The gift of the Greens
Roger Partridge writes:
The Greens’ coronation of Chlöe Swarbrick at last weekend’s AGM delivered a manifesto for economic transformation that would make Soviet economists nostalgic for their glory days.
Swarbrick delivered a speech that was part meditation retreat, part political rally. She declared her party “leading the Opposition,” positioned herself as Finance Minister-in-waiting, and announced her intention to overhaul capitalism.
Why only Finance Minister? Surely Prime Minister. How about a Green dominated Cabinet. If they hadn’t lost so many MPs we could have Justice Minister Golriz Ghahraman, Small Business Minister Phillida Bunkle, Immigration Minister Darlene Tana, Welfare Minister Metiria Turei and Workplace Relations Minister Elizabeth Kerekere.
Finance Minister Swarbrick’s credentials rest on the Greens’ Alternative Budget – a document that reads like a socialist handbook. It promises to fund utopia for just $89 billion in new taxes.
Universal dental care, guaranteed incomes, free lunches, and 35,000 new homes – it’s the most expensive wish list since a child’s letter to Santa, except Santa doesn’t have to worry about capital flight.
At least Santa believes in targeting on the basis of behaviour!
The wealth tax at the heart of this relies on economic amnesia – Sweden abandoned theirs after watching its tennis stars serve from Monaco, France got capital flight, Germany got bureaucratic nightmares. But the Greens have cracked the code: New Zealand is apparently surrounded by a magical forcefield that prevents the wealthy from fleeing to Australia.
Most people can tolerate being taxed a portion of their income. But when the Greens say they want to take a portion of your assets every year, of course people would flee.
The crown jewel of this socialist revival would be the Ministry of Green Works – a bureaucratic behemoth that would make Muldoon weep with joy. Picture it: former KiwiBuild managers quadrupling housing targets, overseen by Three Waters consultants designing the governance arrangements.
You think $50 million to talk about a bridge was costly. Much better to come.