Rural broadband pledge takes National's total beyond $2.3b

Photo / APN

National has unveiled $266 million worth of new policies including a $150 million boost to its rural broadband initiative in the past week, pushing its tally on the Herald's Porkometer to slightly more than $2.3 billion. The Porkometer keeps track of the cost of the two major parties' big spending policies over a four-year period.

The additional Rural Broadband Initiative money is the biggest of a series of funding announcements from National in recent days, including a $50 million bone, muscle and joint health package, and $100 million over 10 years for a water-quality programme unveiled yesterday.

Labour said on Monday that it would spend $100 million on a commuter rail package to ease traffic congestion in Christchurch.

National will sketch out its plans for tax cuts on Monday while Labour is yet to announce an initiative which it says will cut Crown revenue by almost $100 million a year.