Rodney on Labour's Tax, Spend and Waste

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.