prices. There is little else that offers hope of more prosperity. Issues of income inequality, a minimum wage that people can't live on and has to be subsidised by the tax payer, an unemployment rate stuck on 6% plus, uneven regional development with productive facilities lying idle all over the country while Auckland can't cope with its growth, poverty, crime and the inefficient delivery of rehabilitation programmes, the impact of poverty and the booze culture on health expenditure are all left in the too hard political basket. To make matters worse, the politician opposition, Labour, seem bereft of ideas about the way forward. Perhaps the next couple of years will give them the opportunities to put their thinking caps on and focus on long term goals about making New Zealand a better, fairer and more prosperous society.