Category: National Party

Source: National Party – Headline: Housing Minister’s KiwiBuild adding nothing new

Housing Minister Phil Twyford’s gloating over the fact his KiwiBuild dream has now delivered frames on 18 houses reinforces how futile his efforts have been and how many questions remain, National’s Housing and Urban Development spokesperson Judith Collins says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Primary Sector Council toothless against Greens

The announcement of a Primary Sector Council to provide advice to the Government on issues confronting the primary industry will amount to nothing more than lip-service to one of the most important sectors in our economy, National’s spokesperson for Agriculture Nathan Guy says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Govt must ensure beneficiaries meet obligations

The Government’s overhaul of New Zealand’s welfare system must not lessen the incentive for beneficiaries to find work or the sanctions imposed on those who try and cheat the system, National’s Social Development spokesperson Louise Upston says.

“New Zealanders are a fair minded people who want to help those who fall on hard times. But they also believe that people should help themselves and when they can work they should.

“Anyone who needs access to welfare can get it. It’s only right that they in return they meet obligations including looking for work, turning up to appointments, staying drug free and being honest about their living arrangements.

“It’s the clear expectation of tax payers that if beneficiaries are not doing that, then there should be sanctions.

“This is not ‘beneficiary bashing’. This is simply us wanting to make sure that every New Zealander is achieving their potential and that’s done by getting out of dependency.

“The Prime Minister’s promise to overhaul the welfare system, including ‘ensuring access to entitlements’, also completely disregards the incredible fact that we currently have the lowest number of sole parents on welfare since the 1980s.

“That is representative of the bold, brave moves of so many parents across New Zealand who’ve made the decision to get off a benefit and into work.

“We know getting off benefits and into work improved the lives of parents, and their children.

“And the work is there. We have 4.5 per cent unemployment and thousands of jobs being created every month. The work is there and if people can work, then you should.

“The dignity of work is beneficial for everyone,” Ms Upston says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Govt puts regions on the backburner yet again

The Government continues to undermine regional New Zealand, with the Conservation Minister scuttling a plan to extract waxes and resins from a wetland in Northland that would create jobs for locals, National’s Regional Development Spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“For all its talk about helping people in Northland to get ahead, Eugenie Sage has put politics ahead of creating jobs in the region.

“The joint venture by Ngai Takato and Resin & Wax Holdings to extract valuable waxes and resins from a peat wetland in the Far North would help secure the iwi its economic and environmental future.

“But Ms Sage is now getting in the way of that and appears to be doing all she can to stop it.

“She is making no attempt to strike a balance between managing our environment and responsible economic growth.

“The iwi themselves have said that while the venture would provide jobs and opportunities for its people, the environment is also a primary focus for them. The consented area for extraction avoids conservation land.

“Ms Sage needs to let them get on with it but so far, this looks like another win for the Greens over NZ First.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Coalition must consider regulatory improvements

The coalition Government is showing itself unwilling to listen to suggestions on improving the performance of regulators including the Commerce Commission, National Party Commerce and Consumer Affairs Spokesperson Brett Hudson says.

“The New Zealand Initiative has released a thoughtful report ‘Who Guards the Guards?’ based on responses from businesses. This follows on from recent Productivity Commission work on the same subject,” Mr Hudson says.

“The least Commerce Minister Kris Faafoi could do is read and consider the New Zealand Initiative’s work, rather than ignoring it as he has done.

“It questions whether or not the structure and governance of our large regulators are appropriate for the business environment of today, and includes a comprehensive survey of businesses and proposed changes.

“Instead of receiving the report as a constructive critique, Kris Faafoi in a recent interview has dismissed it out of hand.

“This need not be a highly partisan political subject. We are all interested in improving these organisations. Why is Mr Faafoi being so closed to positive change?

“Our regulators have important roles in protecting our markets, competition and consumers’ interests.

“How they are perceived to exercise their powers is important to their effectiveness and the performance of our markets.

“A Government focused on supporting the creation of jobs and lifting incomes would welcome feedback from all quarters, including businesses, on how to make our economy work more productively and how to support the economic growth that delivers jobs and incomes.

“It is unsurprising that business confidence is struggling in an environment where the Commerce Minister dismisses the ideas of business leaders as self-serving and unworthy of listening to.

“This is not the response of a Government which views businesses as partners in lifting jobs, incomes and prospects for New Zealanders. It is the response of a Government with a closed mind.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Council & Govt must prioritise sport infrastructure

Auckland Council and the Government must prioritise Auckland’s sporting infrastructure to ensure that community sport is not put at risk, National’s Sport and Recreation Spokesperson Nikki Kaye and Local Government (Auckland) Spokesperson Denise Lee say.

“Auckland Council’s draft long-term plan for youth sport and recreation infrastructure is inadequate. The current plan contains a capital shortfall of at least $500 million over the next ten years and does not sufficiently satisfy local demand,” Ms Kaye says.

“There are between 90 and 150 sports fields and courts needed in Auckland right now. These sports facilities are vital to the survival of organisations that provide sport and recreational opportunities and employ more than 25,000 Aucklanders.

“This deficiency is exacerbated by the Government moving to scrap Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). PPPs are an innovative way to spend taxpayer money efficiently, and are crucial to ensuring sport and recreation remains accessible for all Aucklanders.

“Scrapping PPPs will hold Auckland and other parts of New Zealand back in terms of sporting infrastructure. Even if the Government doesn’t support PPPs then it could consider partnerships that harness central, local and community funding.

“With intensification there will be a growing need to utilise space better. With over $4.85 billion allocated to school infrastructure by the last Government, a large amount of which was destined for Auckland, there are huge opportunities for greater partnerships.”

Ms Lee says National will be holding a series of meetings over the next six months with the community and sporting organisations to help progress projects across Auckland to ensure more young people and their families have access to sport and recreation facilities.

“We know there are councillors and local board representatives who feel strongly about this so we plan to work closely with them.

“While we are focusing on Auckland, we will also be working with local MPs to identify other areas of New Zealand where projects can be progressed.

“The economic ramifications of poor sporting infrastructure are huge, with the sector contributing at least $1.9 billion to Auckland’s economy each year.

“Physical inactivity cost New Zealand’s health care system over $200 million in 2013 and some research indicates that around 20 per cent of young Auckland children are overweight.

“The Education Minister needs to continue the Auckland Education Growth Plan which was being worked on by the previous Government and was due to be considered by Cabinet last November. It is important to look at the work done so far to factor in potential opportunities around sport and recreational infrastructure.

“We must prioritise sport and recreation in our communities and Auckland Council and the Government must front up with more funding to support Auckland’s sporting infrastructure.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Govt must address living costs with sensible policies

A Salvation Army report highlighting the impact the cost of living is having on many families should motivate the Government to work hard to address the drivers of deprivation National Party spokesperson for Social Development Louise Upston says.

“Today’s report says that in the past calendar year, sixty per cent of families requesting help with basics from the Army were new to the organisation – an average of 336 families every week.

“It puts the blame squarely on rising rents, petrol prices and basic food costs.

“That’s why it’s imperative the Government focuses firmly on addressing the drivers of poverty by growing the economy to create more jobs and to lift incomes.

“It is therefore mind-boggling that this Ardern-Peters Government is introducing new fuel taxes that will not only increase the cost of an average tank by $15, but will also directly impact the cost of food because of increased transport costs. 

“Ill thought-out policies like these are harmful to our most vulnerable families and do nothing but take New Zealand backwards by undermining an economy which is delivering for all New Zealanders.

“Contrast that with our record where in the last two years of the National Government the economy created 231,000 jobs at average of 9,600 per month.

“During our term in office we raised the minimum wage from $12 an hour in 2008 to $15.75 in 2016/17. That’s an increase of 31 per cent – more than twice the rate of inflation.

“We increased benefits for the first time in 40 years and, since 2011, reduced the number of children living in benefit-dependent households by 60,000.

“Every effort must be made to help those living in material hardship and it’s encouraging many are coming forward to receive the assistance that they need – but, in the long term, any positive impact on hardship must be underpinned by sensible policies and strong economic management,” Ms Upston says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Jones has explaining to do on Provincial Fund

A review’s finding that MBIE officials failed to do basic background checks on the people behind the proposed waste-to-energy scheme is exactly what we’d expect from Mr Jones’ $3 billion slush fund, National’s Regional Development Spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“It reflects badly on the officials concerned, but worse on the Government which has put enormous pressure on the Ministry,” Mr Goldsmith says.

“Mr Jones has been so determined to shovel money out the door as quickly as possible, basic due diligence on who is receiving the public money wasn’t carried out.

“And the Minister shamelessly admitted the reason for the rush in a speech in Rotorua recently – there’s only 29 months to the next election.

“This is money earned by the people of New Zealand and paid over to the Government in their taxes. We all have the right to expect that care will be taken in how it is spent.

“The Prime Minister should read the riot act to Mr Jones about his Provincial Growth Fund. Taxpayers’ money is not there for him to hand over to whomever he thinks.

“She should also take responsibility for the style of her Government which is emerging.

“The Prime Minister promised a new style of politics, of openness and transparency, and yet here we have her Ministers and officials sneaking out bad news at 4pm on a Friday while she’s overseas.”

Source: National Party – Headline: Twyford misleads on rail again

Transport Minister Phil Twyford has once again misled New Zealand over his plans to fund transport projects, National Party Transport Spokesperson, Jami-Lee-Ross says.

“On the AM Show this morning Mr Twyford was asked directly if he was taking money out of State Highways like Warkworth to Whangarei to pay for public transport in Auckland, and he said he wasn’t.

“But his own figures show that over the first three years of this Ardern-Peters Government, he plans to pour $2 billion into mass transit projects like a tram down Dominion Road.

“It’s misleading for him to say that he’s not taking money from roading and putting it into trams when the Government’s own policy statement shows that he is indeed putting it into trams.

“Does he think he can just pull this money out thin air?

“The reality is that Phil Twyford is going to fund a tram project by cutting $5 billion from State Highway projects and by increasing fuel taxes for motorists around New Zealand.

“This means that people in Taurunga, the Waiakto, Canterbury and Southland will be paying more at the pump to pay for public transport in Auckland.

“This is money that was otherwise going to be spent on vital roading projects across New Zealand to increase the safety and efficiency of our roads.

“Phil Twyford needs to stop telling the country that he isn’t raiding the State Highway budget when he himself confirmed in Parliament that he is,” Mr Ross says.

Source: National Party – Headline: Ardern-Peters raid on regions ramps up

The Government’s raid on regional New Zealand is ramping up, with Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor telling farmers they’ll be taxed thousands for carbon emissions, National’s Nathan Guy and Todd Muller say.

“Mr O’Connor has reportedly told East Coast farmers they’ll be taxed around $5000 to offset their carbon emissions,” National’s Agriculture spokesperson Nathan Guy says.

“He’s pulling numbers out of the air before the interim Climate Change Committee even begins its work.

“This will rip millions of dollars out of regional economies, leaving farmers with less to spend in their local communities, or for environmental initiatives like riparian planting along their waterways.

“It does nothing but place more pressure on farmers who are already feeling under attack by this Coalition Government. Farmers are already battling with increasing compliance costs and finding skilled labour, and are now facing paying more for carbon emissions and fuel, while getting fewer new roads, as well as having $100 million for irrigation projects ripped from their communities.

“This decision should be about investing wisely in technology not tax. That means partnering with farmers to help provide the ‘tools in the toolbox’ with scientific solutions,” Mr Guy says.

“For Mr O’Connor to stand in front of a room of East Coast farmers and send a clear signal that they will soon be paying for their carbon emissions really calls into question the integrity of the mandate of terms of reference the Interim Climate Change Committee is working to,” National’s Climate Change spokesperson Todd Muller says.

“Is the committee going to be truly free to carry out an open minded, objective assessment of the merits of including agriculture in the ETS or is it setting out to confirm a predetermined outcome for the Government? We know what the Greens want but is that in the best interests of New Zealand?

“Mr O’Connor is assuming this is a done deal which makes an absolute mockery of the consultation process that is supposedly planned.

“The Agriculture Minister is talking about the Government making ‘hard decisions’ but it’s not them that will find it hard – it’s the farmers and growers and regional communities who are being forced to pay the price of its mounting bad ideas.

“If we force agriculture into the ETS before this technology is available it will amount to nothing more than another unfair tax on farmers and regional New Zealand.”