GUEST BLOG: Willie Jackson – National vs Labour: Tax cuts for the rich or money for the people?
Now is NOT the time for tax cuts to the rich.
With our Families Package, Labour are offering New Zealander’s a very different vision of the future than National are.
National are offering the richest New Zealander’s $400 million in tax cuts and everyone else a mere $20 each week in tax cuts.
That’s two Big Mac Combos a week, how will 2 Big Mac Combo’s a week help Kiwi’s on the really big issues that matter?
National’s tax cuts do nothing to address the failing mental health service, nothing to address the failing public health system, nothing to address the housing crisis or address the chronic underfunding in education; Labour’s Families Package on the other hand provides some real solutions and answers to the major issues in our communities
Labour will:
Increase Working For Families payments and thresholds.
Extend Working For Families to 30 000 other families.
Start a $60 per week Best Start payment for babies.
Introduce a $700 per year winter energy payment for pensioners and beneficiaries.
Re-instate the Independent Earners Tax Credit.
Increase Accommodation Supplement.
That will do more to address the inequality and poverty issues that are gnawing away at our society than merely handing over half a billion to the rich and two Big Mac Combos each week to everyone else.
On top of our Families Package, Labour will put more money into health and education so that everyone benefits from a better funded public service, not just those rich enough to afford private education and health.
Labour is showing leadership, real leadership here where as all National are trying to do is bribe Kiwi’s with a cheap tax cut.
So often we complain in New Zealand that there is no alternative to what National are proposing, well Labour are proposing an alternative and that alternative is fairer, more just and helps everyone gets ahead rather than just the rich.
This Families Package will make the lives of low and middle income Kiwi’s far easier to live, and that is what a Government is supposed to do. Attempting to bribe everyone with a $20 tax cut while ignoring housing affordability and chronic underfunding in public services is what a Government who have given up offers.
You get to decide what type of country you want NZ to be in September at the polls.
Bit harsh on WJ , mate.
Its taken 33 years of the lies of neo liberalism to get us in the shithole where we find ourselves today ,…
And I’d far rather see change by increment than no change at all. Face it , New Zealanders are slow to catch on , all too trusting of those in authority , apathetic and abdicate responsibility through irresponsibility as well as being short term opportunists.
And every inroad we make on neo liberalism is a beachhead. Its up to us to get sparked with the possibility’s of even greater ground taken with every victory achieved.
Labours talking the Living Wage for the public sector.
And that’s how it starts.
That’s how it forces the private sector to fall in line.
That’s how Trade Unions gain leverage.
And that’s how accountability and demands are put on the narrative of neo liberalism. And that’s how neo liberalism is put under the microscope and then found grievously wanting.
Everything you say, I 100% agree wholeheartedly, a large media representation are in coalition with the National government.
100% BERT.
This policy cuts into inequality.
It is not everything which is needed, but it is a sound start.
Along with the policy on work and pay, many people will benefit.
There are other policies to come, and a growing acceptance of change.
I guess one thing that makes some of us nervous is the fear that a power bill subsidy may help drive up power bills. As a renter you get tired of the whole concept of rent subsidies, and insulation subsidies, that in the end seem to function as an excuse for rent increases, more profits, and ultimately even less money in our pockets.
Its as though the profit makers in this society are holding us all to ransom…telling the Government ‘pay us’ or your citizens will be left homeless and freezing.
What next…a petrol subsidy?
To : Mike The Lefty
“This may be part of the reason why Little constantly lags behind in polls for preferred PM. The public obviously thinks shady people make better PMs than honest ones.”
I feel that Labour should be very proud of its recent Leaders: Helen Clarke, Michael Cullen, David Cunliffe, and Andrew Little.
Look only at the wealth the Cullen Kiwi Saver has given to millions of New Zealanders. Compare it to the pathetic efforts of National who in nine years have only added endless costs to ordinary citizens. Astronomical Rents; Shocking Power Bills; Widespread Homelessness; No Opportunity to get ahead. National are utter Failures.
Compare Key to Clarke. Compare English to Cullen. Compare Cunliffe to Bennett.
Hi Siobhan
A change of Government following the utter failure of the Key / English / Bennet debacle would entail setting some guidelines for the “free” Market.
Briefly
An incoming Government would set a maximum price for necessities, including home rents, foodstuffs, petrol, electric power, education, clothing, and public transport.
GST would be reduced to 9% and would not apply to fresh vegetables, fresh meat or fish.
Wages would be set to a quarterly calculated Living Wage.
Persons earning more than $100,000 p/a would be appropriately taxed.
Renters who damaged their premises or who failed to meet regular payments would have to reimburse the Landlord – via Work and Income.
People who did not seek work, would need to explain to Work and Income why they should receive a wage or benefit.
Higher costs are caused in the main by Corporations and Shareholders. Not by workers and school children. So, if a Corporation or landlord ups his price, his Tax will immediately rise across his entire Income.
It is time that the real cost of living in New Zealand was met by the wealthy as well as the long suffering captive paye worker.
Excellent stuff that now needs to explained carefully.
Great point of difference Labour!
There’s still something wrong here. The whole package is reactive, not proactive. More fiddling with a failing system does not seem to be a proper fix. Are Labour just doing this to appease the financiers and not rock the boat? Seems to me this is just a very convoluted way to maintain neoliberalism.
Nactional = Big tax cuts for the rich only.
Nactional = two big mac’s a week for the poor.!!!!!
Labour = A conservative tax cut for all families sounds better.