“With the Prime Minister blaming “the globe” instead of her Government’s policies for the cost of living crisis, she has decided to extend her welfare agenda from just New Zealand to the world,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“There are reports that temporary migrants who have left New Zealand are receiving her cost of living payment.

“These people aren’t New Zealand citizens or residents and yet we are paying them welfare. It seems it’s not enough to Jacinda Ardern to try to hook as many New Zealanders on welfare as possible, she wants her welfare agenda to go global.

“Both Ardern and David Parker told media this morning they knew the payment would be made to some people living overseas. That is simply reckless.

“Ardern and Parker now need to tell us how many people living overseas received the payment, and will any efforts be made to recover it?

“What the Government should have done is cut spending and cut taxes, so that people could keep more of their own money. In fact, ACT’s recent Cost of Living document outlines nine concrete initiatives that the Government could take to beat inflation and the cost of living crisis.

 ACT would:

  1. Embrace free trade by unilaterally abolishing all tariffs to reduce costs of clothing, food and equipment imported into New Zealand by $200 million per year
  2. Simplifying the Accredited Employer Work Visa scheme by abolishing labour market tests, the wage rule, and transfer restrictions, clearly not needed in a labour crisis, so firms can produce to their potential without labour constraints
  3. Allow foreign supermarket chains from OECD member countries to bypass the Overseas Investment Act, bringing real competition to our supermarket sector
  4. Creating a Materials Equivalence Register, forcing Councils to accept substitutes for scarce material such as Gib Board, to reduce costs and bring down delays for building
  5. Incentivise councils to build by sharing GST with them, but only if they say yes to residential development, building more plentiful homes for the next generation and bringing down prices
  6. Cut taxes for every earner, including $2,185 for an average full-time worker, with a two-rate tax structure: 17.5 per cent up to $70,000 and 28 per cent thereafter, together with a Low- and Middle-Income Tax Offset. As well as provide Kiwis with a Carbon Tax Refund
  7. Replacing the RMA with a fit-for-purpose law where only those whose property is directly physically affected can object to development, allowing vital supply chain infrastructure to get built
  8. Restore monetary policy credibility to the Reserve Bank by returning its mandate to solely taming inflation, allowing the appointment of monetary policy experts from New Zealand and abroad, and applying stricter scrutiny in future before granting Crown indemnities
  9. Reverse the Government’s workplace relations changes that are hammering businesses like Fair Pay Agreements, an extra public holiday, and bringing back 90-day trials.

“It’s not enough for them to shrug their shoulders and say, “oh well.” They need to find out how much this has cost New Zealanders who pay tax.”