Former finance minister Ruth Richardson has accepted a challenge from the current finance minister to engage in a debate with her.
Willis invited Richardson to a debate as the Taxpayers’ Union, which Richardson chairs, was gearing up to start a pressure campaign against her.
“I’m ready anytime, anywhere. I will debate her. She needs to come front up face to face,” Willis said.
Willis has also invited media outlets to host the debate.
Tory Relf, spokesperson for the Taxpayers’ Union, stated that Richardson was eager to debate the government’s debt, public spending levels, budget balancing, and economic growth.
“The government promised to reduce public spending. It’s now higher than when Grant Robertson left office,” Relf said.
“The government promised to tackle Labour’s 30% increase in bureaucrats. They’ve managed to reduce the size of the core public service by not even 1%.”
Relf said that every National Party finance minister since Robert Muldoon has faced the task of addressing structural deficits inherited from Labour. Willis’ challenge was no different from those faced by Richardson or Sir Bill English.
“The government promised to get the books back into surplus. Unless you count a newly invented OBEGALx measure, the Government’s fiscal pathway never gets New Zealand back into surplus,” Relf said.
“The government promised ‘growth, growth, growth’. GDP per capita is lower than when Grant Robertson was in office.
“The government promised to reduce borrowing. Borrowing is still near Grant Robertson-era levels.”
According to the Taxpayers’ Union, Richardson is prepared to debate the country’s fiscal situation following the release of the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update.