NATIONAL IS WORKING FOR ALL NEW ZEALANDERS

Prime Minister and National Party leader Jenny Shipley says the National Party is made up of people working for people across a broad base of New Zealand.

Speaking at the National party's Otago-Southland divisional conference in Gore, Mrs Shipley said that all New Zealanders - urban and rural, young and old, wage earners and self employed - will need to work hard and think smart if New Zealand is to do well as a country.

"The National party is committed to governing so all New Zealanders get the benefit of our policies.

"Next week's Budget will demonstrate that the National-New Zealand First Coalition Government is determined to create an environment in which economic growth will continue.

"The Budget will balance sound economic management with social spending. It will seek to improve our performance by introducing further changes and improvements in key areas of the economy, and will also place close scrutiny on the quality of current spending of taxpayers funds.

My National party colleagues and I hear the concerns of New Zealanders who live outside the main centres. They want to see the profitability of their businesses improve, and they want to feel they are a valued part of New Zealand.

"National knows that for New Zealanders on the farms and fishing boats, in the provincial centres and in the big cities, the answer is to maintain a growing, competitive, outward looking economy so that our productive sector can prosper. Without the wealth the productive sector creates, there is nothing for the rest of us to share."

Mrs Shipley says the Government is actively working on reducing costs on the productive sector and gave the following examples:

Changes in the electricity sector will mean lower power bills
Removing tariffs from motor vehicles will lower the price of new vehicles
ACC premiums have come down and the ACC scheme's under further review
Concerns about the Resource Management Act are being tackled
"The tax cuts due to come in on July 1 will put more money back into the economy, and I hope that people will either save it or invest it in such a way that it creates jobs for other New Zealanders.

"New Zealanders can share the responsibility for creating economic growth by falling in love with saving. It is in their own interests and the interests of the country as a whole. We presently borrow other peoples' savings to expand our economy, but we must try to change this over time.

"Next week's Budget will seek to balance the interests of all New Zealanders. "Some sector groups will always complain that the Government should move faster on reforms, or spend more money, while others will argue for the opposite. I am confident the Coalition Government has the balance right.

"My team of National ministers are providing leadership in many areas, while our coalition partner is also making a responsible contribution to Government.

"It is National that has since the start of this decade created the environment where our economy has grown year after year. It is National that has an experienced team of able New Zealanders capable of meeting the challenges of maintaining stability through difficult times. It is the National party that is working in coalition to secure our future.

"We will continue to deliver stable economic and political leadership, as long as we believe it is possible to do so " Mrs Shipley concluded.