Ask a politician: Would Clark sell off Auckland's pensioner houses?

Q: To Helen Clark:

As Mt Albert MP and a resident of Auckland, what is your stance on the selling of Auckland pensioner housing and rent increases? Would you revert to the previous policy of 25 per cent of net super, or support the new council policy of $85 a week implemented on July 1?
- Ross Bradburn, Freemans Bay.

A: Labour does not believe that the Auckland City Council should be selling its pensioner housing or charging high rents for its pensioner flats.


Q: To Bill English:

How was it National managed to avoid improving the New Zealand economy despite being in office for three terms before the current administration? What makes Bill English think they will do any better at it if they get another go?
- Kevin Bennewith, Sydney.

A: National significantly improved New Zealand's economic performance during the 1990s. When we left office in 1999, the economy was bouncing back strongly from the Asian financial crisis and two consecutive years of drought, and was growing at 4 per cent.

Despite the best export conditions in a generation, Labour has managed to turn that into 3 per cent, with long-term forecasts of only 2 per cent. That's just not fast enough to close the growing gap between New Zealand and Australia - let alone the OECD.

National does have the better policies for growth because we recognise the importance of small businesses and their need for a reduced tax burden and lower compliance costs.

Just this week the Herald reported on a Business New Zealand survey which rated National's economic policy as being substantially better for business and economic growth than what's being offered by Labour.

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