Nicola Willis’ choice of Budget day attire is a sideshow to policy debate – Editorial

Finance Minister Nicola Willis leads her colleagues on Budget day. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Editorial

THREE KEY FACTS

• Finance Minister Nicola Willis faced criticism for wearing a $1100 British dress on Budget day.
• Caroline Marr criticised Willis for not supporting local designers, highlighting the struggling fashion industry.
• The Budget highlighted issues of inequality, with limited support for low-income Kiwis and foodbanks under pressure.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ choice of attire on Budget day has become a sideshow to the main event, drawing the ire of a New Zealand designer who labelled it “total disrespect”.

The Carpenter’s Daughter owner Caroline Marr says her research shows Willis’ dress cost $1100 and was by a British label. She slammed Willis for not choosing to support a local designer, saying the fashion industry is struggling and needs high-profile support.

The industry contributed $7.8 billion to the economy in 2023, employing 76,000 workers, but has slumped since then.

Willis says she buys from a range of outlets and wears plenty of clothes by New Zealand designers and makers.

Her male colleagues have fired up, saying no one cares where they bought their outfits and the focus should be on the Government’s policies.

And the policies are the thing.

The private sector got a great Budget boost. The wealthy will still be wealthy. But support for Kiwis at the other end of the income scale was limited – and where were the moves to address poverty?

Some eyebrows will be raised at the $1100 price tag for the dress – it is inconceivable for many people to spend that much on a single item of clothing. However, Willis is in the fortunate position to be able to afford quality clothing and to choose whether to wear a local design or something from overseas.

For many New Zealanders, there is no choice. Their clothing is cast-offs from family or friends, op shops or social agencies.

For them, $1100 could help pay for their whole family’s clothing and footwear. It could pay for power. It could put food on the table.

Willis’ Budget – like her dress – highlights the growing gap between the haves and the have-nots.

As one budget service adviser said after the Budget announcement, “food, rent and power are sucking people dry”.

Food security is a huge issue for many Kiwis.

Our foodbanks are under the pump. They are seeing people who have never before had to use their services, including people in fulltime employment or working multiple jobs who are being hammered by the cost of living.

The Budget gave community foodbanks $15 million for a year to go towards national and regional food distribution infrastructure, food security initiatives that increase community food resilience and self-sufficiency, and to help providers buy and distribute food.

However, the agencies say it’s not going to be enough to meet growing demand.

So go ahead and support our amazing New Zealand fashion designers, if that’s something you can afford.

But consider complementing that by supporting your local foodbank or social agencies, which are in more demand than ever.

Let’s all show some respect.

Sign up to the Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.