Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Homes or tax cuts?

This week has really exposed the government's priorities. Its becoming clear that while they talk big about "infrastructure' - by which they mean roads and dams, publicly funded items which benefit their donors and cronies in the trucking and farming industries - National has massively underinvested in social infrastructure, in particular in state houses. They've sold down the stock when they should be building more, and made them increasingly harder to obtain. And rather than committing to fix this mistake, John Key is talking about tax cuts for the rich again:
Prime Minister John Key has hinted at a $3 billion package of tax cuts as part of National's next election campaign.

Key said tax cuts were something the party had looked at and would do their best on.

[...]

When asked how much was needed for meaningful tax cut, Key responded: "$3billion I reckon."

He wouldn't reveal the budget surplus forecast for next year, but it was nowhere near enough for that.


Floating this idea when there are people living in cars and unable to get state assistance is simply vile. But its a perfect example of National's priorities of giving to the greedy, not the needy.