National Party leader Christopher Luxon. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
The National Party's tax relief plan is targeted at the "squeezed middle" who despite waking up and going to work every day, just cannot get ahead, its leader says.
National is refusing to say how it will fund the package before it is announced in its entirety at 10.30am.
However, Luxon said the combination of the party's tax cut plan and its FamilyBoost tax rebate policy for would mean a family with children on an income of $120,000 would keep up to $250 extra a fortnight. Without children, they would keep $100 a fortnight.
Those on lower incomes would keep less of their earnings, with someone on $60,000 a year keeping $50 a fortnight; a full-time worker on minimum wage would keep $20 a fortnight; a superannuitant couple would have $26 extra a fortnight.
The party had released those details to the media ahead of its full announcement.
"We want to make sure we have a public service system that actually delivers outcomes for New Zealanders" - Christopher Luxon
Party leader Christopher Luxon told Morning Report they had designed a plan for the "squeezed middle".
"These are folk that are waking up this morning, going to work, paying their taxes, juggling family obligations and often having multiple jobs and no matter how hard they work, they just can't get ahead."
Luxon said they had been "hammered by this government with inflation, and interest rates and high taxes eating away their income so we've been really purposeful and really intentional to say 'these are the people we are helping with this tax relief and this tax plan'".
The cost of living and not being able to get ahead was one of the main drivers for 34,000 Kiwis who had "sadly" moved across the ditch, he said.
Luxon said the National Party had two tasks - getting inflation down to decrease the cost of living for people and growing the country to get out of the current recession.
"We actually believe in better government, is the key thing. I believe in better government and I think that's what we are going to make sure happens in a National government. We want to make sure we have a public service system that actually delivers outcomes for New Zealanders."
Luxon said the package was completely self-funded and therefore, would not add to inflation.
"What we are going to do, we are going to have very sensible reprioritisation in savings. I thought it was very interesting 46 days out from an election, finally, this government understands there has been wasteful spending going on and it decided to do something similar this week."
It would also have four targeted revenue measures - those that he would not announce until later this morning.
Despite the package being targeted towards the "squeezed middle", Luxon said low income workers would also do better under a National government than a Labour one.
"It's $20 a fortnight they receive … it's better than a few cents off carrots and a couple of beans."
Today was about bringing together all National had talked about to help New Zealanders, Luxon said, including the Family Boost policy which would include a childcare rebate.
Luxon said a National government would be a "pragmatic" and "practical" one - to help with the "pain and suffering" New Zealanders up and down the country are experiencing.
"Help and hope is on the way today," he said.