Government cost “savings” announcement too little, too late

Reacting to today’s announcement that the Government intends to cut costs amounting to $4 billion over four years, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, said:

“This is too little, too late. Government spending has increased by 68% since 2017 yet there is nothing to show for it, except out of control cost of living and ballooning government debt. Taxpayers’ Union – Curia polling shows that despite massive increases in spending, most New Zealanders think key public services have actually got worse.

“Kiwis have been struggling with rampant inflation and the rising cost of living for the past two years, yet it seems the Government has only just realised that they are the cause of these problems. We need cuts of $40 billion in one year, not $4 billion over four.

“With this underwhelming announcement, at least the Government has demonstrated that it is possible to reduce spending without reducing core services. The Government needs to show some courage and unwind the damage of the past few years’ excessive wasteful spending and deliver meaningful spending cuts to the tune of tens of billions of dollars."