Key Government signals poverty and environmental degradation

The Key Government is intent on digging New Zealand into an economic and environmental black hole, said Green Party Co-Leader Dr Russel Norman today.

This afternoon Prime Minister John Key outlined his Government’s plans for 2010 hinting at a rise in GST and a commitment to pushing ahead with mining New Zealand’s conservation estate.

“Raising GST will hurt low and middle income New Zealanders,” said Dr Norman.

“Nowhere in National’s election manifesto was there any hint National would raise GST.”

Dr Norman pointed out that as the Key Government digs a poverty trap for the bulk of New Zealanders real holes are likely to open up later this year in our Conservation Estate.

“The Government intends to assault New Zealand’s clean-green image by pushing on with its plan to open up New Zealand’s most treasured places to mining interests,” said Dr Norman.

“According to John Key if there’s an increase in mining our natural environment will be improved.

“No doubt by the same logic if there’s an increase in poverty, our economy will be going gangbusters,” said Dr Norman.

“The honeymoon is over for John Key’s Government but sadly most New Zealanders won’t be able to afford a divorce lawyer.”