Press Release – ACT New Zealand

Further evidence that the National Party has abandoned its goal of catching Australia by 2025 was on offer in Parliament this afternoon, says ACT New Zealand Parliamentary Leader Hon John Boscawen.Where’s Your Ambition for New Zealand Now, Messrs Key and English?

Further evidence that the National Party has abandoned its goal of catching Australia by 2025 was on offer in Parliament this afternoon, says ACT New Zealand Parliamentary Leader Hon John Boscawen.

“When questioned by me as to whether the GDP per capita gap between New Zealand and Australia has widened or narrowed since his government came to office, Finance Minister Bill English said he didn’t know, but speculated that the gap ‘probably narrowed’ in the last quarter because of the recent performances of the two economies,” says Mr Boscawen.

“I had not asked about the last quarter, but about what has happened since 2008. Mr English was unwilling to admit that the gap has not appreciably narrowed at all after three years of his tenure. Indeed, given New Zealand’s flat performance over the last 12 months in particular the gap has undoubtedly widened – a fact underscored by Statistics New Zealand’s announcement today that migration to Australia has reached an all-time high – the net loss of 3300 people in May easily surpassing the previous record of 2900 set in 1979.

“Mr English opined vaguely that New Zealand might catch up with Australia ‘over time,’ but his lack of conviction was palpable.

“He and Mr Key, who famously pronounced himself ‘ambitious for New Zealand’ prior to 2008, would do well to heed the recommendations of the 2025 Task Force chaired by ACT Leader Don Brash. Reducing the tax and regulatory burden and taming runaway expenditure as they would, these ideas, already reflected in ACT Party policy, are the key to closing a gap that is otherwise destined to become a chasm,” Mr Boscawen concludes.

ENDS

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