Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown has labelled the Labour Government “arrogant, entitled, and tired” during a blistering attack on its track record.
Brown was the first speaker for the National Party during a recent general debate in Parliament.
The debate was held on the same day former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern delivered her valedictory speech and retired from politics and the Reserve Bank raised the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 5.25 per cent, which is expected to result in higher interest rates and more families struggling to pay their mortgages.
With six months to go until this year’s general election on October 14, Brown said new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins claimed his Government would focus on “bread and butter” issues, but it’s spent the last five weeks talking about itself and the conduct of former ministers such as Stuart Nash, who was sacked from Cabinet for multiple political indiscretions.
Brown said such issues were causing distractions from the “real issues facing New Zealanders”.
“New Zealanders who are now facing another 50 basis points increase in the official cash rate, which will put more pressure on family budgets up and down this country and will put some people, with their mortgages, to the wall.
“This Government has lost control of the issues that matter to New Zealanders and is completely distracted and is talking about themselves rather than trying to fix the issues which are facing New Zealanders.”
Brown said the Government is not focused on bread-and-butter issues and is tired, arrogant, “completely distracted and out of touch” from the important issues.
He talked about National’s recent policy launches on education, childcare, and local water infrastructure.
“So what’s National been focused on? We’ve been focused on policies will which make a difference for New Zealanders.
“Like putting a policy out, doing local water well. What about Family Boost? A fully-funded policy which is going to help young families pay for their cost of childcare, and guess what?
“Fully funded by cutting some of the wasteful consultants which have ballooned under this Government.
“This Government’s the Government for bureaucrats and consultants, not the Government for families and making sure that they can deal with the cost of living.”
Brown said National’s new education policy, ‘Teaching the Basics Brilliantly’, will make sure Kiwi children have one hour a day of reading, writing, and maths.
“How revolutionary would that be? It’s about focusing on our future generations.
“Parents up and down this country and are so grateful the National Party is talking about solutions for the future, which will help their young people have the future skills they need.”
He said the party’s Electrify NZ policy will “help make sure we have the clean, renewable energy we need to electrify our economy”.
Brown then laid out what National intends to achieve should it be elected to Government this year.
“We’re going to lower inflation. We’re going to lift incomes for all New Zealanders.
“National will build the infrastructure New Zealand needs. We will restore law and order, which has gone backwards under this Government.
“We’ll make sure New Zealanders have access to the health and education services they need.
“New Zealanders need change in this election. New Zealanders will get change from a National Government, and we will not only give it, we will deliver it.”
