Green Party releases fiscal plan, promises to increase health spending by $3 billion each year
The New Zealand Green Party has unveiled a fiscal plan proposing a $30 billion increase in health spending over four years, funded by new taxes on the wealthy and corporations. The plan prioritizes public services over immediate budget surpluses, drawing a sharp contrast with the current coalition government's fiscal strategy.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing political debate regarding the trade-offs between austerity, public service investment, and wealth redistribution.
The Green Party would hike taxes, take on more debt and delay balancing the government's books to put billions more into hospitals and healthcare.
The party's just-released financial plan promises a fresh $3 billion increase in health funding at each of the next four Budgets, at a cost of $30b over the full period.
The government would start collecting more than it spends in 2029/30, a year later than Treasury currently forecast. By 2030/31, debt would be $26.6 billion higher than Treasury expects under current plans.
Green co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick released the plan at Parliament this morning.
She said it was irresponsible for parties to chase a surplus without thinking of the real-world economic ramifications.
"Children in poverty cannot eat a surplus. A surplus that this government is chasing is not going to deliver the nurses and the frontline healthcare workers who are desperately needed."
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