National’s plan to keep NZ moving forward

Here's a message from my friend Bill English - I wanted to share it because it sums up the clear choice for New Zealanders in this election.

New Zealand is succeeding but we have so much more to do. We have an opportunity this weekend to set ourselves up for real, sustained success that benefits all New Zealanders.

Our economy is growing better than most in the developed world and New Zealanders are seeing the benefits of that growth.

A few weeks ago, I met some workers at a fish exporting factory in Motueka.

They’re doing a great job. They work hard. And they contribute to their community. Some of them have grandchildren in the town. They want a future that provides opportunities for those grandchildren here in New Zealand.

They also want more jobs, higher incomes, a better environment, new schools and hospitals and better public services.

Under National, the good news is that on the back of a strong economy, these things are all happening – not just in Motueka, but right across New Zealand.

That’s encouraging more Kiwis to stay here to raise their families. On the back of our strong and growing economy, they see a better future for New Zealand.

And so do I.

What really motivates me as Prime Minister is providing opportunities for families to improve their lives, no matter what their background.

One of the greatest thrills so far in this Government was, after years of hard work to get back into surplus, being able to commit in this year’s Budget to giving an extra lift to the incomes of 1.3 million Kiwi families and to 750,000 superannuitants.

Next year, as a result of National’s tax changes, everyone earning the average wage will get to keep $1060 more of their annual income. And the couple rate of superannuation will go up $680, on top of their normal annual increase.

That’s making a real difference in people’s lives. Lifting New Zealanders' incomes, and most importantly, trusting them to make the decisions on how to spend more of their money.

Labour would cancel those tax changes. And that is one of the starkest differences between the two major parties.

New Zealanders have a clear choice at this election between two very different economic visions for New Zealand. National’s plan to grow jobs and incomes and ensure families continue to get ahead, and Labour’s agenda that would only take New Zealand backwards.

National backs New Zealanders to succeed and we have the plan to help them do so.

New Zealanders are now better educated, better trained, more confident and connected to the world and they are being offered more positive choices about what to do with their lives than ever.

We are building a nation of opportunities and a population equipped to take advantage of them. National is focused on skills, trade, infrastructure, jobs and growing incomes. We are encouraging and building for growth.

New Zealand hasn’t become one of the best-performing economies in the developed world by accident. That economy, built on our plan and the hard-work of New Zealanders, is delivering for New Zealanders.

It is why we can invest in better public services, put more money into family budgets, build world-class infrastructure like hospitals, schools and roads and help our most vulnerable to lead better lives.

It’s why we can roll out cheap GP visits to 600,000 more low-income New Zealanders, help a further 80,000 first-home buyers into a house and young farming families into farms.

It’s why we can put an extra 1125 Police onto our streets, grow regional economies, extend Paid Parental Leave and invest more in protecting our environment.

Fundamentally, it’s why we can continue to succeed and it’s why we can continue to make progress on the things that matter to New Zealanders.

We have come a long way but we can go so much further.

A Party vote for National is a vote for a strong government that can get on and get things done. A Party Vote for National will keep New Zealand heading in this strong, positive economic direction.