New Zealand's economy worsens under Nicola Willis' leadership.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is facing criticism for failing to return the country's finances to surplus, leading to a longer recession and harder recovery. Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds attributes this decline to a series of poor decisions made by Willis, including tax cuts that benefit landlords and tobacco companies, and now proposes new taxes on Kiwis to pay for them.
The Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update has been described as the "rotten cherry on top" of Willis' first year as Finance Minister. Edmonds claims the Government lacks a plan to grow the economy beyond mere talk, highlighting that unemployment is rising, jobs are scarce, and one Kiwi leaves every six and a half minutes in search of better opportunities.
The opposition has accused Willis of manipulating the narrative by introducing a new way to measure the deficit, but asserts that New Zealanders will see through this attempt. The Finance Minister's handling of the economy is under scrutiny as the country heads into Christmas amidst financial uncertainty.