Minor Parties Take Aim at Government Debt and Ministerial Roles

At a recent BusinessNZ election conference, minor party leaders stole the spotlight by targeting National Party leader Christopher Luxon and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

Act leader David Seymour criticized the government's debt, which has more than tripled since the pre-Covid-19 pandemic years. He said tax is just a bill sent to individuals today, but debt is the bill sent to future generations who will have to repay it.

Seymour also took aim at the proliferation of ministerial roles, calling them 'virtue signalling' and saying they don't come with any real power or budget. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters echoed Seymour's criticism, saying that the current government is too complex and that its plans for a future fund are unrealistic.

The Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick urged businesses to use their influence to advocate for climate action and a fairer economy. She cited estimates from the Sustainable Business Council that annual GDP could rise by $33b by 2050 under a low-emissions model.