- By Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister and MP for Botany
The new coalition Government has been in office for a few weeks, and the previous Government’s economic mismanagement continues to be exposed.
The Auditor-General released a shocking report, highlighting Labour’s reckless spending in infrastructure.
Labour Ministers were committing billions of dollars to projects with insufficient due diligence or clearly documenting what they were doing.
Recently released data from Stats NZ shows GDP declined by 0.3 per cent in the three months up until the end of September and the economy shrank in three of the past four quarters.
The Auditor-General also released a shocking report, highlighting the previous Labour Government’s poor investment in infrastructure.
Labour Ministers were committing billions of dollars to projects with insufficient due diligence or clearly documenting what they were doing.
This coalition Government has inherited an economic mess and the country is now in need of urgent economic repair after being mishandled by Labour for the past six years.
Labour’s decision to spray the money hose with wild abandon is likely to have repercussions for years to come.
We will bring discipline back to spending and tidy up the mess that has been left behind by Labour.
We have already begun at speed to implement our ambitious 100-day plan.
Already, the Government has passed legislation to restore the Reserve Bank’s sole focus on lowering inflation, we have removed the ‘Ute Tax’ and unwound the mandatory union-driven so-called Fair Pay Agreements legislation.
All of this is part of our plan to restore economic confidence and give relief to struggling families and businesses.
The countdown to Christmas is truly upon us.
Last week I attended the 70th Howick Santa Parade and what a fantastic day it was, with hundreds turning out to watch the parade.
It is a privilege to be one of the two local MPs to attend, along with neighbouring Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown.
It is always a highlight of the year seeing the community come together.
This Christmas break, I’ll be sending time with my family before diving straight back into work to get this great country of ours back on track.
This Government will focus on strengthening New Zealand’s economy to ease the cost of living, provide income tax relief for lower-and middle-income workers, restore law and order so we all feel safer, deliver better public services like health and education, and drive the skills, technology and infrastructure needed to support future growth.
New Zealand should be a country where, if you work hard, you can get ahead, and the Government I lead wants to help New Zealand find its mojo again.
There is so much potential to realise and I am delighted and excited to be getting on with the job and delivering more on our promises in the new year.
I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe summer break, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Thank you for all your support and I look forward to what 2024 will bring.
