National/Act will sell to highest bidder

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

I’m really concerned that if we get a National/Act government we will end up being owned by multinational corporates and be under the thumb of foreign governments.

Act has cited aims to let public-private partnerships loose in the public health sector. Apparently the Act Party thinks this would be a great idea and a “no-brainer”.

We hold $billions in our ACC and superannuation funds that should fund our future, but which could become vulnerable under a N/Act Govt. Last time they were in government they didn’t add to our super fund and reduced KiwiSaver incentives.

Previously, and under our Labour-led Govt, hospitals, roads, schools etc have been funded out of the taxes collected and loans, but we’ve kept ownership.

However, there were public-private partnerships for Transmission Gully and the Puhoi Roads arranged by National and Act with huge cost overruns.

If a government gives away and reduces taxes by $billions to those already wealthy and to landlords, you don’t have enough in the kitty to fund infrastructure — let alone the public services you expect. New projects and renewal of infrastructure will by necessity be contracted to profit-making organisations.

I don’t like the idea of our core services and infrastructure being owned by foreign investors who have a profit motive. This will happen if we allow excessive tax cuts that most of us will never see. Most of us will get a few extra $$ that will be eaten up by extra costs for prescriptions, dental, winter energy payments, school lunches and more.

Let’s not go here please.

Mary-Ann de Kort