The Greens blow through a quarter of a trillion dollars in new spending promises by week 7 of the Bribe-O-Meter, reaching $122,528 per household. Their planned tax revenue increase covers less than a tenth of that.
The Greens’ new spending promises now total $253.88 billion over four years. Their economic development plan, which the Greens estimate at $5.94 billion, carried them over the line. We have also costed their paid placements for student nurses, teachers and social workers at $310 million, and their package for a series of apprenticeship-focused grants at $402 million.
The Greens’ tax plan raises a net $21.76 billion over the same four years. That leaves $232.12 billion (91.4 percent of their new spending) unfunded, equivalent to $112,026 per household.
Their largest items so far are:
- $96 billion to extend ACC to all injuries, disability, and illness ($46,332 per household).
- $27.6 billion to increase benefits to a 'liveable rate' as part of their commitment to fully implement the Welfare Expert Advisory Group's recommendations ($13,322 per household).
- $21.1 billion for a passenger rail and mass rapid transit package ($10,169 per household).
- $16.2 billion for a student loan write-off ($7,829 per household).
ACT remains the only party promising net savings, unchanged at $17.86 billion, or $8,619 per household. National’s total has decreased to $5.11 billion, or $2,467 per household, as we have included their 2 percent efficiency savings plan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade worth $45.6 million. New Zealand First has added $66 million, taking its total to $51.87 billion, or $25,032 per household.
This week, information released under the Official Information Act allowed us to cost Labour's plans to expand the redress programme for survivors of abuse in state care. Adopting the full recommended package would add $1.03 billion to their total. They also add $28 million for a 'kids in sport' programme to reduce screen time.
| Party | Spending Promise | Cost Per Household |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | -$17.86 billion | -$8,619 |
| National | $5.11 billion | $2,467 |
| Labour | $34.23 billion | $16,521 |
| NZ First | $51.87 billion | $25,032 |
| Opportunity | $229.42 billion | $110,724 |
| Green Party | $253.88 billion | $122,528 |
| Te Pāti Māori | Too vague to cost overall | N/A |
Taxpayers’ Union Head of Policy James Ross said:
"Last week, Bryce Edwards claimed the Greens were tactically shifting to economic populism. Boy, was he right. Chucking promises around without a second thought for how to pay for them is populism at its purest."
"The Greens haven't released a fiscal plan, and it's clear why. Fiscal holes are always a bad look, but when the policies you can actually pay for would barely fill a footnote that's stretching the limits of 'creative accounting'."
"Voting opens in less than a week, and more than 90 cents in every dollar the Greens have promised is unfunded. With $112,000 per household heading straight for the credit card, the Greens need to get real and stop taking voters for a ride."
Weekly Bribe-O-Meter updates, including our Transparency Score Rankings, are available at www.taxpayers.org.nz/bribe_o_meter.
