From ACT leader Rodney Hide’s Speech to Council of Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association, Christchurch, Monday 14 May 2007.
Back in 2000 Cullen was spending close to $9000 per man woman and child in this country. Today it is well over $13,000.
For the typical household of 2.7 people that’s more than $35,000.
Should there be five of you in your house – it’s more like $65,000 that Cullen is spending on your behalf.
You might well ask what you are getting for that.
Better Health? Better Education? Better Roads? Better Law and Order?
I don’t see too many people nodding out there.
A not unreasonable question though – given it is your money he is spending.
But no, Cullen has built a wall of silence around where the money goes. And we are talking big numbers here. Forget the average family. Core Government spending is up $20 billion since 2000. No, it’s not a slip of the tongue. That’s a 32 percent increase in real terms.
The Government’s own top advisers from Treasury have warned Cullen: “There is little information to indicate that New Zealanders are getting more services and better results from the public sector for the large increase in resources provided.”
An extra $20 billion of your money and nothing to show for it.