Water tax proposal is disappointing

There has been a lot of criticism for the Labour Party's proposed water tax.

King Country Taranaki MP Barbara Kuriger is disappointment at Labour's proposed policy to tax water use by New Zealand communities.

"The Labour Party's water tax would hit our regional economies hard by picking on farmers, horticulturalists and wine growers and shutting the door on the primary sector," Mrs Kuriger says.

"Waikato, King Country and Taranaki, areas of regional New Zealand known for their dairying and agriculture, would be hit hard by this proposed tax.

"Labour have marketed this as a commercial water royalty, but make no doubt about it, it is a tax on our hardworking communities.

"This tax will hit the pockets of those who are the backbone of New Zealand's economy, their families, and their towns, and hard working Kiwis who would have to pay more for things like milk, fruit and veges.

"Primary industry export revenue is expected to grow to $38 billion this year, and jump by nearly 10 per cent next year to $41 billion. Our primary sector employs over 400,000 people and accounts for a third of the world's dairy trade.

"Slapping an additional tax on some of the hardest working members in our provincial communities is extremely disappointing and will slow our economy and export activity.

"My constituents know that I am a proud and passionate supporter of rural and provincial New Zealand, and I will fight to advocate for my communities at the highest level.

"One of the reasons I came into Parliament was to close up the rural-urban divide. With this announcement, the Labour Party intends on turning the rural-urban divide into a chasm."