Grey Power column, June 2012

National’s Budget was outrageous and a step backwards.

It said your paper boy is a tax dodger and is bleeding the country dry.

Pensioners are too wealthy and must pay more when they go into residential care.

If you want a job then join the exodus to Australia because the Kiwi economy is swirling down a sinkhole and the Government has no idea how to plug it.

National’s rotten budget fired shots at nearly every sector of society except the very rich – the overseas banks and rip off merchants that exploit New Zealand.

You have to ask yourself some searching questions about John Key’s callous Government when the Minister of Finance targets our nation’s children for their pocket money. The sort of country NZ First wants to live in does not tax kids for the pittance they earn cutting
lawns, washing cars, or delivering papers.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that during National’s first term in office they handed out huge tax cuts to the very rich. These cuts are now being subsidised by our nation’s children!

But National weren’t content with hammering away at the country’s youngest money earners in the Budget. The sights were also firmly set on pensioners who, according to Mr Key and his cronies, are too wealthy for their own good.

Hidden in the Budget was a change to asset testing when a pensioner goes into residential care. The sneaky piece of legislation allows the upper asset limit to increase each year only by the rate of inflation. It is nothing more than a punishment to those who save for their retirement and own their own home. It will lead to more pensioner homes being sold to pay for residential care.

Not content with implementing policy that will force superannuitants to sell their homes, the National Party is working hard behind the scenes to orchestrate a big campaign to get the pension age increased and the amount paid reduced. They have now admitted they have discussed lifting the pension age.

Mr Key has also given up on any pretence of retaining keen and enthusiastic professional people, tradespeople, and skilled workers in New Zealand. Instead his message is clear - join the 1000-plus a week exodus to Australia where well-paid jobs are plentiful.

National wants to replace Kiwis with subservient immigrants willing to work for slave wages so they can escape the troubles in their native lands. It will drive down wages further, leading to more New Zealanders fleeing the country.

We will be left with a low wage, high price economy that cannot afford to pay pensions to our aging population.

If this is National’s much vaunted ‘Brighter Future’ for Kiwis then the best advice is for the last person leaving New Zealand to turn out the lights.