Paula Bennett, Shane Jones debate an early move to Level 2, National's tax relief policy and the lockdown's legality

May 7, 2020

The two MPs were back on Breakfast to discuss the latest happenings in the political landscape. (Source: Other)

Paula Bennett and Shane Jones have debated the latest developments from Parliament this week with the pair of MPs discussing an early move to Level 2, National's proposed tax relief scheme and more.

Ms Bennett and Mr Jones appeared on TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning for their weekly political panel and immediately got stuck into it with the ongoing debate of when New Zealand should drop from Alert Level 3.

In line with her party leader Simon Bridges, Ms Bennett said the time was now.

"We're ready, the country's ready," Ms Bennett said.

"I think that businesses want to keep their staff and they need some cashflow and I think we can do it safely. We're just getting this whole 'it's either safe or it's not' and I just think that we can open up more safely and see more businesses keeping job.

"That's what's important - people have got rent and mortgages to pay and they're feeling the pinch right now."

Mr Jones didn't disagree, simply saying he's "always been eager" to move away from Alert Levels 3 and 4 as quickly as possible when it was safe to do so.

"I would say that the last thing we want is to lose the confidence of the community by getting in a yoyo situation."

Another hot topic of discussion was National's proposed tax relief policy for businesses which Mr Jones said had little chance of succeeding on any plain.

"I just suspect that the National kite that they're flying by handing back GST and giving away free money, it is really weakening the principles of commerce and we've had an enormous amount of positive reenforcement for the small business project that the IRD is rolling out."

But Ms Bennett said that's not enough.

"Lets do more, but targeted," she said.

"I understand completely why the wage subsidy was so broad, we needed it quickly, but we're weeks in now so we can get more cash into these businesses and that's what they desperately need."

Lastly, Mr Jones was asked about the Epidemic Response Committee questioning the legality of the nationwide lockdown imposed by the Government to combat the pandemic - a move he said should be left to the High Court.

"I'm old school. One of the most profound institutions that checks power in New Zealand is the High Court.

"We have to respect the ability of the High Court to test the boundaries of power that we exercise and I'm very comfortable with that.

"The efforts of the select committee - I think that experience is about to draw to an end and we'll consign it to history."

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