Shane Jones has shown it all this week: from a lack of transparency to looseness with spending to rank incompetence, National’s Economic and Regional Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Hard on the heels of revelations that Mr Jones had ‘remembered’ 61 meetings he had previously forgotten to disclose is the news that the inaugural venture in the One Billion Trees scheme was a bust, with millions of pine seedlings bought that couldn’t be used.

“Of the 1.1 million seedlings bought, only 191,000 could be planted because the land was too overgrown.

“Government papers appear to show more effort was put into the launch event for the $32 million Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust joint venture than in assessing the land to ensure it could be replanted. Much of it couldn’t.

“This is incompetence laid bare. It shows the risks of wild and frenetic spending to an overtly political timetable. Jones concedes as much, telling the Herald that he has ‘three years to roll out planting of 23,000ha’.

“Mr Jones has refused to disclose financial terms of deals already agreed and papers show even the Treasury was concerned about the loose arrangements, commenting in one paper about ‘the lack of detail around grants’ and schemes that got $240 million in Budget 2018.

“New Zealanders are entitled to expect taxpayer money will be spent sensibly not rushed out the door to bolster the election prospects of New Zealand First.”

While the Government is taking more taxes from motorists than ever, it has stripped $5 billion from regional roads that would have made a big difference to our regions, National’s Transport spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“National MPs have delivered eight petitions to the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee this morning, signed by 16,091 New Zealanders.

“The New Zealanders around the country who have signed these petitions are concerned about safety and congestion. The new highways the previous National Government built are now some of the safest in New Zealand, and they help Kiwis get to their destination quicker.

“National had planned to do so much more, and in some cases work would have already begun on roads, but the current Labour-led Government has changed that. Now the regions will have to make do with half measures and compromises that in most cases won’t do the job.

“National is holding this Government to account, and we will ensure that the voices of all New Zealanders are heard – from Northland, to Pukekohe, Katikati, Napier, Ashburton, and countless other towns that are being left high and dry by a Government that is prioritising its pet projects.

“Most of the money siphoned from the regions has been diverted to a slow tram from Auckland’s CBD to the airport that few people understand and for which the Government has yet to see a completed business case.

“New Zealanders across the country are paying more in fuel taxes, but aren’t seeing the investment in their regional roads. Regions are being side-lined by a Government who is letting ideology drive transport policy.”

Transport Minister Phil Twyford’s determination to build a light rail link to Auckland airport from the CBD without a completed business case shows ideology not the needs of commuters is driving transport policy, National’s Transport spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Mr Twyford confirmed in Parliament today that he is committed to light rail to the airport, even before a business case has been completed. He also declared that he would not consider connecting the airport to the current rail network at the nearby Puhinui station, even if it were shown to be cheaper and more effective.

“These are massive decisions, costing billions of dollars and potentially causing huge disruption to important routes, such as Dominion Road, and yet the Minister seems to have closed his mind, regardless of evidence.

“In reality, this decision was made during the Labour-Greens Coalition negotiations, in the absence of any real data.

“Aucklanders are paying significant new fuel taxes with many struggling at the pump, yet they are getting fewer critical roads and are at significant risk of increased congestion. 

“Rather than building roads that would significantly reduce congestion, such as Mill Road and the East-West Link he is diverting large sums to what appears to be a slow tram to the airport that few people can understand.

“I would be interested to know how many people would use a tram to the airport if it took nearly twice as long to get there as a bus – I suspect not enough.

“Aucklanders want to know that limited transport funds are put to the best use. With the Government’s current priorities and ideological decisions we can have no confidence that this is the case.”

New Zealanders have turned pessimistic about the economy and are less confident about their own prospects in the face of the Government’s propensity to drive up living costs, National’s Economic and Regional Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“For the first time since at least 2009, more people expect bad times for the New Zealand economy over the next 12 months. The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Index also shows an increase in the number who expect to be financially worse off in a year’s time.

“At a time when we should be booming, because of high terms of trade, government-introduced uncertainty has undermined confidence. The number of Kiwis who expect we’ll have continuous good times over the next five years is also in retreat.

“This survey is only the latest to show gloom is spreading through the economy as businesses and consumers cope with rising costs like petrol after the Government raised taxes on pump prices already at a record high.

“Business confidence has hit 10-year lows and is in a prolonged slump, indicating firms expect profits to fall and have less appetite to invest and hire more workers. That feeds into our communities, where people are being forced to stretch their household budget further.

“New Zealand needs sensible, consistent economic policies that encourage businesses to grow and allow ordinary Kiwis to get ahead. Instead, we have a Government that appears determined to take New Zealand backwards.”

The Government took in $1 billion more in taxes than in the same quarter last year but is intent on taking even more from New Zealanders’ back pockets over the next two years, National’s Economic and Regional Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“The Crown accounts for the first three months of the fiscal year show tax revenue was $19 billion up from $18 billion the same time last year. The Crown accounts are still relatively strong as the Government benefits from National’s prudent fiscal management.  

“But the amount of taxes pouring into the Government’s coffers suggest it is making too big a raid on the wallets of ordinary New Zealanders while driving up the cost of living. It should be considering tax relief rather than additional taxes and levies.

“Grant Robertson confirmed yesterday the Government expected to take an extra $9.3 billion in taxes over the next two years. That’s an 11 per cent increase in a period when wages are forecast to rise 6 per cent.

“Given its tax take will be swelled by billions of dollars it is extraordinary that the Government can’t commit to a revenue neutral tax package once the Tax Working Group has reported back.

“New Zealanders trying to manage their household budget as costs rise would have been better off under the last National Government, whose tax cuts amounted to $1,060 for the average worker.

“This Government thinks it knows better how to spend that money although its track record includes wasteful spending policies like fees-free tertiary education.

“National believes New Zealanders should be able to keep more of what they earn and Government spending should be subject to rigorous scrutiny. National supports policies that drive economic growth and benefit all our communities.

The Government is refusing to rule out more taxes, despite forecasts that its revenue grab will rise almost twice as fast as wages in the next two years, National’s Economic and Regional Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Not only has this Government refused to ease the tax burden on record-high fuel prices but it has left New Zealanders in a state of uncertainty over its tax ambitions, including a Capital Gains Tax.

“It isn’t even prepared to commit to a revenue-neutral tax package when it gets the final report of the Tax Working Group. That’s a worry from a Government with a track record of wasteful spending and which has played a role in driving up living costs for ordinary Kiwis.

“The Government reaped $80 billion in taxes in the 2018 year and Treasury forecasts that to rise to $89 billion in 2020, an increase of 11 per cent. In that same period, wages are forecast to rise 6 per cent.

“New Zealanders are rightfully angry at being whacked in the wallet when they fill up their vehicle, especially since more than half the price is taxes.

“They would’ve been better off under the last National Government’s tax cuts, which added up to $1,060 for the average worker. But this Government held on to the money for wasteful schemes like fees-free tertiary education.

“National believes New Zealanders should be able to keep more of what they earn and Government spending should be subject to rigorous scrutiny. National supports policies that drive economic growth and benefit all our communities.

A year under Labour has caused chaos and instability in the transport sector, National’s Transport spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“There have been more strikes across the sector in one year than there was during nine years of a National Government.

“This has meant critical transport links have faced uncertainty, consumer and public transport users have seen delays, cost increases and even more congestion.

“Transport Minister Phil Twyford has said if there is no bus coming, why would people turn up to the bus stop. With the current strikes in Wellington, there are no buses turning up at the moment and the Minister blames everyone else. His party has explicitly encouraged union activity.

“The problems don’t end there. Kiwis are also facing record high prices when they fill up their cars. Since the Government took office petrol prices have risen over 40 cents. Motorists are forced to pay over $20 extra every time they fill up their cars.

“In light of these record high prices the Government’s solution is to commission an inquiry. This will take months and there are still two more four cent excise increases to come into force, increasing the pain for hard working New Zealanders.

“While the costs of transport continues to rise, the Government is also ensuring that less funding is available through our regions for major highway projects.

“The Government’s decision to axe $5.3 billion from state highways to fund a tram project in Auckland has resulted in projects like the Tauranga Northern Link, Otaki to Levin and Whangarei to Te Hana being stripped back and other major highway plans axed completely.

“One year into this Government’s term, New Zealanders are facing a transport system rife with strikes and delays, record high fuel prices and fewer roading projects.

“This is not a positive outlook for the transport sector.

“In contrast, National’s vision for transport would have seen sensible investment in public transport and rail, a major new plan for regional highway investment and a commitment to keep fuel taxes down.”

After a year of this Labour-led Government there have been 15 strikes in the transport sector compared to 12 under nine years of a National Government, National’s Transport spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says

“This Government has emboldened the union movement to the point of militancy and Auckland and Hamilton commuters today are the collateral damage. On Thursday it will be Wellington commuters.

“Aucklanders in particular are now facing a bus system on strike, record high fuel prices, new regional fuel taxes and no improvement to the city’s congestion.

“They are rightly frustrated with disruptions to their daily travel.

“The lack of leadership coming from this Labour-led Government is seriously undermining confidence in our public transport system.

“As Transport Minister Phil Twyford rightly said in Parliament today, the public won’t turn up to the bus stop if they don’t believe a bus will turn up.  

“If we want public transport use to grow in order to ease congestion on our roads, it needs to be reliable.

“The Minister needs to talk with his colleague Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway, to dial back on industrial relations reforms, and to his friends in the unions, calling on them to show commuters respect.

“Mr Twyford needs to be showing some leadership in strengthening public confidence in our transport system.”

The Prime Minister and the Transport Minister can’t agree on the impact their fuel taxes are having on New Zealanders, National’s Transport spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“Last week the Prime Minister tried to defend the impact the Government’s taxes were having on rising fuel prices when she claimed the taxes only accounted for 6.8 cents per litre.

“This 6.8 cents only included GST and an ETS change and left out both the Government’s 4 cents per litre excise tax and the Auckland Regional Fuel Tax of 11.5 cents per litre.

“But today in Parliament Transport Minister Phil Twyford used a different set of numbers, claiming a 3.5 cent excise tax and a 10 cent Regional Fuel Tax. This time the Minister failed to add GST to the total amount New Zealanders are paying at the pump. 

“It is impossible to get a straight answer out of the Government.

“The Minister argues these taxes are vital for investing in infrastructure. Earlier this year the Government changed the rules so that it could use road taxes to fund its rail projects.

“National was able to fund rail projects through Crown contributions. Labour’s wasteful spending means it is not able to do the same.

“National’s ambitious transport and infrastructure plan saw record funding for public transport, rail and highways without needing any new taxes.

“This Government is focused on taxing New Zealanders more when it should be reining in its untargeted, low-quality spending.

“National is committed to relieving the burden hardworking New Zealanders are currently facing and are calling on the Government to axe its fuel taxes.”

The Finance Minister is refusing to rule out a tax grab on the retirement savings of hard-working New Zealanders, National’s Economic and Regional Development spokesperson Paul Goldsmith says.

“When asked directly in the House today if he could rule out putting more tax on Kiwi savings, Grant Robertson was unable to give a straight answer and was only prepared to say it was a work in progress.

“Taxing KiwiSaver more is the last thing we need. It won’t help Kiwis get ahead.

“There are now 2.87 million New Zealanders invested in Kiwisaver funds and their combined nest egg has grown to more than $50 billion. The Government should be re-assuring Kiwis that it won’t raid their long-term savings to bankroll its excessive spending plans.

“Currently the capital gains element of retirement savings isn’t taxed, which is an obvious part of the incentive to save.

“The working group has recommended a package of modest incentives to encourage low and middle-income people to save more for their retirement. But it would be disingenuous for the Government to appear to be giving with one hand while intent on taking much more with the other, via a tax on capital gains.

“Rather than devising ways to take more money from New Zealanders, the Government should be reining in its low-quality and untargeted spending.

“National believes New Zealanders should be able to keep more of what they earn. The tax system should encourage productive investment and savings, not penalise those who try to get ahead.”