No bonfire, just burning a twig in a damp forest

“Kiwis aren’t going to fall for the spin that Labour is torching its manifesto when it’s introduced hundreds of illogical policies and is only prepared to u-turn on a tiny handful," says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“When Chris Hipkins announces this week that he is ‘reprioritising’ some of Labour’s work programme, let’s not delude ourselves that some kind of policy bonfire in going on. Chris Hipkins is trying to burn a twig in a damp forest.

“Some of these policies – like the hate speech law, which has been given to the Law Commission – have simply been put on the backburner and could make a comeback.

“A real policy bonfire would require Labour to torch so-called Fair Pay Agreements, the ute tax, Three Waters, the 39% tax rate, the Māori Health Authority, the Zero Carbon Act, the mortgage interest deductibility and Residential Tenancies Act changes, the bright-line test, the ban on oil and gas exploration, the ban on live animal exports, and many other policies.

“ACT says we need more than a change of government – we need a government of real change.”

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