Today’s Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) confirms that despite a hot economy where everyone is competing for scarce labour and resources, Finance Minister Grant Robertson isn’t easing off his big debt-funded spend up and that will fuel inflation and hurt Kiwis, National’s Finance spokesperson Simon Bridges says.

The Labour Government’s massive spending spree stepped up to a new gear, announcing $35 billion of spending in just a week with no details on how it will be paid, for says National’s Finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse.

Data released today by Stats NZ shows that, over the past year, the cost of living has risen twice as fast as wages, says National’s Finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse.

The Auditor-General has today agreed with National that this Labour Government’s Budget documentation falls well short of basic requirements for public transparency around the use of taxpayers’ money.

It should be back to school – if he can find one that’s open – for Minister of Finance Grant Robertson, says National’s Finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse.

The days of using Covid as cover for profligate spending must end, National’s Finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says.

The Government needs to urgently recognise soaring inflation as the biggest medium-term threat to the New Zealand economy and halt its wasteful spending, says National’s Finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse.

Grant Robertson’s $7 billion top-up of the misused Covid Response and Recovery Fund gives him carte-blanche to splash more borrowed money between Budgets, says National’s Finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse.

Confirmation today that the Government has sought authorisation to spend a whopping $41 billion over and above Budget 2021 is proof that the Finance Minister is once again using the cover of Covid-19 to spend taxpayer funds on pet projects that have little to do with New Zealand’s Covid-19 response, National’s Finance spokesperson Michael Woodhouse says.