The National Party says it supports the Government's decision to extend the wage subsidy following Auckland’s Level 3 lockdown, but says Kiwis are paying a "heavy price" for the Government's "border failures".
National released a statement after Finance Minister Grant Robertson this afternoon announced the new scheme is estimated to cost $510 million and cover 470,000 jobs.
An extension of the mortgage deferral scheme was also announced.
Despite agreeing the move is necessary, National finance spokesperson Paul Goldsmith has issues with the fact Covid-19 has re-emerged in New Zealand.
“This second lockdown will cost more jobs and put families under intense pressure," he said in a statement.
“The Prime Minister was correct when she said in April that ‘the worst thing we can do for our country is to yo-yo between levels, with all of the uncertainty that this would bring’.
“Yet her Government inexplicably failed to ensure everyone working on the border or in quarantine facilities was regularly tested.
“You can’t have an elimination strategy and take such big risks on the border.
“The Minister of Health thought it was too much to insist that all border workers were tested; but it is not too much to ask 1.5 million to go into lockdown again."
Mr Goldsmith went on to imply his party is better suited to keep Covid-19 out at the border.
“Borrowing $1.6 billion more to pay wage subsidies is necessary now, to help businesses that can’t trade for public health reasons, but we have to give ourselves the best shot to rebuild by competently managing the border.
“Effective border management is the foundation on which our economy can recover.
“Beyond that, National’s economic plan of job friendly policies, low taxes and quality infrastructure will revive our economy and restore household incomes.”
On Sunday, National leader told Q+A's Jack Tame her party will be releasing its border plan this week.
The Ministry of Health says it's still investigating how the latest outbreak in Auckland began. The earliest known case so far is a worker at Auckland cool store Americold.
SHARE ME