Opinion: Govt continues to hit Kiwis where it hurts

Tim Macindoe is National MP for Hamilton West. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi families are being forced to dig deeper into their pockets as the Government makes poor decisions against expert advice.

Despite recent Statistics NZ data revealing that the cost of living rose faster than incomes over the last three months, the Labour-led Government continues to show it doesn't understand the pressure hard-working New Zealanders are under as it forges ahead with policies which add to the problem.

Kiwi families are being forced to dig deeper into their pockets as the Government makes poor decisions against expert advice.

The Government's own officials recently confirmed that gas and electricity prices will rise because of the harmful ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration.

They warned ministers that this decision will cost New Zealanders billions of dollars — and that's before you take into account the loss of jobs and the economic impact on Taranaki communities in particular.

It's also likely to increase the overall emissions problem it's supposedly designed to reduce.

Median weekly rents in New Zealand reached a record high in August, yet — in what has become a disturbing trend — the Government ignored expert advice and forged ahead with its decision to reform legislation governing renters and landlords.

Officials advised the Government that this move will drive landlords out of the market and hike rents up further — although Phil Twyford claims he knows better.

Petrol prices have hit record highs, topping $2.40 a litre in many centres, yet the Government added another 4 cents per litre tax last weekend.

In my capacity as National's ACC spokesman, I am following last week's proposal from ACC to increase levies for motorists, with real concern.

ACC's proposed changes to levies would mean a 12 per cent jump in car levies and a 2.5 per cent increase on earners' levies coming straight from workers' pockets.

The average motor vehicle levy would increase from around $114 to $128, which is a significant reversal of the reductions made by National. We brought it down from $335 in 2013 to $114 in 2017.

If confirmed, these ACC levy increases will be another blow to wage earners already struggling to deal with their higher petrol costs and rising rents.

Congratulations to the winners of this year's Graeme Dingle (Youth Foundation) Awards, Waikato Master Plumbers Awards, University Distinguished Alumni Awards and Kudos Awards, to name just a few of the many causes for celebration in Hamilton to which I have been invited recently.