Nats to continue the fiscal lolly scramble
Somebody suggested to me yesterday that the 2023 version of the National Party is similar to the Helen Clark Labour Party of 20 years ago. That is just to the left of centre.
When you look at a few policies, that comment isn’t far off the mark. They’re going to retain the 39 cent top tax rate and they’re maintaining the Zero Carbon Act, when the ETS could do the same job at a fraction of the price.
Then in the last few days we’ve had two quite staggering announcements that would not have been made by a National Party thirty years ago.
They’re going to maintain the winter heating payment for all people aged 65 and over, even if a decent chunk of them are multi-millionaires, and then at the other end of the scale they’re going to carry on with this busted policy of the fees-free first year at university.
What is it with these people? The term poll driven fruit cakes comes to mind.
The country cannot afford either policy and the fees-free idea is a shambles. It hasn’t brought any more students into university and has been shown to be of more assistance to children of the wealthy than kids from lower income families.
As for the winter heating payment, why is it not means tested?
Don’t give me the stock answer of that would be too hard to administer. There are mechanisms that already exist like the community services medical card to identify pensioners of limited means. Or make it an opt-in scheme for those under a certain income or asset base rather than just a universal money giveaway.
I think both initiatives are wasteful and non-targeted spending, something a responsible government would not do.
Any new government led by the Nats is looking like Santa Claus already.
Writer and broadcaster for half a century. Now watching from the sidelines. Subscribe to Peter William's Substack here