March 25, 2024
No mandate for radical policies
In his first state of the nation speech as Opposition leader, Chris Hipkins has attacked the coalition Government for putting landlords ahead of hungry kids and smoking revenue ahead of people’s health.
Speaking to Labour Party members at AUT’s Manukau campus yesterday, Mr Hipkins rejected the notion the coalition has a mandate for its policies.
“Did New Zealanders voting for change vote to wind back our world leading smokefree laws in order to pay for tax cuts? Did New Zealanders voting for change think that they were voting for billions of dollars in tax breaks for landlords while threatening to cut free school lunches? Did they vote to suspend work upgrading our schools and hospitals and to stop the building of new state houses? I’m pretty certain they didn’t vote for the Prime Minister to talk about tough love for others whilst claiming a $1000 a week housing allowance that he did not need” Mr Hipkins said.
He said the Government is taking New Zealand backwards when it comes to outcomes for Māori, ignoring and in some cases reversing the huge progress wemade as a nation to right the wrongs of the past.
“That’s not just bad for Māori, it’s bad for all of us,” he said.