Prudent fiscal management was promised, but the Finance Minister now admits he can't keep to his own three-year plan. Dr Cullen's credibility is also seriously dented because he wants all political parties to sign up to a superannuation pre-funding plan that will require considerable fiscal discipline. New Zealanders should be alarmed over Dr Cullen's admission that he doesn't share financial information with his Cabinet colleagues. The Government's defence against raising the community services card threshold continues to amaze. Unbelievably it's now going to take the card off the one million people who use it, an unjust and unjustifiable move in our view.
Health is under huge pressure.
Most area health boards are now in financial trouble and they can't expect any respite from the Budget. Labour's last budget allocated the lowest amount to Vote Health since 1991. His study says the Government's policy direction is at odds with most developed countries. The Government's policy direction was 'contrary to that observed in most, if not all, other OECD countries over the last two decades,' he said. New Zealand will land at the bottom of the OECD within a decade if it continues on this track.