Finance Minister Nicola Willis is gearing up for a debate with Ruth Richardson. Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Weekly Political Panel: Nicola Willis and Carmel Sepuloni
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is rejecting claims she's indulging in a sideshow as she gears up for a debate against her early 90s predecessor Ruth Richardson.
The Labour Party is characterising the "public duel" as a distraction from what really matters to New Zealanders. Willis says it's substance.
Willis threw down the gauntlet on Tuesday, challenging Richardson to "come out of the shadows" ahead of an expected Taxpayers' Union "pressure campaign" pushing for more aggressive cuts to spending and debt.
Richardson, who chairs the lobby group, initially laughed it off. But the Taxpayers' Union later issued a media release, saying Richardson was "more than happy" to debate.
Appearing on Morning Report's politics panel on Wednesday, Willis said discussions were underway with various media outlets about the date and location.
"When people make newspaper advertisements alleging that somehow we can literally cut billions of dollars overnight and do this job immediately upon assuming office, I don't think that that's very realistic," Willis said.
"I've thought that through and I want to debate it."
Carmel Sepuloni is questioning whether the debate is the best use of the Finance minister's time. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
But Labour's deputy Carmel Sepuloni, also on the panel, questioned whether the debate was the best use of Willis' time: "It just sounds like flexing."
"This is not... an area of primary concern for New Zealanders," Sepuloni said.
"They want the government to be focusing on the things that matter: jobs, health, homes and real action on the cost of living. Not having duels with former ministers of finance."
Willis fired back, saying she was focused on getting the books back in balance and doing "a huge tidy-up" of the public finances.
"I'm having a policy debate about issues which Labour likes to think aren't important, but are important," Willis said.
"If New Zealand racks up more and more debt, the people that pay for that are future generations... debt remained level last year after years of it actually doubling under Labour. So we're doing that job."
Later speaking at Parliament, Willis said she hoped the platform would allow for a "civil, substance-based debate".
She said she was proud of the government's record: "I really want the chance to defend our government".
Willis would not be drawn on what she thought Richardson's motivation was.
"Part of my goal with this has been to say - well, let's hear what you've actually got to say," she said. "Cartoons and ads in the paper are one thing, but let's talk about the substance."
Her colleague and fellow debater Chris Bishop said he backed Willis to win any debate and "respectfully" suggested the Taxpayers' Union should "aim their fire at people who are more hostile to their mission".
Labour leader Chris Hipkins refused to endorse either side, saying whoever won, "the whole country will lose".
"Ruth Richardson and Nicola Willis both have a very backwards looking view of economic management," Hipkins said.
"It just shows the National Party's more interested in fighting amongst themselves than they are in fixing the problems that are facing New Zealanders."
Richardson is most well known as the architect of the 'Mother of All Budgets' in 1991 which delivered deep cuts to government spending on welfare and social services.
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